A Year of Creative Thinking

A treasure trove of prompts, provocations and practical exercises to help you spark new ideas, hone your craft and unleash your creativity.

In A Year of Creative Thinking, award-winning writer, director and film-maker Jessica Swale guides you through 366 fun and rewarding activities – one for every day of the year (including leap years!) – to fire up your imagination and flex your creative muscles.

You'll find a host of writing prompts and imaginative challenges to get you going, quick-fire exercises to help you focus on key aspects of craft (including inventing scenarios, writing dialogue, building subtext, creating atmosphere and plot, and developing your characters), and plenty of quirky and unusual challenges to test your limits and help you explore new avenues. Some are writing exercises, others encourage you to draw, to listen to music, to get outside and find inspiration in your surroundings. Work through the activities day by day, or dip in to suit your needs, the choice is yours! 

Whether being creative is a professional goal, your aspiration or simply your hobby, you'll discover a storehouse of ideas and inspiration, along with insights from a wide range of literary and cultural figures – from T. S. Eliot to Quentin Tarantino, Jane Austen to Jimi Hendrix, Maya Angelou to George R. R. Martin, and Virginia Woolf to Paddington Bear.

Fun, engaging and pressure-free, this book is designed to supercharge your imagination and boost your creativity, helping you build a set of expressive tools that you can apply in all aspects of your life.

'Jessica Swale is one of the most inspiringly creative people I know, and in this book she's kind enough to share some of her spark and magic. It is a must-read for any creative spirit' Zooey Deschanel

'Jessica has stitched together an endlessly inventive, engaging, accessible ejector-seat (parachute included) into the heart and soul of creativity itself. That energy flows through every page: challenging and guiding you into releasing your inner mad-genius. I wish there were more days in the year for more of her exercises!' Inua Ellams

'Wonderful' Emerald Fennell

'The most brilliant book on creativity – so inspiring it will make you want to write your own book!' Tom Fletcher

'An enticing treasure chest of inspiration for any writer or creative' Deborah Frances-White

'This book will last you a lifetime, as you'll return again and again to these gems of wise, witty prompts and provocations – guaranteed to inspire not just your creativity, but your outlook on life in general' Sabrina Mahfouz

'Charming, imaginative, practical and light-hearted, this is the perfect gift for anyone, young or not so young, wanting to kickstart their creativity and have fun while doing it' Kate Mosse

'As I sit in my room smashing my head repeatedly against my laptop, it gives me (some) joy to report not all writers do the same. Jessica's book is a great big fantastic soulful fizzy key to make you think and work hopefully. 16th April is my favourite, but her point is: there are delights on every day of the year' Jack Thorne



'An exciting compendium of prompts to get your brain going... an abundance of inspiration... clearly defined and pressure-free... there is enough material to shake up even the most stubborn of writer's blocks... It can be as rigorous or as relaxing as you want it to be. Ultimately, it's a fun challenge... your trusted companion on the journey to creativity... the perfect present for the creative mind'



'A really well structured piece of work... equips you with skills that should prove useful as you embark on whatever creative endeavour you may have in mind... Swale's humour shines through in a writing style that is non-judgemental and full of warmth. The whole book is full of encouragement... A perfect treat for any creative person in your life'