Children’s books are magical. They can keep a child engrossed. Anyone who has interacted with kids knows that holding their attention for more than a few minutes can be a challenge. Disney, of course, has excelled in this area through its fabulous storytelling backed by superb animated and live-action movies. But children’s’ books, now that’s a different story altogether. Children’s authors have the daunting task of painting pictures with their words, capturing a child’s imagination, and sparking their curiosity. A task that not everyone can equal.
To be a successful children’s author you need to be in league with the greats: Enid Blyton, Roald Dhal, J. K. Rowling, Jeff Kinny, and their likes. They are the ones who discovered the magic formula of creating colourful, funny and even delicious worlds simply by using their words. As children, we get lost in these enchanting realms and thrive on the tales that unfold. But somewhere along the road to growing up, we find ourselves back in Kansas, far away from the wonderful land of Oz. Perhaps it’s time to don our ruby slippers or hop into a hot air balloon and get whisked back to the Emerald City.
Like Alice through the Looking Glass
The advantages of reading children’s books are manifold, especially for those who work in creative fields. Everything from advertising and marketing to fashion and catering can be enhanced with a touch of magic. And that’s where kid’s storybooks help. They open you up to a world of possibilities and help you discover your own mystical powers. And they do this in more than one way.
When you read a children’s book, the stories are so much more immersive and surround you in a fantasy that you become a part of. The elaborate descriptions and attention to detail allow you to step through the looking glass and enter a brand-new reality. All of a sudden you can feel the lush green grass beneath your feet, hear the birds chirping, smell the fresh flowers, taste the lemonade, and see the fluffy clouds against a cornflower blue sky. Every sense is engaged and your brain has come alive. You start to look at the world differently and let your imagination run wild. You get nostalgic for your fondest childhood memories and emotion and excitement come rushing in. Your mind is now open.
While the descriptive writing style and language of the author is inspiring, the new state of mind we find ourselves in also puts us at our creative best. It encourages us to drop all our inhibitions and explore even the wildest possibilities. And in this open state, the ideas flood in. If Tolkien could take elves and turn them into beautiful, immortal warriors, we too can get outrageous with our ideas and be as far-fetched as possible. Then, from among the aliens, flying donkeys, and giant golf balls that talk, something might jump out and give you a brilliant marketing idea!
Adventures of the mind
Every writer, marketer, or designer has faced a creative block at some point or the other. There are times when we have no clue which direction to take or what message we want to convey. These are the times when picking up a storybook could prove very useful. What you are doing, is helping your mind relax, distancing yourself from the problem, and giving yourself permission to dream. Studies have shown that sometimes not thinking about the problem helps you find the solution faster.
Books don’t just tell a story; they take us on a journey. A journey to a place of curiosity and wild imagination. A place where anything is possible, a place where the spark of an idea, can grow into a blazing fire. And in this place, we find a new way to make a pitch to a client, a new direction for our marketing campaign, and new ways to breathe life into a dying blog. Of course, you don’t have to wait for writer’s block to read a storybook, make it something you do regularly so that your mind never loses that dexterity and openness that births creative genius.