when it comes time to put pen to paper (or in most cases for me, fingers to the keyboard), does the subject matter really matter?
whether it’s writing an auto brochure, an insurance company’s direct mail letter, or an educational institition’s web banner, approaching each and every one with the same vigor doesn’t necessarily mean the end result will be as….inspired.
i’m currently working on some brochures for a large computer company, and while it’s not like i’m writing for apple (of which I’m a huge fan), i’m really enjoying the work.
granted, the freelance client is amazing. and supportive. and very pleased with the direction the project is going. and, for the most part, the real client isn’t chewing up the creative direction and spitting out something that doesn’t even remotely resemble the original. (that, in itself, is another entry worth pondering.)
i think what helped with this particular hardware brochure was the wide open field in which to creatively run. my direction was to “write the most aspirational, inspirational copy that positions these products as the best effing ones on the market.” so, right out of the gate, i let loose the reins of my brain and just went with the voice that sang the loudest. once the tone was set, the rest has been pretty easy. there is even one entry completely inspired by a hummingbird feeding right outside my kitchen window.
i think this creative freedom helped spark my enthusiasm. i know for me, it’s easier to pull the reins in when appropriate, rather than trying to open up and run after being corraled for too long.
what inspires your creativivity? can your style shine as brightly when your subject is not exactly something you bond with? i know i rely on voices from the past when a new one can’t be heard over my brain snoring. but, in this present moment, my creativity is awakening with a vigor i haven’t felt in some time. perhaps it’s the fact that i finally wrested control of my life and, with a little dose of fate (in the form of a layoff), am believing that i truly have a voice in the direction i want to take my professional future.
perhaps it’s freedom that inspires. or maybe it’s just that moment when everything just conspires together to create a project where creativity comes effortlessly. and your brain—and your eyes—are open and aware of all that is beautiful and inspiring around you. and, just like a hummingbird, flies off in a hurry. only to be replaced by another just as hungry, and just as eager to find something new that will sustain it until the next beautiful thing appears.
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