There's nothing more satisfying to me than to dive into the creative flow. Ideas keep bubbling up, and I run with it.

Unfortunately, sometimes, the proverbial creative flow runs dry. And all that's left is cracked dirt and dusty rock.

No matter what I do, my creative efforts are useless and fall very very short. I've come to the conclusion that my creativity comes in waves, and like a surfer, I have to either ride the wave or it passes me by.

The waves come and go in stages like this:

Monday: I have so many ideas, I immediately start sketching and taking notes, constructing things in my head, making a plan B and plan C for every option.

Tuesday: In the midst of creating, I've lost track of time and space. There is only creating. I don't have time to eat, and get mad when I have to pee. I'll do laundry tomorrow.

Wednesday: More ideas flow in and I'm nearly overwhelmed by the sheer amount. I want to start more projects, but feel the need to finish the 5 or 6 I've already started. I missed lunch again. Dang! time to make dinner.

Thursday: I've neglected the house, the pets, the man, and it's time to make up for it, but I gotta work on one.. more.. thing.....

Friday: Suddenly, I have no idea what color to use, I've tried them all. Where's the fabric I want? I can't find the right font, or the thread that I'm looking for. I'm hungry. What's on TV? Gotta check my facebook.

Saturday: Gotta catch up on laundry. and the dishes. and I should go grocery shopping. I forgot to send that e-mail.

Sunday: Creativity - 0, Cuteoverload.com - 1

It doesn't always work like that, sometimes each day = 1 month, sometimes each day = 1 hour. But that's the jist of it.

All creative types go through the high and low points (so I'm told). Luckily, over the years, I've learned a few things to do to get through the dry seasons, especially when there's a deadline.

Someday I'll share my secrets. ;)

That is the question...


If you frequent the internet like I do, you're sure to stumble upon a blog or two. Making bread, opinions on politics, fashion, tutorials, and tattoos are just a few topics you'll find in the blogosphere. There are even blogs about poo. (I'm sure)

So you say you want to start a blog? Everyone's got one, so where will yours fit in? Here are a few tips to get started blogging.

CONTENT.
Without content, you have... nothing. What are you planning to blog about? First narrow your subject down to a single subject. If your blog ideas don't fit into that subject, change it. There's no single list of blog subjects to choose from. It's all up to you. For example, if you choose Fashion as a subject, that covers all kinds of more specific subjects, such as retro fashion, home fashion, makeup, photography, etc.
So choose your content based on something you know, you like, or at least want to learn more about.

Another thing about content to consider is images vs. text. If you're into writing, your blog will likely be text heavy. If you're at a loss for words, but communicate better with images, your blog will likely be full of imagery. I would suggest a good balance of both.

Liane at betterbloggingforbloggers.com writes: "Content creation is just such a slippery, tricky slope that everyone inevitably ends up sliding on it. I write for a living and I still struggle to come up with great content ideas that are fresh and unique. After some time, tiredness sets in and there's nothing you can do about it. Running an active blog can make it a must to constantly come up with angles and posts that pique your readers interest."

DESIGN.
It's gotten so easy now to create a blog, some people have 3 or 4 of them. But to simple use the pre-built templates won't get your blog noticed, and quite possibly, not taken seriously.

- Take the time to create a graphic banner that suits the feel and the content of the blog.
- Use some basic HTML skills to enhance the layout of your blog, but not overwhelm the viewer.
- If you're crunched for time, you can temporarily use a pre-made template, but be advised: they don't all work the way they're supposed to, so be careful and have a backup plan when trying on a new template.
- Choose fonts and font colors that are easy to read against the background color (contrast) but try to stay away from black background with white text... It does a number on your eyes, and people won't stay long on your site if their eyes hurt.
- Don't just sprinkle in graphics for the sake of graphics. Use imagery that complements your site, content, and the overall look and feel of the blog.

WEB FUNCTIONALITY.
How are you going to get read if you can't get found? Submit your blog address to search engines like Google, Yahoo, and spread the word (but don't be a spammer) in your social networking. The more places or sites that will add a link to your site from theirs will boost your page ranking. Another way to help your ranking the most is TAG or LABEL each post with as many descriptions as are RELEVANT.

There's lots of great tips out there in the blogging world, and you can find your own, but here are a few I like.

http://indiebizchicks.com/wp/first-impressions-count/

http://www.betterbloggingforbloggers.com/

http://techie-buzz.com/blogging-tips/blogging-tips-for-new-bloggers.html

http://www.allinternetmarketing.net/how-to-start-blogging-tips-for-new-bloggers/5020

Any tips you have? Leave in the comments!

I've been reading Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit - a read I highly suggest to anyone in a creative field, or creative thinker, or creative hobbyist.

