Developing Your Creative Practice

What is a creative practice?

Developing a creative practice can anchor your creativity and help you generate consistent ideas to be implemented. For this post, I’m referring to generating content for marketing but it can certainly be used for other aspects of your life.

If you have your own business, you’re more than likely responsible for generating some sort of content for social media, emails, or your website. No doubt you have many things on your to do list – emails, meetings, errands, and y’know…your work! A creative practice helps you develop the habits you need to stay on target and work with time efficiency.

Below are some suggestions to explore. It’s for those of you who have an understanding of what, why, and how to generate content based on your biz goals. If you need some help figuring that out, feel free to contact me.

Schedule it.

This is probably the most important. Plug it into your schedule and stick to it. Early in the day is best before the demands of the day take over.

Create the space.

Shut the door. Put you phone on airplane mode. Put the white noise machine on. Clear your desk. Eliminate distractions as much as you can. Keep a notepad nearby to write random things that pop up to keep you focused.

Create before you consume.

This one comes from Marie Forleo. Before Facebook, before emails, create.

Explore your options.

Photography, graphic design, podcasts, video, gifs, blogging. You’ve got options. Explore.

Write like you talk.

Some good advice from marketing guru Seth Godin. If you write like you talk, you can’t get talker’s block, right?

Set up a style guide.

You’ve got an idea but something looks wrong. “What font did I use?”, “Is this the wrong orange?”. A style guide can help take some of the guess work out and keep your team on the same page. The guide can include hex codes, spacing and formatting guidelines, a list of preferred fonts and more.

Mini-retreat

New spaces and environments generate new thought. Brainstorm a new project or idea in a space that inspires you. How about a content brainstorm at an interesting architectural masterpiece or serene setting?

Self Realization Center Mt. Washington, Los Angeles

Oculus New York City

Move your body.

My best ideas come from mid-afternoon dance breaks. No joke! Walking, exercising, and dancing can be a great way to spark new ideas.

Read everyday. At least 10 minutes.

As a content maker, it’s important to understand what’s relevant and what people are reading and talking about. To keep my news consumption manageable, I use Pocket, an app that helps me save articles and organize them.

Those are a few to start! Try them out and let me know how it goes. Need some help understanding what, why, and how to generate content for your biz? Contact me.