Evan's Page

http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/9-ways-to-become-more-creative-in-the-next-10-minutes.html

This is the website I found on ways to be more creative that were different from the book, mostly. The book basically touched on ways to do it like brainstorming, logical mapping, free writing, and the journalists question, which are all great ways. This website went a little differently. I'll touch on three of the 9 ways they mention that I liked. 

I really liked number 9 the most. It was role playing. In my field, role playing is essential to the sales game. It allows for multiple attempts at answering difficult questions that might come up during any sales pitch. It also allows one to practice, and the more practice one gets with a topic, the more comfortable they tend to be, which usually translates to success.

My second favorite was this website's third choice, which is to create the right environment. I feel this is absolutely critical. Some people do well in silence, some do well with music or a TV on. Whats important is that each person does what works for them. The reason there are multiple answers to this question is that everyone is different and preferential to different things. I personally like to turn up the Kenny Chesney and get to work!

My third choice is to keep toys on your desk, which is the website's sixth choice. This goes back to creating your own environment a little bit. It also provides a few other things, such as a quick prototype if you are building something. Using Lego's are a great way to assemble ideas, but it also provides a little bit of a break if you are staring into the computer for hours with some blockage. The last thing it does is to keep your inner kid close to the surface, letting you know this project isn't the end of the world. 

Who here ever wanted to sleep better, feel healthier, and live life a lot more relaxed? Every year tons of dollars are thrown down the drain on a chiropractor. I propose that each person just get a Hot Spring spa. They are affordable, extremely energy efficient, and available typically within 50 miles of your residence. Hot Spring spa owners get the best of all worlds. They get the best massage, highest energy efficiency, and cleanest water available in a spa, thanks to salt water technology. Thousands of dollars saved on therapy that could be in your backyard and available every night. Instead of spending money on all those salty doctors, spend it once on a spa with salt water and start relaxing right away.

 This pitch represents a one to two minute version of how I would approach selling a spa to everyone that came into my store. I’ve been selling them for 6 years, and most people will approach asking how it can help their achy joints. This basically goes over what I tell them. If they wanted more in depth knowledge about a particular item, I would go into it, but for this version, I highlighted the main points. I also mentioned in one sentence what my main point was.

I mentioned as well the costs/benefits of owning one. I spoke of the ease of maintenance, saving time and money (with the salt water), the energy efficiency, and how expensive chiropractors are. I offered a long term solution, that will save time, fuel, and doctor bill costs without incredibly increasing their electric bills and stress. A one-time purchase in exchange for relaxation, comfort, and ease for the next 10-20 years.

This letter is one that I found very interesting, for numerous reasons. This letter is written from one of the editors at The New Yorker to American poet, novelist, and short story writer Sylvia Plath. In the letter, the editor is critiquing one of Miss Plath's poems. They explain they cannot run the poem because they feel the first section does not coincide with the second.

At the time this letter was written, November of 1962, Plath was in the later stages of her career, even though she was only 30 at the time. She committed suicide only 3 short months later. This meant that the editor on some level felt he was a better writer than this woman who had already been published numerous times, though most of the works that she is now known for were published posthumously. 

Due to the fact that this letter is from 1962, this letter is clearly from a typewriter, which makes perfect sense. This would definitely have been the most appropriate way to respond for the times, and it's not as if The New Yorker was hurting for typewriters.

The form is mostly correct, but for being a letter from an editor, there were some mistakes. There are a few different sentence fragments that would have worked better as one sentence, in my opinion. This letter also never states who exactly is the person signing it. It gives a name, but no inclination as to who that person is. The letterhead says its from the editorial office, but we do not know whether this person is a major editor, or just someone who was to type up the letter and send it back.

The style of the letter is direct and straight to the point, with no fluff to lengthen it. The letter is well organized, and has only a few points. The first is to let Miss Plath know why the poems were rejected and the second is to give feedback as to what could be done to correct the poems.