Creativity comes into play in just about any field. Looking at situations from different perspectives, finding new uses for old things, combining disparate ideas or ingredients or even colors--all are creative endeavors. And when writer Ann Byle became a chicken owner, she began to look at her hens with new interest and the keen eye of an artist. Even though chicken-tending proved to have its own challenges, Byle discovered that her feathered friends offered surprising lessons and inspiration for her own work, lessons on living creatively. With Chicken Scratch, Ann Byle brings us good fun and meaning-making at the intersection of creative living and our egg-laying friends. She mixes quotes, stories from all kinds of creatives, and practical advice to help all of us invested in living more creatively. Drawing inspiration from her flock of hens, Byle explores curiosity and courage, embracing your creative self and letting go of what holds you back, and living well in the creative life. Each chapter includes questions for journaling, next-steps-in-creativity exercises, and a sidebar from "The Left-Brain Chicken," putting solid process-related steps to each chapter. The creative life can be profound, but also funny, exasperating, and downright weird--much like living with a flock of hens. If we take the time to notice, we have much to learn from our beloved chickens, things like the value of curiosity, how we might welcome challenges in our lives, and even when to let go of perfectionism. It's time to name our creative impulses, to claim them, and to squawk them from the rooftops!
Ann Byle is a journalist and nonfiction writer known for her trend pieces with Publishers Weekly and features with Grand Rapids Magazine and various nonprofit organizations' publications. She has authored and coauthored many books, including The Joy of Working from Home: Embracing the Freedom, Avoiding the Pitfalls. She is a frequent speaker at writers' conferences and is a former adjunct professor in journalism. Ann lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and their dog, cat, and four chickens.
"If you love chickens, or if you're a creative, you have to get this? book-book-kaka-book!??Ann Byle has taken two of her greatest loves and melded them into an entertaining and enlightening story of what makes us-and chickens-tick. ?Delightful!" --Angela Hunt, author and chicken keeper? "The benefits of raising a small flock of chickens reaches far beyond a basket of delicious, fresh eggs. Ann Byle has rounded up a diverse group of chicken keepers?and creatives?who share their sage perspectives?on?both the creative process and?why they're in favor of a backyard full of friendly, fluffy feathered friends." --Lisa Steele, founder of Fresh Eggs Daily (R), Coop to Kitchen (R) Cook, and CreateTV Host "This is the hug, the breath, and salt-of-the-earth wisdom we need right now. Escaping to?Ann's house is like going to your loving grandma's and your best friend's house, at the same?time. She welcomes you in with a story and a spot of insight that leave you skipping back to your own home with joyous hope." --Rebeca Seitz, bestselling author of The Neapolitan Series "I do not know how Ann Byle could possibly have penned a book on creativity by simply observing a flock of chickens. But this I know... the book you hold is an extraordinary achievement, combining humor, inspiration, and encouragement for the creative life. Writing with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Ann unearths the creativity hiding in a chicken coop and uses her insights to inspire and equip those on their own creative journeys.?Chicken Scratch?is, in itself, a testament to human creativity and the meaningful life lessons that can be found in our own backyard." --Glenys Nellist, author of the Love Letters from God, Little Mole, and Snuggle Time series "Rekindle your creative passions with this charming read filled with chicken and golden nuggets. A tremendous accomplishment!" --Don Perini, Professor of Creativity and Innovation and author of Emerge Clever and quirky-much?like its author-Chicken Scratch?is a treasure.?Ann has combined expert insights?on the principles of creativity?with practical suggestions for?developing one's talents?and skills,?as well?as tips for good business practices,?and then added a generous dash of humor?and storytelling. It's like the perfect serving of scrambled eggs: delicious and satisfying! --Ann-Margret Hovsepian, author of the?Restore My Soul?devotional coloring book "Consider this: The most successful bird species today is the domestic chicken, with a global population of 24 billion birds. Chickens rule because they shrewdly trained eight billion humans to generously provide for them, so Ann Byle has the numbers on her side when she talks chicken. Meanwhile and over on the right side of our brains, Ann brings a winsome voice, encouragement and, yes, creative flair to her effort.?If the only chickens you handle are tucked between slices of a sandwich bun, prepare yourself for a more wholesome treat between the covers of? Chicken Scratch." --Dwight Baker, Baker Book House Company "From beginning?to end,?Chicken Scratch?taught me more than I came prepared to learn. From the resources, quotes, to proper caretaking of chickens and an understanding of their inquisitive and endearing nature, Ann takes you on a unique and masterfully melded journey. This city girl was immediately transported back to her younger Charlotte's Web-loving years and reminded that creativity lives within all of us!" --Beth Fisher, speaker, leadership coach, and author of?Remorseless: Learning to Lose Labels, Expectations, and Assumptions-Without Losing Yourself
