The latest from the author of the bestselling Caffeine for the Creative Mind How do you develop solutions that rock? Ones that surpass their initial purpose and grab an industry by its throat, turn interested parties into concept evangelists, and influence behaviors and alter perceptions? Read Chasing the Idea Monster and find out. This fun and insightful book sorts out the hallmarks of a monstrous idea by providing the author's "idea measurement" tools in the form of seven primary questions to gauge the potential of any idea. These seven questions are supported by real-world examples of ideas that succeeded in winning over their audience, as well as those that ignored the measurement and failed miserably. Features warnings and anecdotes from some of the world's most prominent creatives, marketing teams, and business professionals A proven method for determining if an idea will be a "big idea," or else will die a painful death Author is a respected industry expert whose Caffeine for the Creative Mind successfully reached an audience both in the creative community and beyond Want to get a better sense of what makes a successful idea, and how yours measures up? Start Chasing the Idea Monster and scoring big creative wins today!

Creative Boot Camp is a 30-day creative training program that will increase the quantity and quality of your ideas. The book begins by exploring what creativity is and isn't, how we can train ourselves to improve our own ideation, and what steps we need to take to generate more ideas and better ideas for our creative selves, our creative projects, our creative businesses, and our creative lives. Like any muscle, creativity requires repetitive and challenging exercise to grow. The 30-day program provides an escalation of creative exercises that test our problem-solving prowess and train us to overcome the obstacles that inhibit ideation. The program tests regularly, both in idea quantity and quality, to ensure we are on track with our boot camp goals. But unlike the gym, these exercises aren't to be dreaded. They are light, fun, and take 10-15 minutes max. By the end of the 30-day boot camp, readers will see noticeable improvement in the quantity and quality of their ideas.

'Breakthrough' innovation is often difficult to achieve. Great ideas hide in places that are not obvious. They often first appear as bits and pieces of fragmented ideas rather than something fully revealed. In addition, the story behind chasing ideas is as elusive as the ideas themselves. Some say that breakthrough innovation is magical, unlearnable, or inborn. It is a wonderful fairy tale of inspiration. However, evidence does not fully support the 'inspiration' hypothesis. A successful Idea Chase is a combination of inspiration and disciplined hard work. These important ingredients cannot be separated, they work together to reveal something that is unseen by others. Artists, authors, musicians, as well as leaders of some of the most innovative organizations have mastered this approach. It is a skill that can be described, developed, and managed. As described in this book, the story of innovation is built on seven key principles and a toolbox of supporting methods: Be Ambitious, Create Chemistry, Define Roles and Responsibilities, Build Trust, Lean on Data, Show Perseverance, and Embrace Sacrifice. This story is told through the experiences and examples of innovative organizations and extraordinary people that have combined the magic of inspiration with the muscle of discipline to achieve the impossible.

The new edition of the book readers call the bible for advertising The sixth edition of Hey Whipple, Squeeze This offers a new take on the rapidly evolving industry of creative advertising. Creativity—while critical—is no longer enough to succeed. Updating all the classic creativity training from the first five editions, this updated version now provides the necessary tools to navigate the field’s changing technical and social media landscapes. From learning how to tell brand stories to creating content for Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, Whipple will help sharpen your writing chops, enhance your creativity, and raise the level of your work whether you’re new to the business or a practicing professional. In this fully updated edition, you’ll explore: How to employ the traditional concepting techniques today’s creatives use, as well as new developments in applied creativity and inquiry-based innovation. How to use emerging technologies and the different technical structures of social media platforms to bring brand stories to life. How to go 180 ̊ against common sense for ideas that have the potential of becoming viral. How to create the kind of portfolio that will get you a job in the industry.

