Over the Last 45 Years, I Have Written and Published 175 Books for Adults and Children
As a professor of education and author of over 175 books, I have learned that being a successful writer isn’t just about crafting compelling stories, but also about being a sponge, reading widely, and broadening one’s perspective. I have written about a wide range of topics, from marine biology to job interviews, teaching, creativity, baseball, archeology, American history, resume writing, and more.
Through my journey, I have discovered four key principles that have served me well for the past four decades. The first is that there is no one “right” answer. As an educator, I have learned that we are often taught to believe that for every problem, there is only one correct response. However, this limiting mindset can stifle creativity. I encourage people to generate as many different uses for a paper clip as they can, and the results are astounding.
The second principle is to give yourself permission to make mistakes. The most creative people are often those who have had the most failures. James Dyson, for example, created 5,126 unworkable prototypes before inventing the Dyson vacuum cleaner. Thomas Edison spent over two years trying to improve his light bulb. I, too, have made many mistakes in my writing, but I see each one as an opportunity to learn and improve.
The third principle is to be curious and open-minded. The most creative people I know are able to recall and tap into a childlike sense of wonder about the world. Curiosity is the catalyst for questioning, and questioning drives us to seek out the unfamiliar and contemplate the unknown.
The final principle is to believe in your creative potential. We all have the ability to be creative, just like we did as children. Unfortunately, our natural creativity often gets ground down over time due to the pressure to conform to others’ expectations. Creative people aren’t interested in pleasing everyone; they are willing to take risks and embrace the unknown.
