I have to share something really cool. I’m filing it under Marketing cause it is and Creativity cause it’s that to. But it’s really smart WOM cause that’s the result.

An email in my inbox called to me “open this” (no, that wasn’t the subj line). It did say something about Sale though. So I did a little online sale shopping and after my purchase was completed (and I might add, without any glitches in navigating, etc.), I got an order confirmation that said (in a funky script font in red), “Thank you! now go back to work!”

Cute, clever, kinda “gotcha”… and best of all, I wanted to tell everyone. And that’s the difference between ho-hum and smart marketing!

Lucky I have such a great boss so I can shop during work hours.

Heads up, Creativos. Sharpie has just launched a new Web site, mysharpie.com, which enables you to customize fine point Sharpie pens! The pens are available in a eight different colors, and there are 10 different fonts and about 20 different pieces of clip art to choose from.

Okay, only six of the fonts are really fun and the clip art is kinda lame, but it’s still a cool idea. And they’re not too expensive, about $12 for six pens. Plus shipping, of course.

In J-school, we wrote within strict limits. Headlines had to be a certain number of points wide, paragraphs a certain number of words long. I grew to love those limitations, which challenged me to squeeze maximum meaning into a small space.

As the years go by, I find myself in a solid habit of writing to length. It’s part of my organizational strategy now: Receive an assignment to write 600 words on a topic. Research article and create an outline of sections. Assign each section a rough word count. Write the piece to length. Voila: Word count is met, client is happy, I’m happy. I almost never go significantly under or over, and when I do, it’s for special circumstances - and then, I’ll call the client and discuss our options.

Business-wise, I think this is a fine approach to take. But creatively, I’m wondering if it’s a little stifling. Would it hurt me to just write something once in a while, not thinking about length, and then slicing and dicing later? I’m considering it.

How about you? Do you work well within limitations, or do you roam free and then rein yourself in later? I’d love to hear your creative style.

… and so begins a really awesome post on the tinygigantic blog, regarding the expansion of the definition of design and a more inclusive approach to the creative community in general. Here’s an excerpt (but check out the whole article if you have a minute–its worth a read):

Design is not the making of posters and logos and brochures and websites. It’s not title sequences and motion graphics. It’s a way of doing which can be defined as making things that solve problems.
Here’s how it goes:
-You figure out what the problem is
-You figure out other ways to frame the problem
-You come up with a sh*tload of ideas
-You test a few of them out
-You decide what solves the problem and what doesn’t
-You refine it and make something dope

The comments also mentioned an apt quote from Saul Bass regarding his approach to a new design project (from a 1989 Communication Arts interview):

“A client comes to you with a definition of the problem, or ideas about what they want to accomplish. Sometimes they have a sophisticated view of it, sometimes they don’t. I find myself frequently spending time with the client redefining the problem, backing up, going back to the beginning. Not infrequently the “problem” turns out to be the “symptom.” You have to sometimes move back, in order to move forward to really understand what the nature of the solution should be.”

Flipping through industry magazines, contributing to the blogosphere, and participating in trade organizations are a few ways to learn what’s going on in your trade. Litterateur talks about both the emotional enjoyment of experiencing a fellow artist’s work and the analytical process of discovering how it functioned. How do you learn from fellow creatives?

Have you ever read the letter Sol LeWitt wrote to Eva Hess? He sums it all up for me, and every time I read it I feel all better about my work and creative process.

you must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. then you will be able to DO! i have much confidence in you and even though you are tormenting yourself, the work you do is very good. try and do some BAD work. the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell.

Fantastic! Just a little tidbit to think about as you go through your creative day.

The topic of the September IWOC (Independent Writers of Chicago) meeting was Creativity. The speaker, Dr. Bernard Golden, Ph.D., has written a book, “Unleashing Your Creative Genius.” A clinical psychologist with his own practice in Chicago, Golden discussed the roadblocks to creativity, including fear of failure and fear of success.

Strategies to manage inhibitions include:
- Increasing self-awareness
- Challenging inhibiting themes
- Fostering positive emotions
- Enhancing physical states for creative engagement
- Practicing self-compassion

One tip Golden shared was to not think about the beginning of the project, rather, to think five to ten minutes into the project, or finish the last sentence/last paragraph.

Golden’s major premise is: Our freedom to be creative depends on our ability to effectively manage the tension that arises when you dare to create.”

More information at Bernard Golden’s Web site: To Unlock Your Creative Genius

I just read this post on the Accidental Creative blog and thought it was worth passing on to the group. The excerpt below is slightly edited, but here’s a link to the whole thing.

1. They work with what they’ve got.
2. They only see possibility. They live within the bounds of “no” and “yes”, but are always saying things like, “Hey! what if…” They see boundaries as opportunities to re-direct their energy.
3. They ask questions incessantly.
4. They have little tolerance for “blow-offs.” They keep pursuing answers until in makes sense. They are on a mission to understand.
5. There is always time. They live in the moment. They are not obsessed with what’s going to happen, they are concerned about what is happening.

Not exactly theme-related, but a refreshing reminder nonetheless!

There’s a great web site where you can share your reading tastes with other people. It’s called Shelfari. Warning, it is addictive! But I think it has potential for information sharing. Similar to LinkedIn, you have to invite friends, though anyone who wants to look at your list may do so. So far I like it.

When it comes to email, it’s all about the subject line. A clever subject line can get a boring email read, and a dull subject line can put a damper on even the most compelling content. A subject line is also a great place to infuse a bit of humor and individuality (particularly useful when you don’t know the reader all that well).

Sometimes a good subject line comes to you like a flash of lightning. And other times you might need a little help to inspire your own genius. My favorites are PhraseFinder and RhymeZone.

Phrasefinder describes itself as an archive of the meanings and origins of thousands of phrases, sayings and idioms. I mostly use it as a Pun-finder. Simply enter in a word or two, and the site spits out dozens of related phrases and expressions. Phrasefinder is also a great resource for attention-getting press release headings, catchy slogans, ad copy or any other instance when wordplay is a plus.

I often use Phrasefinder in tandem with RhymeZone. To title this blog entry, I entered “pun” into RhymeZone, and it shot out hundreds of rhyming words. Bun, ton, gun, son, fun, begun, outdone. You get the idea. I entered some of those words into Phrasefinder and got a slew of possibilities. Emperor of the Pun. Second to Pun. Girls Just Wanna Have Pun.

RhymeZone is free, but Phrasefinder will cost you 28 pounds a year (or about $56). Worth every penny.

Pun. And. Done.