Both Sides of the Brain
Sterling silver chess set, cast using the lost wax process. Neal Powers, 1968
Chess is a savage, tribal game. The King believes the game is all about him, but the Queen is the most powerful piece on the board.
The Left Brain Years
Figure at Rest
Conte crayon on butcher paper. Neal Powers, 1968
The Michael John
Pen and India ink. Neal Powers, 1974
Gulley
Pen and India ink. Neal Powers, 1974
Skiff
Sony digital camera. Neal Powers, 2004
Ireland
Sony digital camera. Neal Powers, 2004
Sconce
Sony digital camera. Neal Powers, 2004
The Right Brain Years
Nothing stifles creativity more than an outline. Our thoughts never come in outline form.
Neal uses mind mapping to find the authentic outline once the brainstorming is complete.
No one ever starts a book by writing the Table of Contents. We discover it by finishing the book.
Aviation, a Different World
As a flight instructor Neal discovered his passion was teaching. He needed a way to organize course content. Mind mapping was the key.
Mind mapping
Harnessing both sides of the brain helps us become masters of ingenuity. In her book, Writing on Both Sides of the Brain, Henriette Anne Klauser advocates mind mapping. It set Neal free.
This website
Here is the mind map used to choose the pages for this website.
Page 2, Characters
Here is the mind map used for page 2.
Newspaper articles
For many years Neal wrote opinion pieces for the St Charles Journal. Mind mapping helped him keep it tight, lively, and inside 700 words.
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Novels
Neal's characters are mind mapped. Neal's story lines are mind mapped. That takes care of the architecture.
His editors taught him how to keep it crisp and funny. He can't thank them enough.
Seclusion
This is where Neal went to get away. While writing, He is oblivious to the passage of time. He finds it exhilarating to stay in his thoughts from start to finish.
Green visor
At home, Neal has to write wearing a green visor. It means Do Not Disturb.. The quickest way to vaporize an entire scene is to be asked, “Did you go to the bank today?”