“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci, Born Apr. 15, 1452. Y’all are making it too complicated. Drowning in options and possibilities? Start slapping some arbitrary limitations on yourself and see what you come up with. Innovation and elegance come from making the best solution out of what you have at hand. So […]
Over-complication Leads to Under-performance – So Simplify, Stupid Read More »
“If you’re too big to fit into fashion, then you just have to do your own fashion.” – Vivienne Westwood, Born Apr. 8, 1941. When I first went freelance and was trying to figure out this whole guruhood-as-a-business-model thing, I had a worry. What is going to be my “thing”? What is going to be
“Each of us is meant to have a character all our own, to be what no other can exactly be, and do what no other can exactly do.” – William Ellery Channing, Born Apr. 7, 1780. This is good advice in general, but I would add that if you can manage to be interesting, and
The “U” in USP Stands for “yoU” Read More »
“An artist never works under ideal conditions. If they existed, his work wouldn’t exist, for the artist doesn’t live in a vacuum. Some sort of pressure must exist. The artist exists because the world is not perfect. Art would be useless if the world were perfect, as man wouldn’t look for harmony but would simply
Emergent Challenges Aren’t Obstacles, But Opportunities to Make Better Work Read More »
“I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.” – William M. “Boss” Tweed, Born Apr. 3, 1823. You shouldn’t consider yourself as merely the seller of only your own product or service. That’s too limiting. It’s too narrow. Having a product or service of your own to
How To Profit Against Your Competition – And Even WITH Them, Too Read More »
“One forges one’s style on the terrible anvil of daily deadlines.” – Emile Zola, Born Apr. 2, 1840. What’s it take to be a good writer? Write every day. What’s it take to build a business? Make offers every day. What’s it take to build an audience? Add new followers every day. What’s it take
Consistent And Decent Always Outperforms Sporadic Excellence Read More »
“No writer should minimize the factor that affects everyone, but is beyond control: luck.” – John Jakes, Born Mar. 31, 1932. A positioning secret which probably seems counterintuitive to many, is to admit that your success is due in large part to luck. And I don’t mean like a gambler’s cocky bragging about how you’re
Admission of Luck Makes Success Seem Attainable to Those Who Would Buy Advice From You Read More »
“When people approach me about my films it is usually to tell me how much they hate them.” – Michael Winterbottom, Born Mar. 29, 1961. Any time you create anything, there are some people who seem to just want to tear it down because it exists. Because you bothered to try. I’m talking about haters.
Worried About Your Work? Here’s Whose Opinions Really Matter… Read More »
“A leading authority is anyone who has guessed right more than once.” – Frank A. Clark, Born Mar. 28, 1860. Frank here probably meant it as an admonishment for trusting self-described authorities. But you know me, I never let appropriate context get in the way of making the point I want to make… If you
Guessing Right Makes You a “Guru” (And So Does Guessing Wrong…) Read More »
“If you just love movies enough, you can make a good one.” – Quentin Tarantino, Born Mar. 27, 1963. Some people love copy. They fetishize it as an object, and treat the “copywriting industry” like a religion. For people like that, the goal is to have written “good” copy, so deemed by their peers –
The Copy “Fandom” is Fun for Some, But Never Necessary for Success Read More »
