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AWP Nugget: Takeaways from Nobel Laureates Seamus Heaney and Derek Walcott
BOSTON — If you’re given an hour to sit down and listen to two Nobel-Prize-winning writers, you do so. I am still in my infancy when it comes to my understanding and appreciation of poetry and poets,...
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How Technology is Advancing the Arts
Every artist on some level understands that the actions of an artist are dictated by technology. Before Gutenberg invented the printing press, writers were far more limited in page count with wound...
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A Model for Feedback on Your Creative Work
“Writing is a solitary pursuit,” said award-winning author Robin Hemley, explaining why he has “no patience” for belonging to a writer’s group. You might argue that Robin has reached a level in his...
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When Did You First Embrace Your Creativity?
There were many commonalities I found among the creatives I interviewed during my 2010 cross-country U.S. trip. One was that my interview subjects all discovered their own creative side at a very early...
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Five Keys to Living an Art-Committed Life
His story is simultaneously inspiring and horrifying. After ten years in the rat-race of London, James Rhodes returned to his true passion, the piano. He dedicated himself to achieving the mastery he...
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Guest Post: Fine Arts, Creativity & the Aging Brain Positively Linked
Here at The Artist’s Road we promote creative thinking and doing at any age. Dr. Francine Toder has written a book based both on scientific research and individual case studies that not only supports...
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3 Steps Off the Path of an Art-Committed Life
College Hall on the campus of the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where I will receive my MFA in Writing in early July. It is one of my greatest fears. I have abandoned my creativity before; this blog is...
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Being Creative While Avoiding Outsider Status
When someone asks you, “What do you do?” what is your answer? If you’re like most of us, context matters. You might say one thing at a professional networking reception and quite another at a...
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Why I Never Call Someone Talented
God-given. Gifted. Blessed. These are adjectives and nouns we use when referring to someone as talented. We are suggesting that talent was a gift the individual received before he or she was even born....
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MFA Nuggets are Coming! MFA Nuggets are Coming!
Imagine yourself completely immersed in a world of creativity and trust. For ten days and nights you participate in a creative workshop, attend lectures and readings, and engage in conversation that...
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MFA Nugget: Identifying A Nagging Sense of Anxiety
MONTPELIER, VT: This is supposed to be a ten-day celebration of two years of hard work. At the conclusion of this Vermont College of Fine Arts residency I will hear my name called and be handed a...
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What is Your Creativity Type? (From the Newly Published “Creative You”)
No creative wants to be put in a box. So I suspect some would resist if I were to tell them that they have a distinct personality type, and that those that share their personality type have certain...
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MFA Nugget: Richard Russo on Winning the Pulitzer and the Writing Life
MONTPELIER, VT: If you were a writer, what would be the first question you would ask a Pulitzer-Prize-winning novelist? I’m having a hard time narrowing my list down to that one question, but Vermont...
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MFA Nugget: The Secret to Including Drama in Your Creative Writing
MONTPELIER, VERMONT: If you think this post on enhancing dramatic moments in your creative writing is going to feature craft tips, think again. Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing instructor...
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On Living an Art-Committed Life with Writer’s Knowledge Base
The theme of The Artist’s Road is “creativity, writing, and an art-committed life.” I provided some thoughts on the rewards and challenges of living an art-committed life, as well as the origins of...
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Discussing Creativity with Creative You Co-Author David B. Goldstein
The new book on creativity and Myers-Briggs personality typing, Creative You: Using Your Personality Type to Thrive, has been out a little over a week, and I’ve already heard from some creatives who...
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Mapping the Narrative Lines of Your Story
I’ll confess that this post is driven as much by defensiveness as it is a desire to educate. My recent review of the book Creative You and my interview with co-author David B. Goldstein has reminded me...
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How Does it Feel to Have Earned an MFA?
“How does it feel to have earned an MFA?” It’s a question I have heard frequently from well-meaning people, and I have had no answer. Vermont’s Lake Champlain, my escape after graduation. I’ve fallen...
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The Role of Structure in Creative Free Thinking
Creativity can closely resemble chaos, as it did for me last week when I watched thirty 5th-graders whirling around a classroom with cardboard, duct tape, motors, gears, string and safety scissors. I...
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Do You Want a Netflix for Books?
The Wall Street Journal headline on Tuesday caught my eye: “Publishing Hears Echoes of Netflix Business Model: Digital Startups Prepare to Offer E-Book Subscription Services.” What could this mean? Are...
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