Feel like writing the next hit song, painting another Mona Lisa, or becoming the next Tarantino? If the answer to any of these questions is yes – or if you can easily substitute in your own creative goals and still say yes – then you can bet that understanding the creative process is going to be crucial to your success.
Creativity touches all our lives in a thousand different ways, from the clothes we buy to the buildings we live in, from the food we eat to the cars we drive. Creativity invents, perfects, and defines our world. It explains and entertains us.
Almost every facet of our lives is influenced by it. And its impact is only getting stronger as time goes on. It’s not surprising then that we’re always being told the future is creative!
But what drives creativity? Inspires it? Sustains it?
I’ve spent the past forty years pursuing a creative career in advertising. In this time, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the best creative minds out there – filmmakers, musicians, writers, illustrators, photographers, and designers.
In my experience, very few people have a clear idea of what is meant by creativity or what it means to be creative. No, it’s not an excuse to grow your hair long, wear weird clothes, and be rude to people. You may wish to do all those things, but that won’t make you a better creative person. But being aware, sensitive, passionate, concerned, committed, and above all inventive just might – these are the necessary ingredients to a successful creative career.
There are many ways of defining creativity but the one I like best is ‘the expression of self.’ It’s a definition that captures my belief that we’re all creative – though naturally some are better at it than others.
The creative process is about inputs not outtakes. This book’s about how you get started, how you keep going. Not what you want to create. You’ll have to decide that.
We’re all creative but only some of us will be lucky enough to earn our living by it. Interested in being
one of these lucky few?
Read on.
Here are fifty provocations on creativity – on nurturing it, sustaining it, and harnessing it. But remember, there are no rules, only guidelines. Infuriating, isn’t it?
By the way, if you're holding the special edition of this book, you can eat it. Flip to page 126 for further details.
Now that’s useful.
John Hegarty