Creativity, I Know It’s In There!

By Lauren Galli, Creative Director 

Creativity can be illusive.  It sometimes hides in the recesses of your brain and needs to be shaken loose.  When I was a kid, adults always told my Mom how creative I was and commented on the strength of my imagination.  I remember those days fondly and sometimes wish it was as easy to summon this creativity as an adult.

I’ve been writing for Strella Social Media for about three months and admit that awakening my creative beast within hasn’t always been easy.  We work with a diverse group of clients in many different fields, which require a lot of research and communication.   Sometimes the blogs I write just flow seamlessly from my mind to the page, while others take a bit more coaxing. Ultimately, I find ways to light the creative spark and thought I would share a few of these tips with you!

1. Walk away – There’s no sense in banging your head against the wall if you’re not in the zone. Step away and do something else for a while.  Take a walk, watch TV, or have some lunch.  Do whatever you have to do to clear your head, and then come back to it.  This has been a personal favorite of mine for a long time and really helps to ease frustration.
2. Do your research – You can’t write with authority without knowing your subject matter.  Of course, Google is always great, but check out Google.com/blogsearch and read what industry leaders are writing about. I also recommend checking out Twitter hashtags on the subject. In fact, that’s one of the best resources for current info, especially what’s trending. For example, when trying to determine a topic for a blog about commercial real estate, I searched #CRE on Twitter and found the topic I eventually used. I recently had to write 450 words about hiring a seasonal employee and the potential tax ramifications.  I know nothing about accounting, but these resources made it possible for me to write the blog without too much complication.
3. Set time aside specific time to write– It’s difficult to write when you have multiple distractions.  If you’re trying to write in the middle of paying bills or watching TV, your words are going to be much less effective than if you write with no distractions.  If you’re writing about something complicated or something that requires your full attention, this is the best way to do it well.
4. Don’t overthink it – This was the best piece of advice given to me by my boss and mentor, Rachel. I am my own worst critic. Thinking and creativity may sound like they go hand in hand, but that isn’t always the case. In fact, thinking too much can hinder creativity. Sometimes it’s best to ease up, avoid forcing too hard, and allow everything to fall into place.
5. Find the fun in it. – When you’re passionate about something, creativity flows.  Keep your mind free and clear by finding the fun side of what you’re doing.  It’s amazing what will follow.

When I was promoted to Creative Director, I had a brief moment of panic.  Once I took a deep breath and acknowledged that I wouldn’t have gotten here if I wasn’t capable, I was able to relax and feel confident that following my own advice would ultimately lead me in the right direction.

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