The most important thing you need to know about creativity

July 25, 2014

I am on holiday. It’s a rare beast and, at some point in every couple of weeks of Tuscan bliss, comes a sliver of two minutes where I might get a chance to write. To write anything. Something. My new book, finally due for release this August after five weeks of delays, redesign and reprinting to our satisfaction, started its life on my breakfast terrace while on holiday here in Donnini, about 45 minutes east of Florence. As with all writing, I was starting with a blank page.

This summer’s reading includes my advertising hero John Hegarty On Creativity: There Are No Rules, in which he gives 50 rules for being creative. The first one is called “The Blank Page”. His point: if you want to be creative then you’d better get creative. While all of us start with a literal blank page, none of us have a metaphorical blank page. The trick is finding out the thing you roughly want to write about (or paint, or draw, or sketch as stickmen, or film) and then, for goodness’ sake, get it started.

Having ideas is not about finding a creative muse on a Tuscan vineyard, although I can vouch for the fact that the view and copious Chianti Classico helps. Heck, add some Prosecco and wild things might leap off the page. Creativity, whether you’re writing a strategy or painting views, is about STARTING.

What will you start today?

My first book, How To Come Up With Great Ideas And Actually Make Them Happen, is due for release this August (five weeks late ;-). You can pre-order your iBook or Paperback version on our site now. Kindle version to follow.