As designers, writers, and marketers, creativity allows us to connect with and capture an audience. We use our skills to translate thoughts into meaning and messaging. But with tight deadlines, client needs taking priority, and life’s little distractions, sometimes, we can feel stuck in a rut.
Last fall, I read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. First published in 1992, the book has been a staple of the creative community for over twenty years. Her nuggets of wisdom can help you get unstuck and spark creativity in your life and marketing.
The Morning Brain Dump
Cameron touts the magic of the “morning pages”—writing three pages of brain dump thoughts first thing in the morning to clear mental clutter and reveal fresh ideas and insights. You could write, “I don’t know what to write about today,” or your to-do list—anything on your mind—no judgment or looking back. You aren’t supposed to share it with anyone or reread it.
Applying It to Your Marketing
Use morning pages to highlight your day and create a to-do list.
Brainstorm taglines, sketch campaign ideas, or brainstorm solutions to your design and marketing challenges. If you don’t, give yourself 15 minutes over your morning joe to brain dump.
Schedule Artist Dates
Put them in your calendar and block out the time.
Think of an “artist date” as a creative solo act. It could be browsing a bookstore, painting your office wall, learning how to turn wood on a lathe, exploring a local farmer’s market or antique shop, or going for a photography walk. The goal is to get outside your comfort zone, try something, or learn something new.
Applying It to Your Marketing
- Take a field trip to a retail store where your products are sold. Talk to the store staff. Notice the point-of-purchase displays, what’s holding up, what isn’t, and what needs restocking. What are your competitors doing?
- Learn a new skill. Are you curious about AI? Try brainstorming concepts with Adobe Firefly or Midjourney for an upcoming design project.
- Attend a conference or webinar. Sashco’s Zero Failures seminar teaches log contractors how to maintain log homes using their products and the science behind why it works. Every time I go to it, I come back inspired with fresh ideas to help serve my loggie friends.
Silence the Voices Like Brian Wilson Did
We all have an inner critic or soundtrack that whispers that we can’t do it or that everyone will find out we’re an imposter.
In his memoir, “I Am Brian Wilson”, Brian Wilson of Beach Boys fame says, “When I hear those voices, I try to shut them out.” Despite his struggles with mental illness, Wilson was able to write over 200 songs and was a master collaborator. Cameron emphasizes the importance of silencing our “inner critic,” which stifles creativity.
Play the Devil’s Advocate
Instead of saying I will fail at this, I’ll say, “What does it look like if I started this? What steps do I need to take to make it happen? What’s the first step? What’s a small step I can take to try and dip my toes into it?”
Applying It to Your Marketing
Repeat after me—progress over perfection.
Striving for perfection can be debilitating and even paralyzing. Embrace the mess of your first draft. Don’t shoot down ideas in the brainstorming phase or say, “We’ve done that before.” Often, ideas can be remixed, improved upon, or emerge from other ideas.
Identify baby steps that will get you to your marketing goals. Do you want to refresh your website? What do you need to do first? Are you looking for a designer? Register a domain name? Or brainstorm domain names? Progress is made in small steps we take over time.
Practice Creative Self-Care
Cameron reminds us that creativity is like a well: if we continually draw from it without replenishing it, it will run dry, and we’ll burn out. Raise your hand if you can relate.
Applying It to Your Marketing
Take care of your creative self by not working all the ding dang time.
Moments when your brain shuts off can lead to “a-ha” moments and insights. I tend to get my best ideas on walks or in the shower when I take a moment to relax. My brain is still percolating in the background, and I have a chance to explore different ideas and scenarios in my mind. Scientific American says a rested brain is more creative because it helps us focus and recharge.
Do something that has nothing to do with work.
But be active in your relaxation pursuits. Passive activities like binge-watching the Silo on Apple TV probably won’t spur the creative insights you’re looking for. Instead, schedule time on your calendar to—
- Read a book
- Paint for fun
- Go for a walk
- Play ball or a board game with your kids
- Take a shower
- Sneak in a nap
- Go to a boxing class
The Universe is On Your Side
Cameron encourages creatives to stay open to serendipity—those seemingly random but meaningful coincidences that guide or come across our path.
The Big Magic of Ideas
Elizabeth Gilbert touches on this in her book, Big Magic, too. She paints a picture of ideas floating around the universe, looking for a home. The ideas are just waiting for someone to pick them and bring them to life. If we don’t take the idea and run with it, the universe will give it to someone else who will. Have you ever seen a product and thought they stole my idea? That’s the universe giving your idea away to someone who will put the work into it.
The Outlaw Logic of Greenlights
In Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights book, he applies his outlaw logic, “I have a lot of proof that the world is conspiring to make me happy. Life will present you with opportunities, choices, and situations that help you move ahead. Yellow and red lights are hardships that slow you down, but eventually they all turn into green lights.
Applying It to Your Marketing
Pay attention.
Whether it’s a random idea that popped into your head during a client meeting or in the shower, write it down. Capture it. Be open to meeting new people in your network or making business friends. Be on the lookout for industry trends to help move your marketing goals ahead. Be open to the possibilities.
Trust the Creative Process
Life and creativity aren’t a straight line. Some days will be amazing. Ideas flow freely; other days, your brain will fart, and you’ll feel stuck. Life will happen and you'll have bad week. Sometimes you need to eat a snack. Cameron reminds us to trust the process and show up consistently.
Not Feeling Creative? Try this Trick from Adam Savage
Adam Savage from Mythbusters fame and has this advice when he's just not feeling it in his shop “in those cases I may just hang out in here and read or I may do shop infrastructure, that’s the other one. I may just grab a shelf and take everything out of it and put everything back in a slightly neater way.”
So remember, you don’t have to have it all figured out. You can go with the flow and tinker around a bit.
Applying It to Your Marketing
Whether designing a logo or crafting a social media strategy, commit to the work without fixating on the outcome. Creativity is often about perseverance—keep iterating until the magic happens.
Sparking Your Creativity
Applying even a few tips from Artist’s Way can help you like a more creative life and be a more creative marketer, from campaign visuals to brand messaging.
Remember, creativity isn’t a skill you’re born with.
It’s a muscle we build over time and with practice. It’s about showing up, staying curious, and daring to explore and see where the road takes you.
What’s your favorite way to spark creativity?
Let me know in the comments below, or shoot me an email, and let’s keep the conversation going.
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I help build brands. I love partnering with folks across the building materials, nonprofit, and consumer goods industries—big or small. I aim to help you get the good word out about your products, services, and mission so you can grow.