In it, she speaks about thinking outside the box. A concept we've all heard before. She uses a literal box, like a file box you get at an office superstore, to file all the ideas, collections, etc that relate to a project.

As I read, I tried to relate that use over to the graphic designer. I won't be using a literal box to collect items, but thinking outside the box is easier if the box is full.

I consider "the box" to be whatever the ordinary, boring, obvious choice is. Thinking outside of the obvious answer is what launches us into "creative mode." It isn't always so simple to get to that point. The obvious is vying for our attention, and will hang out in the forefront of our mind like a buzzing mosquito. Getting into creative mode means squashing that mosquito.

Here's an critical thinking exercise to try when you're attempting to get outside of the box, or outside the boring.

- Draw a box in the middle of a sheet of paper.
- Now list the first obvious 10 choices that come to mind inside that box.
- Now draw a bigger box around the first box.
- Inside of the outer box, list the next 5 things that come to mind.

Look at your options. The inner box contains the choices that anyone could come up with. The outer box may have some potential, but you haven't gone far enough away from the box to call it "creative."

What's left is the metaphor. Pick your favorite 2 choices in the outer box, and throw them around in your mind like a ball in space. Raise it, lower it, turn it upside down, and imagine it where it shouldn't be. Think of the opposite. Stretch it further. What else can you do with it? Turn it a different color, play with it until it no longer is related to what's inside the box. It's new. It's been created by you.

We've heard this expression time and time again, and it's become quite the cliché.

Many times, you hear this phrase in correlation with interviewing, and there's lots of validity to thinking this way when you're preparing for an interview. "Don't judge a book by its cover" is a phrase that doesn't apply to landing the job you want. What you're wearing will be the first thing evaluated by a potential employer, and all who work in the office. If you're interviewing with a graphic design firm, it's likely the entire office will discuss your attire after you've left, especially if it's not up to their standards.

The question may arise (in a panicked tone) - what should I wear?

You should pat yourself on the back because that's the right question to ask. Some companies prefer the traditional look, while others might prefer a more creative spin. Do a little research, but either way, you must look your professional best.

Here are some tips:

- For men, wear a tie. Even if it's a funky tie. Find ties that don't suck: http://www.etsy.com/shop/toybreaker

- Avoid dressing in the same way you'd dress going to a club.

- For women - wear jewelry, but not too much. Pearls are always in fashion, but don't go overboard. Find pearls that don't suck: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43045755

- No jeans. Even if everyone in the office is wearing jeans, don't be tempted. Wear dress pants that fit. On that note, make sure ALL of your clothes fit you well. Don't be tempted to wear a button-down shirt that gaps open in certain areas.

- Keep your assets highlighted on your resumé, not your outfit. (Or lack thereof.) Ask yourself - would I wear this into a church?

- When in doubt, talk to other professionals in the field for their opinion.

Some people out there have never read a blog. They don't have a facebook page, never thought about myspace, and might have never heard of twitter. Some people just don't take advantage of technology to communicate, or to get their information.

Ask any professional graphic designer what a client can do to boost SEO for their web based business, and 10 times out of 10, the list will include blogging.

Not everyone is a natural storyteller. So how does one start blogging? And not just writing down things like a diary, but successfully blogging, and having others follow them?

AustinSEOguy.com says:
"When writing your blog posts, make sure each individual post can stand alone by offering valuable content. This will help your SEO efforts in several ways. First, you'll be adding relevant, keyword-rich content to your blog. Secondly, people will be more inclined to link to your blog if it offers value. This will improve your link popularity, which in turn will boost your search engine rankings."

Did that help at all? Yes and No. Sometimes I find it difficult to just have any spare TIME to write a blog, much less offer valuable content. So yeah, we get why it's good to blog. But really, how do you start blogging effectively?

- Be honest an open. Speak about what you know, what you're interested in, and what you're passionate about. If you don't know enough about the subject, do a little research!

- Consider your target audience. No matter who they are, or what they do, consider who'll be reading your blog and speak to them.

- Don't plagiarize. This should go without saying, but many of us are stuck on the right phrase-ology and are tempted to copy and paste. If this happens, at least provide your source. Try to come up with original wording based on your research.

- Keep it short. Don't wax on and on in an endless block of text. Break it up, and therefore make it easier to read.

- Encourage a dialog. Ask questions, facilitate commenting, and engage your readers in communication with you. Feedback from your audience is not only useful, it can help measure what you'll be blogging about next.

- Keep it fresh. New content is more valuable than old stuff. Gain a readership by offering new information, as well as getting your audience involved in contests and giveaways.

- Post more than just links. If you're wanting to direct attention away from your blog, at least tell why you're sending them away.

Be yourself when constructing your blog, and as you write more, it will gradually become natural.