4 - Stumbling toward Genius

Summary

Returning to my lessons learned as a young writer, I talk about the journey from little-c to Pro-c and, potentially, to Big-C. Different nuances of Pro-c are explored, with a particular emphasis on creative domains. Drawing on the amusement park theory, I analyze which are the key domains or the larger areas that are most important for creativity. Exploring self-assessment measures, I reflect on how we measure creativity across domains in a way that demonstrates an art bias (and, to a degree, a bias in science) on the part of researchers. I then consider what it takes to have your creative efforts continue making an impact even after your death – a mix of your actual contributions, personal traits, level of influence, and simple luck.