Rating: 
Summary: Add this one to your personal collection
Review: I've never considered myself a particularly creative person. In fact, I'd put off my dream of writing a novel for so long partly because I kept going back to one detrimental thought: "What if I can't come up with any ideas?" Since I started writing, however, I found that ideas are endless - and they're everywhere. Yet developing those ideas, looking at them in new ways, still proves difficult.That's why a book like PENCIL DANCING is so remarkable. It helps the reader discover new ways to look at the world. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book is directly related to the fact that Mari Messer doesn't just focus on one type of art - whether you're a writer, a sculptor, a painter, a dancer, or even a parent or a businessperson - you'll find ways to reach deep inside yourself and discover a creativity you never knew you had. Written in a beautifully poetic style, with a lot of allusions to our natural surroundings (many nature writers are quoted throughout, such as Thoreau, and Annie Dillard), this book has a calming new-age feel to it. Far from being off-putting, this particular style oozes the kind of creative relaxation the reader's aiming for, and it allows the author's ideas and teachings to shine through. Divided into thirty-eight short chapters, PENCIL DANCING can be read cover to cover, or savored a chapter at a time. You'll also find tons of exercises, project ideas, and themes for reflection. This book truly has something for everyone, though be warned, not all chapters will apply to your personal needs at the time of reading. This is one book that should find a permanent home on your shelf, to be reached for and browsed through on a regular basis, as your needs and your creative style change.
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Creativity Boost
Review: Pencil Dancing is a great creativity boost. It helps you think "outside the box". As a writer, I find Messer's book as refreshing as a new writer's workshop.
Anne Jones
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