Learn how to add WOW! to your products, services, and everyday work in order to increase sales as well as advance your career. What makes certain products gain mass appeal, acquire a dedicated following, and draw customers to wait in line for the latest version? Why do some restaurants book out weeks in advance and create buzz among would-be patrons? How are certain employees able to energize their colleagues and elicit enthusiastic participation during meetings? What sets these notable products, services, and employees apart is their flair - their charm, panache, liveliness, and energy. Flair shows how to add meaning and joy to your products, services, and everyday work. Employing principles and practices developed from interviews and research with design firms, artists, and business experts, the authors show that anyone can create inspiring flair - not only in products and services but in their own daily work - in reports, presentations, and meetings. The benefits of flair for your company are an exceptional reputation, increased sales, and premium prices. For you, flair increases management's appreciation of your work, enabling you to stand out and advance your career. And once you fully understand flair, you'll see that creating it can be fun.

STEP RIGHT UP and BEHOLD a stupendous COLLECTION of over 250 FEARSOME and FANTASTICAL CREATURES from Every State in the Union! The Black Dog of Hanging Hills, the Tommyknockers of Pennsylvania, the Banshee of the Badlands—these beasts and hundreds more will hold you spellbound, unable to look away from their frightful features and their extraordinary stories. Come face to face with modern-day dinosaurs, extraterrestrials, dragons, lizard men, giants, and flying humanoids. This illustrated collection includes more than 250 monsters and cryptids that will make your hair stand on end when you hear something go bump in the night. From Alabama to Wyoming and everywhere in between, these enigmatic abominations lurk in the darkest corners and the deepest shadows. This eye-opening book details the origins, appearance, and behaviors of these bizarre creatures so that if you should come across a terrifying beast in the wild, you'll know exactly what you're dealing with. Praise: "Jason Offutt does a special service to the field of cryptozoology with this new book Chasing American Monsters. By keeping all of us up-to-date and incredibly informed—beyond the scope of lesser guidebooks—we have a better head start on knowing where to look for these cryptids. Highly recommended."—Loren Coleman, author of Cryptozoology A to Z and director of the International Cryptozoology Museum

"In the summer of 1988, the mutilated bodies of several missing girls begin to turn up in a small Maryland town. The grisly evidence leads police to the terrifying assumption that a serial killer is on the loose in the quiet suburb. But soon a rumor begins to spread that the evil stalking local teens is not entirely human. Law enforcement, as well as members of the FBI are certain that the killer is a living, breathing madman--and he's playing games with them. For a once peaceful community trapped in the depths of paranoia and suspicion, it feels like a nightmare that will never end"--

Seven stories of love and impending doom. What happens when… Escaped demons threaten prom? An energy drink breaks the fabric of space-time? A smug VR gamer is forced to team up with her last-choice player? The pursuit of the perfect university application goes way too far? A first date turns into a chase across alternate universes? A wizard fanboy accidentally becomes a hero? Death’s secretary tries to save her favorite human from dying? Bad ideas—that’s what. One prompt. Seven writers. Seven wildly different stories. Monday Night Anthology is a multi-genre collection featuring unique interpretations of the same idea. From romance to satire, fantasy to humor, this volume brings fresh narratives and surprising twists that will make you believe in the brilliance of bad ideas. Featuring stories by Kristina Horner, Stephen Folkins, Jennifer Lee Swagert, Katrina Hamilton, Shay Lynam, Sunny Everson, and Maria Berejan.

First published in 2011. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The tiny fishing community of Deeper Harbour is in deep trouble-and so is fourteen-year-old Roland MacTavish. Roland's mom wants to move with him to Ottawa, away from his father, his weird friend Dulsie, and his even weirder grandfather, Angus. So Roland does what any sane teenager would do: he invents a sea monster. Unfortunately, the scheme quickly spins out of Roland's control, and he has to go to greater and greater lengths to keep up the illusion. And then Roland must deal with a situation far more terrifying than any sea monster.As moving as it is irresistibly funny, Steve Vernon's portrait of Roland and Deeper Harbour is perfect for anyone who's ever been stuck badly enough to do something awesomely, brilliantly, heroically stupid.