The Creative Economy

Book excerpt: Creativity is the fastest growing business in the world. Companies are hungry for people with ideas - and more and more of us want to make, buy, sell and share creative products. But how do you turn creativity into money? In this newly rewritten edition of his acclaimed book, leading creative expert John Howkins shows what creativity is, how it thrives and how it is changing in the digital age. His key rules for success include: Invent yourself. Be unique. Own your ideas. Understand copyright, patents and IP laws. Treat the virtual as real, and vice versa. Learn endlessly: borrow, reinvent and recycle. Know when to break the rules. Whether in film or fashion, software or stories, by turning ideas into assets anyone can make creativity pay.