Goosing Your Muse

I find myself feeling more and more like a giant sheet of elastic, being pulled in all directions at once … should I read this article or watch this video or listen to this podcast series or read this great new book … all in an effort to satisfy my hunger to know more about what’s going on in the field of creativity. As frustrating as it is (I mean, there only so many hours in a day, right?) I’m grateful for all the choices.

People often ask me if/how I’m enjoying my iPod … and I tell them I wish I had time to listen more to my favorite songs, but I really use it more often for things like this … a brand new series addressing the creative process from various points of view:

creativehacks.com

Enjoy!

Sorry I didn’t get this one to you before the holidays, however I’m sure it will come in handy for other special occasions … especially if you go to a good art store to buy some of those jazzy hand-made papers? (See that they don’t scratch the CD.)

Step-by-Step …
How to Make a Folded-Paper CD Case!

Better for the environment too!

Enjoy!

Having been an avid writer ever since I learned to type at age 14, (mostly long letters, stories, and some non-fiction)…I’ve always identified with others who are as passionate about writing as I am…

My curiosity drove me to research some evidence of man’s earliest writing and, of course, I found a book about it (probably one of many):

“Archaic Bookkeeping brings together the most current scholarship on the earliest true writing system in human history. Invented by the Babylonians at the end of the fourth millennium B.C., this script, called proto-cuneiform…”

Just think if the Babylonians knew about blogs!

And if you haven’t heard, there are publishers today who are searching through our blogs to see who might qualify to turn their blog into a book. Talk about win-win!

Take a look at this excellent article from Lifehacker.com, Turn Your Blog into a Book to help demystify the process…

Good luck!

Here’s a quick one for you … it’s not as easy as it looks.

Place the States in their rightful spots on the map.
Great exercise for your right/left brain(s) and all parts inbetween.

sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-drop_Intermed_State15s_500.html

So many of you have sent us wonderfully CREATIVE hand-made cards and letters — thank you!

We’ve had such a busy season that we haven’t had much time to tell you all the good things that have been going on…lots of traveling, lots of Goosing Your Muse seminars and workshops also for The Craft and Business of Songwriting…and more coming. We’ll try to keep you updated as we go.

In the meanwhile, check out these excellent Photography Tips for Christmas.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

JoAnn & John Braheny

Technorati Profile

With all that’s been going on, I forgot to tell you that John Braheny has an article in the new edition of Songwriter’s Market 2007 that just came out.

You’ve seen Writer’s Digest books in the stores … Writer’s Market, Poet’s Market, Novel and Short Stories Writer’s Market, Photographer’s Market, etc., as well as their excellent magazines.

John has written chapters/articles for them before. This new one is called Getting Ready to Face the Industry, including these sub-topics:

• Ethics in the Biz
• Ego
• Dealing with Rejection
• Survival
• Marketing Your Lyrics
• Organize Your Song Shopping
• Setting Up Your Database
• Submission Software Packages

Also, in the back of this book there’s a world of resources including some listed by geographic locations. Very handy!

(Los Angeles) Last Thursday night, BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) graciously hosted a warm reception for the leaders of the Southern California local songwriters organizations … to celebrate the release of John Braheny’s brand new 3rd edition of his best-selling book, The Craft and Business of Songwriting.

Left to right — Mark Northam (Film Music World), Lori Barth (Society of Composers and Lyricists), Michael Laskow (Taxi.com), Paige Sober (Asst. VP, Writer Publisher Relations, BMI), Jimi Yamagishi (Songwriters Network), Liz Axford (NSAI — San Diego), Alex Del Zoppo (Songwriters Co-op), John Braheny (Author – The Craft and Business of Songwriting), Dan Kimpel (Music Connection magazine), Gilli Moon (Songsalive!), Seth Jackson (NSAI – L.A.), Judy Lamppu (L.A. Women In Music), Stephen Scott (L.A. Women In Music)