The prevailing form of creative inspiration is imitation. We copy what others have done...
We scour YouTube, steal from those other guys, twist the concept of that one film and otherwise perform creative piracy. We judge the idea by how well it was executed in our context.
But to be an original requires a new way of looking at things:
Rather than lists of inspiration...
Rather than links in Evernote...
Rather than a Moleskine filled with notes from other people...
We start with a list of rules. The conventions and customs by which we normally operate.
We don't do it this way.
We're not allowed to do that.
Here's what everybody else does.
Then we ask why? And we break them.
Recently, I wrote down all of the "rules" of event-making. Everything from venues and presenters to schedule and production. In all, there were probably 50 categories.
Then I tried to break every one of them on paper. The result was eye-opening. A game-changer.
Here's a great exercise:
Write down all of the rules and conventions of your industry in every conceivable category... and then ask, "Why do we do it that way?" or "How can we break that rule?"
Your brainstorming will stray away from imitation, toward originality. Then others will copy you for inspiration.
Dang this is good! Gonna pass it to a few people.
Posted by: Carole Turner | June 07, 2012 at 09:52 AM
Such a good post!! Thanks for always sharing your wisdom!
Posted by: Tracee | June 07, 2012 at 01:57 PM
Like this!
Posted by: Ronswanson | June 07, 2012 at 09:05 PM
This is TRULY an inspiration to me. This is dang good!
And to say that; I am coming across the road of "I'm going to use your method for real." I will use it and respond with the outcome. Fun!
Further reading why this is perfect to read for me:
My Fiancee and I have started planning a wedding. We have not a date, place, or guest list. I'm down with it.
The timing of reading this blog last Thursday could not be better, more beneficial, more appropriating, more offensive, more exhilarating, than as it pertains to a "wedding" (It's been on my mind lately :). So I'm making a list of everything a "wedding" is in... well, I was going to say "America," but I I'll take it even deeper and say a wedding. Period.
So as I go on this journey to look at things in a whole new way to be original and redefine, as you say: "The conventions and customs by which we normally operate," I will seek to break every rule and be "us" and not "them."
Thank you again
Posted by: Kyle VK | June 12, 2012 at 01:14 PM
love it kyle, can't wait to hear about it
Posted by: Ben Arment | June 12, 2012 at 01:22 PM