Creative Creativity: A Daily Guide To Creativity And New Ideas

Ira Glass on the Motivation to Create

Ira Glass, host of This American Life on NPR, points out that most creative people start out trying to produce amazing things in a medium they love. They also start out with a high taste level. Their initial product does not live up to that high taste level, they know it's not good. Most people never get past the point of producing things that don't live up to their own judgement. How do you keep going until what you produce is actually good enough to please even you?
You can watch the whole series of Ira Glass on storytelling here.
Great video that will help you through difficult times.

Eliminate Other People's Imagination

Nick Mamatas, controversial writer and editor, was asked by someone whether or not they had the potential to be a great writer. He posted his answer and it's a fascinating discussion of good versus great, the value of practice and turning on the pilot light of imagination.

The whole answer is worth reading and debating, but I wanted to point out one particular bit because I think it has a universal truth that applies to all creative work.

The goal of the practice is to negate the negation -- to eliminate the use of other people's imaginations instead of your own. You must negate and negate and negate until there is nothing left but you, your right hand, and that woodchipper. Do you think it is clever and responsible to find "balance" in your life by keeping a day job and writing every other weekend? You should cultivate a loathing for yourself, for such advice, and for the pathetic circumstances of existence -- bills and kids and private property, that makes that advice seem so sound. Do you think "real artists" run around from lover to lover, living off the fat of the land and friendly patrons one might meet in midnight cafes? Embrace the reality that you are a hopeless poseur playacting the neuroses of a couple prominent writers and zillion awful pigs from the last century. All that has come before is worthless, except for those few people you realize were using their own imaginations and not the mass imagination, and their work.

As you can see, Mamatas is not out to make any friends. Even if you disagree with him, what he says is worth thinking about. How much of what you do is just you? How much is just everything that came before you projected on to you? What do you need to do to grind away the inessential, unoriginal parts of your creativity?

By the way, I just read Nick's book Under My Roof and thought it was great. Also, his submission guidelines for Clarkesworld are extremely funny.

Link to answer

Making Your Commute Into Art

My buddy Gibson, designer of the Avenging Narwhal, has a history of interesting projects. Last Friday he sprang another one on us. I've talked before about the power of changing your commute, but Gibson managed to make his commute a creative act. He walked the 16 miles from his house to the office instead of driving. How does that change the experience of a commute? What details do you notice. Below is the email he sent me last Friday immediately after completing the event.

In My Day

Performance Art Project by Gibson Holub

Today I walked to work. 16 miles.

I left at 3:45 AM from my house in Seattle and headed up Hwy 99.

The sky was clear. The moon was half empty. I was armed with pepper spray.

There aren't many people out at 3:45 AM on a Friday, just a lot of cops and cabs.

I saw the first glow begin on the horizon at 4:30.

My feet started hurting at about 5.

I arrived at Accoutrements in Mukilteo at 8:42 AM.

So door to door, it took me 4 hours & 57 minutes.

That makes my walking speed 3.23 mph.

I went through 41 stop lights (or somewhere close to that, as I was a bit groggy).

I wore a pedometer. When I arrived it read 32,308 steps.

I recorded the event with some photos. I took a picture of myself every 15 minutes or so.

I'm currently experiencing some serious discomfort in my legs.

I think I'll pull the shoelaces out of my shoes and frame them.

Artist's Statement: The Search For Meaning

Why did I do it?

I did it because it was absurd. I did it because it was liberating. I did it because I knew it would be challenging.

I did it because I'm inspired by the the unexpected, the unannounced and the completely unnecessary.

Is it art? Who knows, but I walked 16 miles to work today for no reason and it made me feel alive.

More pictures here and here.

Advice For Completing Projects

Warren Ellis, novelist and comic writer, wrote a great post about the best way to complete a project that people will want to consume. He frames it around Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible web project

Part of his point is that you have to earn people's trust before they will pay attention to something big. Instead of starting with a huge epic or a full length feature, start with something small and manageable and build.

The three strongest points he makes are, "Be Short, Be Bold and Get It Done." Later in the article he adds, "Be Great."

He adds:

I can’t tell you how many new hopeful comics writers I meet who have never finished anything in their lives because their intended first project is a hundred-episode epic that creates a whole new universe or three. And I tell them all the same thing: you’re screwed. No-one will want it. Not until you’ve written something short, capable of being produced on a budget, and finished. Your epic may be worldchanging, but no-one will ever know because no publisher will gamble that kind of money on an unknown. And that’s before you get to the vagaries of the attention economy.

I think this is fantastic advice, especially with web content. I know people who won't even start a video on youtube if the length is over five minutes. Produce enough brief, memorable stuff and people will flock to your longer, more complex stuff. Build an audience, create desire with tiny savory snacks before you serve up a meal.

Also, limitations can be a powerful way to inspire yourself. Challenge yourself to Be Brief, Be Bold and Get It Done!

Read the whole article here

What should good design accomplish?

From a series of inspirational posters available here!

I'm back!

Thanks for sticking with me!

I had some health and personal problems that kept me from posting to Creative Creativity. I am behind on email and comments, but I am healthy and so, so happy to be back.

Also making me happy is my new laptop sleeve from Barry's Farm.

Check them out, hedgehogs, unicorns and fuzzy muppets that will keep your laptop safe!