I’m really excited about a new book I just finished. It’s a self-help book with the goal of showing everyone how to be more creative. Here’s how the book proposal describes it:
A major new work of nonfiction that will provide a science-backed step-by-step method to maximize our creative potential in any sphere of life—in the workplace, at home, in the arts, in volunteer organizations, or in our relationships and communities.
Here’s the basic idea. Based on scientific studies of creativity, I identified eight steps to the creative process. For each step, I invented about 20 hands-on techniques: fun activities and exercises that will enhance your ability to get through that step successfully. In its overall structure and style, it’s something like the classic books Thinkertoys and Whack On The Side of the Head, but with updated techniques based in research.
My problem now is: I can’t think of a good title, so I need your help! I’ve listed the best of the many that my editor and I have come up with, and please vote for one of these, or provide one or more of your own. If you suggest a new title that we select, of course I will acknowledge you in the book!
A selected few of the many ideas we’ve come up with:
- Creatopia
- The Creative Life
- The Creativity Discipline
- The Creativity Cycle
- Choosing Creativity
- Zig Zag: The surprising path to greater creativity
- Zoom: Creativity at the speed of light
- Creatology: The science of successful creativity
- Kaleidoscope: The eight facets of creativity
The Creativity Guru 
Mind Matters, Scientifically Proven Ways to Become Creative!
Hey Keith,
Zig Zag caught my attention…I was interviewing a person about creativity, and he explained it to me this way. “I’m sort of a rebel. I zig, while other people zag.”
His comment is a comparison to the proverbial ‘think out side the box.’ I *love* that.
So, I like the Zig Zag title…he wasn’t putting down the ‘zag’-gers – just making a point of difference.
/jeff
perhaps Zag Zig then
Hi Keith, here some sugestions…
Creactivities for a better life.
Creativity. How improve day by day.
Easy&Fun. The serious way of creativity.
Easy&Fun. How to be seriously creative.
Creativity: 8 days a week!
Good luck!
Guingo Sylwan
Thank you! I expected some convergence: “Creactivity” is on our extended list. Also a lot of titles with “eight” in them, but not “Eight days a week” which is good! Here are some others on our extended list:
The eight slices of the orange
The eight stations of the way
The eight notes of creativity
The eight songs of creativity
Creativity in eight movements
Eight tracks of rocking creativity advice
Juggling eight balls
The eight ring circus
And then, titles with “octo” in them like “Octavity” or “The Octagon”
I like “Choosing Creativity.” It’s the one that suggests human activity to me. It speaks to people about taking action, where the others say something about creativity or the method.
That said…congratulations Keith! Very exciting. I look forward to reading and sharing it with others!
Hmm…fascin-8-ing stuff 🙂
Not 2 L8 am I?
Perhaps just the simple number 8 on it’s side…Infinite interpretations obviously.
An eight ball even?
Cre8 or cre-eight perhaps?
For something more casual how about along the lines of “stepping out” or “best foot forward”.
Liked the creactivity & tology by the way.
U8 seen nothing yet b b b baby!
Have fun 😀
Nic
Here are a few :
Creativity design
Create !
Just create !
Play and Create
Everyday creativity
Little games to great creativity
Creatology
Colors of creativity
Creativity in practise /
creativity training
Creativity stairs : the eight steps to innovation
Creativity and ideation
Eight ways to ideation
8 balls for your creativity pool
I look forward to reading this new book….
Cree8 : A Sherpa for the creative process.
Marci I liked the ZigZag nane
Best
Solange
Avoid the weeds of life
Light the path
kNOW
A Bio.me
Hurray for you, Keith! So proud of you. I too like Zig Zag. Or how about:
Creativity unsuspected: Unleashing Your Birthright
Creativity Blooms: Nourish the garden of your abilities
Thank you! I also think a “growth” metaphor could work great, here are some from my extended list:
Ballooning
Blooming
Growing
The care and feeding of ideas
Be Creative!
I also see a book cover with a Magic Eight Ball with the little clue emerging from the fluid saying, “Be Creative!”
I look forward to reading this book very much, regardless of the title you choose.
I think Creatology is great – you should stick to that. I would rather think how to change a second part of the title. You have “The science of successful creativity”
my play with words(I borrow some ideas from other comments):
the science of creativity training
the science of enhanced creativity
the science of enhanced creativity training
enhanced creativity training manual
creativity manual
Creativity Discipline
the science of a creative mind (I like this one)
the science of creation
What might be all the subtitles you could use?
8 scientifically proven ways to be more creative.
The 8 habits of highly creative people.
8 steps to a more creative life.
The 8 traits everyone needs.
How to lead a more creative life.
8 easy steps to unleash your creative powers.
Would love, love, love to use your book for a creativity class I am teaching this coming fall. Its scientific (anti-fluff) basis is very appealing. Might you like to have some beta testers….?
Which ever title you select, I think it should include the word science or scientific.
For your class, you may want to consider using my creativity textbook, just published in 2012 in a second edition: It’s called Explaining Creativity, published by Oxford, and here is the web page:
http://www.explainingcreativity.com
Creative Octet
I, Creative
You, Creative
Octet
My suggestion – Stay Creative, Stay Alive: Make Your Own Creatopia.
Reasons:
1 It’s an imperative with an optimistic tone, directed at individual readers and browsers who want to improve their lives.
2. The self-help aspect is immediately visible.
3. The subtitle introduces the term Creatopia which, I’m guessing, is developed in the book. It’s a subtitle because readers are probably not familiar with the term yet and might not remember it when recommending it to others.
4. A quick scan didn’t turn up another book with a similar title.
5. It allows for sequels, perhaps tied to your earlier books as well (for example – Expand Your Creatopia: Group Genius Revisited).
Like others, I’m looking forward to reading the book!
Thank you! Perhaps also “Keep Creating”…
I like Zig Zag because it is a catchy title that people will remember.
Maybe some other extensions to the zig zag
Zig Zag: Exploring creativity in eight steps
My development editor just suggested these titles:
Creativity’s Eight Steps
The Creativity Formula
Tapping Your Creativity
The Blueprint for Creativity
The Creativity Pattern
The Creativity Mosaic
Sequencing Creativity
The Creativity Sequence: Eight Steps That Crack the Code to Any Problem
+1 creativity sequencing
And on the cover, put some interesting DNA eye candy to differentiate it from other books on the shelf
If it is based on research:
“Evidence Based Creativity”
Another option is:
“Dare to Create”
Be Creative; Challenge Your Creativity; Creativity for Everyone; Creativity for Anyone
Creativity^2
(read: creativity squared)… shorthand for “creating creativity,” which is what you’re trying to do, right?
Greetings Keith,
Your work really inspires me. I can’t wait to read your new book. I like: Kaleidoscope: The eight facets of creativity because it sounds accessible… but I wonder if you have considered using ‘Create’ in the verb form rather than using the noun ‘Creativity’ in your title.
-creative nonfiction
-the life hacker’s guide to creativity
-brain hacker
-weird science: creativity hacks
-creativity hacks
-creativity playbook
-creativity handbook
-creativity cookbook
-your genius
+1 creatology
+1 creatopia
You’re Creative: A Guide to Realizing Your Creative Potential
The title has been chosen, and it is:
ZIG ZAG: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity
Thank you all for providing all those suggestions!
[…] who helped select the title for my new creativity advice book, ZIG ZAG (in the comments on this blog post). Last month, the awesome art team at my publisher, Jossey-Bass, spent a few weeks coming up with […]