Can something come from nothing? What is the difference between how and why? There may not seem to be an answer, but John Allen, English and Humanities teacher, raises a point on ways these questions can be put to use.

Allen recently self-published the book Do You Mind? which contains various questions for creativity and consciousness.

According to Allen, everything started with the Question Game. While at dinner, his friends suggested to play this Question Game, where one person at the table would offer a question to everyone else, and each person would get a turn answering it.

After a while, everyone was greatly immersed in conversation, creating more and more questions.

“It was really fun because we would all answer the same question and really get to know each other beyond just the daily things that we do,” Allen said. “Those questions [get] you beyond where conversations usually are.”

According to Allen, Do You Mind? recreates this creative atmosphere because all distractions, such as cell phones and social networking, are off, and people can engage in this clever activity.

“I started collecting questions out of sheer enjoyment, and I started this to use with my students [as well],” Allen said after playing the game. “Finally, I wanted to put them all together because I wanted to share this experience with other people [on] how to have even more interesting conversations when you’re together.”

According to Allen, some of the questions come from ideas that struck him while watching films and television, listening to music and viewing visual art.

“What I like [about films, television, music and art] is that they allow me to interact with other minds that are much more smart and brilliant,” Allen said. “I can go and feel what it’s like to be in someone’s mind that is brilliant.”

Allen stated that Do You Mind? pushes the boundaries of the human mind, inviting the reader to strengthen their creative muscles.

“That’s the fun part of the book:  going to the edge of your mind and pushing it outwards,” Allen said. “That’s what these questions do.”

With the idea of his book, Allen began the process of self-publishing.

“The inspiration for publishing the book was that I wanted to complete a creative project, and I [went beyond] completing it by publishing it,” Allen said.

According to Allen, self-publishing has changed a lot in the past few years.

“One of the reasons I gave up on writing for a while was because I have one of my stories published, but the rest are just sitting on my computer or in my drawer, and no one is reading them because there is no way of getting them out there,” Allen said. “Now there is a way through self-publishing and it frees me up creatively.”

Allen used Amazon to publish his book. He stated that Amazon has taken steps to making self-publishing easier and more powerful.

Amazon has a site called createspace.com where it provides a writer with templates and with a way to make covers. A writer can format, create, edit and upload books to createspace.com. Then, the writer creates a cover with an ISBN number and Amazon checks to make sure everything is ready. Once a writer has approval, they can order a proof and start selling on Amazon.

“The cool thing about this is it goes live on Amazon and this is the go-to place for people to buy books,” Allen said. “They have an incredible distribution network and that’s normally what you would get from a professional publisher.”

Amazon also does not charge any money, according to Allen. Every time the book is printed, Amazon gets a certain percentage of the profit and the writer gets a certain percentage.

“I get 35 percent, and they get the other 65 percent and according to other writers, that is very good,” Allen said.

According to Allen, when his book was on free download, there were over 300 downloads, with three from Germany and 50 from the United Kingdom.

Allen also created a Kindle version because he believes that is where people are headed.

“If people buy it, they like it, [and] if they don’t, I’m cool with that,” Allen said. “At least I was able to get it out there. I really am at peace if no one wants it because at least I had a chance to put it out there. That inspires me creatively.”

According to Allen, he is very happy with the way it turned out, and there will be a Volume 2 in November with a free Kindle download on the day or day after it gets published.

“Now I have a very different mind about my creative work,” Allen said. “The nicest compliment I can get is if somebody recommends it to someone else.”