Maisel - Making your creative mark: nine keys to achieving your creative goals

From Reviews of Eric Maisels Previous Books

Eric Maisel has made a career out of helping artists, musicians, dancers, and writers cope with the traumas and troubles that are the price of admission to a creative life.

Intuition magazine

Eric Maisel has fused his empirical knowledge of the artistic life with true empathy and support for artists in each of the disciplines.

New Age Journal

Praise for Brainstorm by Eric Maisel and Ann Maisel

[Brainstorm] is a book that should be read by all who want to live their life in a way that is vital and leaves some kind of legacy. Its not about fame and fortune, but rather, about ensuring that this brief span that we have on Earth is one that has value where we leave some kind of impression. Theres nothing that matters more.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

All too often people overlook the basics of a productive life, distracted by multitasking, marketing, and information overload. With this provocative departure from the usual lifestyle manual, the Maisels are out to break us of those tendencies.

Publishers Weekly

Presents a new way of thinking about how to turn brain potential into passion, energy, and genuine accomplishments.

Camille Minichino, physicist and author of the Periodic Table Mysteries

What a pivotal way to experience your brain and all that it can create! I love that this book celebrates and teaches the concept of productive obsession and the multitudinous gifts of brainstorming.

SARK, artist and author of Glad No Matter What and other books (www.PlanetSARK.com)

Praise for Rethinking Depression by Eric Maisel

In this riveting deconstruction of the mental health industry, Eric Maisel provides essential tools to address human despair. Although it will provoke controversy, Rethinking Depression is one of the most perceptive and accessible guides to life fulfillment that I have ever read.

Kirk Schneider, PhD, author of Existential-Humanistic Therapy and Awakening to Awe

Rethinking Depression is an important and timely book that busts numerous myths about why people have the so-called mental illness of depression. Eric Maisel gives readers a path and a language that will help them shine a light on the dark side of unhappiness and move toward a meaningful, self-directed life.

Richard Bargdill, membership chair and executive board member, Society for Humanistic Psychology

An uplifting and practical guide to life and how to live it better. Eric Maisel has made existential thinking accessible to all those who want to live their lives in a more deliberate and engaged fashion.

Emmy van Deurzen, principal, New School of Psychotherapy and Counseling, London, and author of Psychotherapy and the Quest for Happiness

Praise for Eric Maisels Creativity Coaching

Without Eric Maisels guidance I would never have successfully negotiated the publishing process. With his help, I completed a substantial proposal, landed a good agent, and just saw my first book published!

Nancy Pine, author of Educating Young Giants

Its been an unexpected joy to find someone as creatively supportive and encouraging as Eric Maisel. I didnt know what to expect out of our sessions, and each one is fresh and interesting. Eric is inspirational!

Christine Collister, international recording artist

Eric Maisels insights have helped me with every aspect of my painting career, from the evolution of my market vision to strategies for self-promotion. I also found his help invaluable in feeding my creators soul!

Jonathan Herbert, painter and photographer

I began my novel in one of Eric Maisels Deep Writing workshops, finished it in another, and quickly sold it for a lovely advance. Eric, his individual coaching, and his writing workshops have made all the difference in my writing life.

Eva Weaver, author of The Puppet Boy of Warsaw

Im an executive coach and the author of two books, and Eric Maisel is my coach. No one is better qualified to lead a creative person on his or her creative journey.

Jackee Holder, author of Be Your Own Best Life Coach

MAKING
YOUR
CREATIVE
MARK

ALSO BY ERIC MAISEL

NONFICTION

Affirmations for Artists

The Art of the Book Proposal

The Atheists Way

Become a Creativity Coach Now!

Brainstorm

Coaching the Artist Within

Creative Recovery

The Creativity Book

Creativity for Life

Deep Writing

Everyday You

Fearless Creating

A Life in the Arts

Living the Writers Life

Mastering Creative Anxiety

Performance Anxiety

The Power of Sleep Thinking

Rethinking Depression

Sleep Thinking

Ten Zen Seconds

Toxic Criticism

20 Communication Tips at Work

20 Communication Tips for Families

The Van Gogh Blues

What Would Your Character Do?

Write Mind

A Writers Paris

A Writers San Francisco

A Writers Space

Your Best Life in the Arts

FICTION

Aster Lynn

The Blackbirds of Mulhouse

The Black Narc

Dismay

The Fretful Dancer

The Kingston Papers

Murder in Berlin

JOURNALS

Artists Speak

Writers and Artists on Devotion

Writers and Artists on Love

MEDITATION DECKS

Everyday Calm

Everyday Creative

Everyday Smart

HOME STUDY COURSE

The Meaning Solution

Copyright 2013 by Eric Maisel

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, or other without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Text design by Tona Pearce Myers

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Maisel, Eric, date.

Making your creative mark : nine keys to achieving your creative goals / Eric Maisel.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-60868-162-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-60868-163-1 (ebook)

1. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.) 2. Creative ability. 3. ArtsPsychological aspects. 4. Artists block. 5. ArtistsPsychology. I. Title.

BF408.M2325 2013

53.3'5dc23 2012049576

First printing, April 2013

ISBN 978-1-60868-162-4

Printed in Canada on 100% postconsumer-waste recycled paper

New World Library is proud to be a Gold Certified Environmentally Responsible Publisher. Publisher certification awarded by Green Press Initiative.
www.greenpressinitiative.org

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Tiffany
so glad youre part of the family!

For the artists everywhere with whom Ive worked.

And, as always, for Ann.

CONTENTS

I ve been working with creative and performing artists and other creative types businesspeople, scientists, academics, lawyers, physicians, and folks from all different callings for the past thirty years.