Deciding to take on this project was really an easy decision. My thought process went something like this, “Hmmmm, editing an old book that has fallen into the public domain? Geesh, no brainer!”

Well, after working on it for over 5 months now, I have definitely learned that it is a YES BRAINER, indeed! For the most part the hardest work actually wasn’t in reading the original manuscript, or in updating grammar, word choices, etc. It wasn’t about updating sayings or colloquialisms that we just are no longer using at this time in our society’s history. It was something much, much more.

Okay, the hardest part really wasn’t something more from a creative standpoint, but from a “how the heck do I use the tools I have to package this updated book to make it look and feel more like something we have come to expect at this point in life?” Like many of you reading this now, I know how to use a word processing program. But do I REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE IT? Apparently, when I started this project, I really didn’t. Headers, footers, tables of contents, chapter pages, decorative borders, on and on. I wouldn’t say I am an expert at this point, but I sure know how to make the first page of a new section have a different header than the rest of the pages!

If you are anything like me when it comes to “being creative” then I believe you’ll find this book interesting, informative, and if you are able to contain yourself generating ideas as you move through these pages, you’ll undoubtedly come to discover some interesting things about yourself. I know I did.

First, I always considered myself somewhat creative; not necessarily in an artistic way (though I did make a really neat family of pandas when I was in the second grade; each of them was a different color of the rainbow. I suppose that was foretelling of my open-mindedness and ability to live, love and appreciate all of the wonderful, varied individuals that make up our world.)

Second, the actual end result of acquiring new and ingenious ideas for businesses, products, story plots, etc has never been a challenge. I have stacks and stacks of them written down and developed to various degrees. The challenge I have faced has been either seeing the idea through to fruition (see the second paragraph ) or being able to weed out those ideas that really didn’t have the strength of merit required to actually make it in this world of ours.

Finally, while moving back and forth through this book, originally published in 1961, I found myself naturally applying one idea or original thought after another to the process that Ms. Ries so elegantly has laid out for us. With this application of her 48 year OLD principles I have found that old ideas are becoming fresh and new ideas are coming to me even faster and with more clarity than ever before.

I wish this for you as well, my friend. Enjoy, be creative, and GET IDEAS!!