The Craft of Creativity - Abridged by Matthew A Cronin & Jeffrey Loewenstein (Paperback)

About the Book

Synthesizing a wide range of scholarship, the authors' research, and original interviews with professionals and learners, The Craft of Creativity presents a new account of creativity. Focusing on process as opposed to outcomes, it offers guidelines for improving our ability to navigate the creative process efficiently and effectively.

Book Synopsis

Creativity has long been thought of as a personal trait, a gift bestowed on some and unachievable by others. While we laud the products of creativity, the stories behind them are often abridged to the elusive "aha!" moment, the result of a momentary stroke of genius.

In The Craft of Creativity Matthew A. Cronin and Jeffrey Loewenstein present a new way to understand how we innovate. They emphasize the importance of the journey and reveal the limitations of focusing on outcomes. Drawing on a wide range of scholarship, their own research, and interviews with professionals and learners who employ creativity in the arts, engineering, business, and more, Cronin and Loewenstein argue that creativity is a cognitive process that hinges on changing one's perspective. It's a skill that anyone can hone, and one that benefits from thinking with others and over time. Breaking new ground in the discussion about how we innovate, this book provides strategies that everyone can use to be more creative.

Review Quotes

"The Craft of Creativity completely changed my thinking about creativity. It not only provides deep insights, but useful skill-building exercises, examples, and tools you can use on the job. A must-read for those eager for a new perspective on creativity and innovation."--Jennifer Mueller, author of Creative Change: Why We Resist ItHow We Can Embrace It

"Clear, digestible writing paired with the most up-to-date scholarship and illustrative examples invite even those with no prior knowledge of creativity or the science behind it into this outstanding book."--Roni Reiter-Palmon, University of Nebraska at Omaha

"I have not seen another book that skillfully disseminates this knowledge to readers who are not pure researchers. Based on some of the most cutting-edge work in business and management, Cronin and Loewenstein provide actionable practices for the entire creative process."--Jing Zhou, Rice University

"Matthew Cronin and Jeffrey Loewenstein show that creativity is more than you think: more practical, more transformational, and more learnable. Today's fast-paced, unpredictable world simply demands that you develop and use creativity--and this book helps you do it."--Heidi K. Gardner, Harvard Law School

"This book won't just convince you that everyone has the potential to be creative. It will show you how. It's a rare read on creativity that's engaging, evidence-based, and entirely useful."--Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals, Give And Take, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

About the Author

Matthew A. Cronin is Associate Professor of Management at George Mason University. Jeffrey Loewenstein is Associate Professor of Business Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.