The Creative Compass: Writing Your Way from Inspiration to Publication

Dan Millman with his daughter, Sierra Prasada, has written a wonderful little book on moving your heart's inspiration as a writer from concept to publication and beyond. The book distills tremendous industry knowledge into succinct passages that get right at the critical things any newbie or even experienced author needs to know. As an internationally bestselling author, Dan Millman grasps the inner nature of the publishing trade better than almost anyone.For instance, Dan and Prasada break out the sharing of a book into nine distinct sales that the author must make. Starting with winning support from advance readers (who give valuable feedback in the formative stages), once the work is complete, the sales process continues through a series of sales to an agent, an editor, an in-house publishing committee and later to the booksellers and only eventually to the end readers who ideally do that ninth sale of telling family and friends to buy your book.Dan also talks candidly about self publishing for those who do not wish to go the traditional route. (For my part, as a long term indie author and publisher, I caution any newbie author to avoid paying thousands to any masked vanity press who claims to be helping you "self publish." If the publisher's business model is based on selling books to authors instead of selling books to readers, run the other direction as fast as you can.)A charming book full of valuable writing and insights, THE CREATIVE COMPASS is essential reading for any writer looking at traditional, independent or self publishing.

It's mostly about how to get your story out of your head and onto paper, something I have no problem with. The value, for me as a writer, was that I feel & experience many of the same things other writers do but the solutions are the same in this book as in all other writing books. I did not get a lot of new information from it. It's well written, hence 4 stars. There's something to be said for reading a well written book, even if the content wasn't all I'd hoped, for my particular needs.

When I began writing in 2008, all I had was a word processor and a great - no - a terrific idea for a book. When I finished my first draft two years later, all I thought I lacked was a publisher, but when Rainbow Books accepted my novel, I also inherited an editor. Betty Wright was, at eighty-four years of age, one of best writers and teachers I had ever met. She schooled me in composition, and under her tutelage, my over five-hundred page manuscript was whittled down to a tight three hundred thirteen pages.The point is this: Not every beginning writer has a master teacher to show them the ropes, and that is where The Creative Compass comes in. Even though I had penned three books to this point, I was amazed at what I learned, not only on how to write, but also how to get your book published. My head is still swimming - in a good way.So, if you are an aspiring or even a published author, I most highly recommend this book. While no book on writing is any match for a teacher like Betty, you will find no better text to teach you the ins and outs of writing and eventual publication. - Gary D. Conrad, author of "Murder on Easter Island," "Oklahoma Is Where I Live," and "The Lhasa Trilogy"

The Creative Compass helps you get out of your way and get writing. The Dream, Draft, Develop, Refine, and Share stages are practical guides that keep your book moving toward completion. With tips on how to bring your book to life for the reader, it is an excellent resource, and one which I will refer to time and again in crafting my first "semi-fiction" story. The Creative Compass is realistic and down-to-earth, yet inspiring. A joint effort, the book brings two different talents, strengths, and tastes together. The authors also touch on self vs. traditional publishing, marketing, and the web. Full of smart ideas, one of my favorite tips is to "finish each writing session by composing the first sentence of a new paragraph or a new page. That way you'll sit down having already begun." Wise words to write by!

I purchased this book as a novice writer looking to get some practical advice from some accomplished authors. The tips and tools offered in The Creative Compass have given me exactly what I needed to get my writing off to an amazing start. After purchasing and reading the book I was so inspired that I also took a three day writing course based on the teachings of this book, taught by Dan Millman and Sierra Prasada. I still have a long way to go to achieve my personal goals but this book has made the path to my goal crystal clear and also gave me the confidence I needed to get started. I highly recommend this book to writers who are just getting started as well as those who have been writing for years. I can say this only because of my personal experience at the seminar; I saw that new writers and some accomplished authors alike were receiving benefit from this book and the Creative Compass Course!

I'd recommend this book to anyone who's thinking about writing anything professionally.I rated this book 4 stars because it's a good read with great reminders of what it takes to write something worthwhile.As a humbled professional would to another, do yourself a favor and read "The Creative Compass".

Disappointing. This how-to book on writing fiction, with a trace about writingnon-fiction, epitomizes the creative approach. The chief images arenot defined but are shown through examples, not very well for my money. 'Your Master Metaphor' never came together as an understandableconcept to me. 'The Stickiest Idea' is another failure. It doesn'tdifferentiate between stickiest ideas that are good, that lead to solidefforts and those sticky ideas that are just personal quirks withoutinterest to others. And of all the ideas that stick into your head, nodistinction is mentioned of the magnitude or complexity that will do.

really good.

I loved all about Millman until this one, could not finish it.

wonderful and magical book ... it's a great book, to come into a magical writing flow ... Thank you, Dan Milmann!

Some good revelations on the art and passion of writing.

Make this the one book you read if at all, for the rest of your lifei promise you won't regret it.