How.
The Creation Handbook: Revised and Updated
How. is a powerful guidebook for bringing ideas to life in challenging times.
With the knowledge that everyone has ideas, but most struggle to bring them to life, R. Geoffrey Blackburn’s engaging, motivational self-improvement book How. suggests a comprehensive framework for developing ideas into real-world solutions.
How. begins with a conundrum: humans can think up a limitless number of ideas in the mental plane, but in the physical world, their ideas are confined by rules and finite resources. This makes most creators feel powerless: the mental plane is viewed as less important than the physical world. The book proposes that creators switch their thinking, making the case that the mental plane is, in fact, more powerful than the limited physical world. This switch can help creators feel empowered to develop and execute their ideas. When paired with the book’s Creation Process, a five-stage framework to help creators think, study, decide, plan, and do, How. posits that any idea can be brought to life.
How. is refreshing because of its grounded, practical approach to the subject of idea actualization. It introduces some spiritual and metaphysical elements, but its sole focus is to bring ideas to reality, so it stays away from -isms and -ologies. This keeps its ideas from being clouded with other questions and makes its content approachable to anyone, even the skeptical. Further, its fresh, jaunty tone means that it motivates as it teaches. Creation is action, and most of the content is written in concise, commanding language that will make audiences want to start implementing the Creation Process on their ideas. When a complex concept is introduced, the book takes on a familiar coaching tone and provides relatable examples. This keeps the steps accessible and approachable.
The book’s organization is also comprehensive: it is arranged as a guidebook and as a reference, and its resources, including its illustrations and glossary, are easy to access for concept-specific reviews. Its two sections are comprised of several chapters no longer than a few pages each. Its first section sets up its mission, introduces the Creation Process model, and breaks down its five phases; its second recognizes that creation can be a difficult process, with starts, stops, and wrong turns, and so forwards guidelines for working with a team, troubleshooting issues, and otherwise working within an imperfect world.
How. is a powerful guidebook for bringing ideas to life in challenging times, when a great idea can mean the difference between mere survival and changing the world for the better.
Reviewed by
Katerie Prior
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
