Quote of the day:
As a creative person, you literally need free time to be mentally replenished.
~ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS, author of The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment.
WELL-BEING
The lost art of free time [The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment]
, 99u | Tweet
So how do we overcome the compulsion to get one more thing done and give ourselves freedom to have guilt-free creative rest? Here are a few strategies that can help.
NUTRITION
Nutrition labels are confusing and unhelpful, but there’s a better alternative, Science Of Us | Tweet
Even if you’re relatively well-versed in the language of nutrition, the Nutrition Facts labels found on the sides of food packaging can be extremely confusing. What does it mean if something has a lot of fiber, but also a lot of carbs? How much sugar is too much sugar? Those little boxes throw a lot of information at you all at once.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Six strategies on how to rise to the top in any field [Confessions of an Advertising Man]
, The Creativity Post
| Tweet
“In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. Management cannot be expected to recognize a good idea unless it is presented to them by a good salesman.” —David Ogilvy.
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
How to look smarter, WSJ | Tweet
While trying to look intelligent, a lot of people do things that make them look dumb. For instance, people use big words or put on a poker face—tactics that can backfire for some, studies show.
BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS
The power of saying no [The Undercover Economist Strikes Back
], Tim Harford | Tweet
‘Every time we say yes to a request, we are also saying no to anything else we might accomplish with the time’
AMAZON
Amazon changed the price of The Bible over 100 times in five years, Quartz| Tweet
Amazon is famous for changing prices frequently to test the demand for products or undercut a competitor on hot items like Beats headphones or Razor electric scooters. A generic King James version of the Holy Bible wouldn’t seem like an obvious candidate for such dynamic pricing. But data show that Amazon has changed the price of the top Bible in a Google search for “Amazon Bible” more than 100 times since May 2010, according to price-tracking site Camelcamelcamel.
BOOKS
James Patterson’s new book [Private Vegas] will self-distruct in 24 hours, FastCo
| Tweet
The best-selling author’s newest thriller Private Vegas hits stores on January 26th, but before that, Patterson and agency Mother are giving fans the chance to get an early look, with a catch. The first copy will cost $294,038, but it comes with a private trip to an undisclosed luxury location, a five-course dinner with Patterson, and a SWAT team for book handling.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
declared 21st century’s best novel so far, The Guardian | Tweet
Junot Díaz’s mix of ‘history, comics, sci-fi, and magic realism ‘ tops BBC Culture poll of US critics on the best fiction since 2000.
SCREENWRITING
Script to Screen: The English Patient 
, Go Into The Story | Tweet
A moment of obsessed love explored in this scene from the 1996 movie The English Patient, screenplay by Anthony Minghella, novel by Michael Ondaatje.
WRITING
10 Steps to express yourself better in writing, The Write Practice | Tweet
Good writers are able to fully express themselves with words. But with so much flowing through the chambers of your mind, it is not easy to concisely find just the right words to express yourself, your idea, and your emotions. What phrases convey exactly what you’re thinking? How do you express yourself while keeping your reader following a logical description, dialogue or argument?
The basics of endings, The Kill Zone | Tweet
It’s obvious that a strong ending is as important as a strong beginning. Your reader should never finish your book with a feeling that something was left hanging or unanswered that should have been completed. It doesn’t matter if the ending is expected or unpredictable, it shouldn’t leave the reader with unanswered questions. You don’t want to wind up with a dead ending.