Last week I tweeted about a TED talk from an author. I absolutely loved the message. Occasionally, I do listen to TED talks for different reasons, inspiration, motivation, learning, fillers when I’m standing in a queue, struggling with writer’s block, burnout, etc. And I thought why not share them with you.

I’m sure there are many talks out there and I encourage you to share them with me, if you feel they could help. But these are the ones I’ve listened to, sometimes repeatedly. You may have heard them already, but they’re worth listening to and sharing with the community.

TED TALKS FOR AUTHORS

1. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of bestseller Eat, Pray, Love talks about the dilemma of whether creativity can survive success. She explains how her love for writing trumps her hatred of failing at writing. Her TED talk has also enlightened me about the disadvantages of overnight success.

2. Chimamanda Adichie, author of best-seller, “Americanah” talks about the dangers of over generalization and stereotype in stories. She also explains how good role models in story shape our perspective and view of the world. This TED talk is on every must-listen-for-authors list.

3. Andrew Stanton, film-maker of Wall- E and Finding Nemo,(I looove both movies) talks about what makes a great story. His mantra, “Make me care,” is fantastic advice for authors. He also mentions how scriptwriters and movie makers follow the 2+2 rule. He adds, you must know the spine of the story. This is a TED talk, I listen to every few months. His number one advice, is that your story should instill wonder in your readers and using what you know from your own life can make for a better story.

4. Seth Godin, the marketing guru, in this TED talk, explains how the focus should not be on the making of your book, but on making the ideas spread. He highlights the importance of a product’s remark-ability and uses the Japanese term, “Otaku,” to convey the desire of a remarkable product. Some of his examples are eye-opening. In a world with too many choices, marketing to the right audience is key.

5. Julie Bernstein, a radio producer whose own book, Spark: How Creativity Works has studied many successful, creative people. She uses their stories to explain how creativity is important to all human beings and how it can grow through the cracks and broken places of our lives.

Do you have any inspiring TED talks for authors to share? Let me know, I could do with the extra inspiration.