“To me there’s no creativity without boundaries. If you’re gonna write a sonnet, it’s 14 lines, so it’s solving the problem within the container.” – Lorne Michaels, Born Nov. 17, 1944. There is something incredibly empowering about using creative limitations. And it’s not just about placing arbitrary deadlines. It’s about limiting your materials, your scope. […]
Creativity Will Keep You Broke Unless You Strap On The YOKE Read More »
“Comedy is the most palliative way to make a point. People are more willing to listen if they can laugh.” – Judy Gold, Born Nov. 15, 1962. This is one most people will dismiss, but they shouldn’t. Think of that kind of marketer/guru/whatever that people think is trashy or phony or arrogant, who is still
A Daily ____ Is The Bait That Brings Them Back Tomorrow Read More »
“Within one hour of touching the brush to canvas for the first time, my students have a total, complete painting.” – Bob Ross, Born Oct. 29, 1942. This was Ross’s pitch. He empowered people who were intimidated to create art, and gave them the tools and shortcuts to get over that fear. Were the students’
Make Them Get Their Hands Dirty if You Want to Sell Them More Dirt Read More »
“I’ve written in every imaginable location; a repurposed closet, the kitchen table, the bleachers while my kids had basketball practice, the front seat of the car when they were at soccer. In airports. On trains. In the break room when I was supposed to be wolfing down dinner. In the back of classrooms when I
Destroy Your Writing Rituals to Set Your Skill Free Read More »
“Television has a real problem. They have no page two.” – Art Buchwald, Born Oct. 20, 1925. What Art was talking about is how TV can only give you the page one stuff. Deeper commentary and lengthier coverage, or less prominent stories get passed over. Or a least, they did. That was the nature of
How We Can Provide “Blood” AND “Meat” to Feed Our Hungry Prospects Read More »
“I just sit at a typewriter and curse a bit.” – P. G. Wodehouse, Born Oct. 15, 1881. Oh, Pelly-boy, that may have cut the mustard back in your time, but these days you have to be a complete artist. Cursing is when you wish ill upon your enemies. As in, I pray to White
An Education in Bad Language for the Beginning Potty-Mouth Read More »
“If you can’t describe what you are doing as a process, you don’t know what you’re doing.” – W. Edwards Deming, Born Oct. 14, 1900. A lot of people who get into copywriting mistake it for other kinds of creative writing. They believe it is all art, and invention, and creative genius. And hey, work
Let Your Processes Become Your Secret Weapon Against the Betrayal of the Fickle Muse Read More »
“The average voter has to hear a point seven times before it registers.” – Paul Weyrich, Born Oct. 7, 1942. Repetition is key. Repetition is key. If you want your message to be received… Repetition. Is. Key. Here is the rub. The trick to making this work is that you can’t just say the same
Say it. Then say it again differently. And yet again, but not the same, and Etc… Read More »
“For my stand-up, I always have my notebook with me and if something strikes me, I’ll write it down.” – Janeane Garofalo, Born Sep. 28, 1964. Some of these essays go for deep, profound quotations. But this one is just a great, compact piece of professional advice that will have a PROFOUND impact on your
Writing Even Your Brain Farts Down Will Change Your Life Read More »
“The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well.” – Horace Walpole, Born Sep. 24, 1717. This is also a decent philosophy for thinking about your core content that you will use to build an audience around. You choose your central, main topic. And then
