{"id":9817,"date":"2011-05-17T00:01:52","date_gmt":"2011-05-17T07:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/?p=9817"},"modified":"2011-05-16T23:18:22","modified_gmt":"2011-05-17T06:18:22","slug":"joni-mitchell-clouds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2011\/05\/joni-mitchell-clouds\/","title":{"rendered":"HOW TO SUCCEED IN RADIO PROGRAMMING (Postscript)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Joni<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the tips<\/a> I recently offered radio program directors was:<\/p>\n

“Read Weird Books.”<\/p>\n

I explained why and gave some examples.<\/p>\n

A few days later, I came across a perfect illustration of how truly creative people have their imaginations sparked by unlikely sources:<\/p>\n

Joni Mitchell <\/strong>was an unknown songwriter, on an airplane, reading a book. The book was HENDERSON THE RAIN KING<\/em> by Saul Bellow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Saul Bellow wasn’t a musician, nor did he work in the record industry.<\/p>\n

He was one of America’s greatest novelists.<\/p>\n

The novel had nothing to with music, songwriting, or show business.<\/p>\n

At one point in the story, the protagonist (Henderson) flies to Africa in an attempt to discover some meaning to his life. A passage in the book depicts Henderson looking out the window at the clouds below.<\/p>\n

When Mitchell read that passage, she stopped for a moment and looked out her airplane window. And then she started jotting down some impressions and images as they occurred to her.<\/p>\n

No one who knew both her profession and her background would have wondered why Joni Mitchell was reading, say, a biography of Charlie Parker or a book of poetry.<\/p>\n

But for a young folk singer\/songwriter, HENDERSON THE RAIN KIN<\/em>G was a “weird” book for her to be reading.<\/p>\n

And if she hadn’t read that “weird” book, it is 100% certain that she never would have written her breakthrough song: “Clouds.”<\/p>\n

Your brain has the ability to make connections between seemingly unrelated elements. The more creative you are, the greater your ability.<\/p>\n

But your brain does have that ability.<\/p>\n

Trust it.<\/p>\n

Get up right now, find a “weird” book, and set aside 30 inutes each day \u2014 starting today \u2014 to read it.<\/p>\n

Oh, one more thing:<\/p>\n

When reading that “weird” book stimulates new ideas for you, write them down immediately. Never, ever read anything without having access to a writing utensil and something to write on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the tips I recently offered radio program directors was: “Read Weird Books.” I explained why and gave some examples. A few days later, I came across a perfect illustration of how truly creative people have their imaginations sparked by unlikely sources: Joni Mitchell was an unknown songwriter, on an airplane, reading a book. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-9817","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"yoast_head":"\nHOW TO SUCCEED IN RADIO PROGRAMMING (Postscript) - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/danoday.com\/blog\/2011\/05\/joni-mitchell-clouds\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"HOW TO SUCCEED IN RADIO PROGRAMMING (Postscript) - DAN O\u2019DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One of the tips I recently offered radio program directors was: “Read Weird Books.” I explained why and gave some examples. 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