People often tell me that they'd like to do a blog but they can't think of anything to blog about. Psshhaw I say and point them at a blog like Niazipan. He's just set himself the task of coming up with an idea every day and blogging about it. (And these are advertising type ideas, since he's an ad creative, he's not formulating new technologies for nano-tube fabrication.) It's not easy but it's do-able and it's great discipline.
This is the kind of simple little hook you need to get you going. Something small and do-able and regular. Every day, every week, whenever, whatever. Just something that you know you're supposed to do. And before you know it you've been blogging for six months and its easy.
(And it adds to the charm that there hasn't been a new idea since Friday. Come on Martin!)
By the way, doesn't it seem remarkable that there aren't more blogs by UK ad creatives? I only know of this and Scamp, which is also good, but shouldn't there be more? Or am I missing something?
Not everyone is as charming and interesting as you Russell.
Writing is hard and putting up your thoughts for all the world to see forever is scary. I think bloggers are a bit bonkers and also in my case obsessionally driven to it, no other way to explain it.
My advice is don't. If you MUST be anonymous.
Posted by: carol | June 28, 2006 at 04:37 PM
Blogging is not difficult ... it is the discipline that is a challenge. But then, if you are in the business of being creative, and your job is to generate new ideas every day, then blogging can actually be a way of working out your ideas in short form. The good thing is ... that you get free market research (and you hear more about your bad ideas than great ones), deeper insight into your own thinking process, and if you are lucky, input from some of the best creative minds around the world.
Posted by: Servant of Chaos | June 28, 2006 at 05:14 PM
Blogging is a great habit to get into. I find it a great motivator for beating an idea into shape or for try establish new connections.
It is the ultimate lateral thinkers tool!
Posted by: Richard | June 28, 2006 at 05:21 PM
It shames me to admit that I know Martin and a) haven't yet bothered to leave a him a comment and b) haven't even linked to Niazipan from our site.
By way of recompense, can I add that Martin and his partner Theo are two of the nicest chaps you could hope to meet and their book's cracking. They think far wider than just advertising and also have a firm grasp of the strategic end of the stick.
Regarding points a) and b), I'm off to rectify them right now.
Posted by: Patrick | June 28, 2006 at 08:31 PM
Thank you for your kind words, Russell.
My theory as to why so few blogs by creatives - blogging is rather new, and most creatives are not as cutting-edge as one might think.
Our job is (usually) to communicate with the mainstream.
It doesn't pay to be ahead of the curve.
Posted by: The Scamp | June 28, 2006 at 10:00 PM
Cheers for the link Russell.
Point taken, Scamp, about not staying too far ahead of the curve, but I sometimes wonder if it's also because fewer and fewer creatives are writers (not that I am in any way a prolific or good writer). And perhaps that's why you get such an abundance of planner's blogs...
Just a thought.
Posted by: Martin | June 29, 2006 at 10:23 AM
Martin I think you're right.
that is another good reason.
i guess much like the first world war had a variety of causes, so does this lack of creative bloggers.
Posted by: Scamp | June 29, 2006 at 10:45 AM
There are more than just two creatives blogging in the US. But I think the problem may stem, really, from the shift in consciousness about hours. Clients have pushed media commissions and vender markups out of the standard agency business model, so in most agencies creatives are being pressed to account for every hour. It's hard to take a moment for yourself and blog over lunch when you're being told you have 10 hours to come up with a great idea for a print ad. And when you're nose is to the grindstone, it's hard to find the energy to blog in the mornings or evenings. I found that moving client-side and out of the "hours" model, I've relaxed and again have the urge to blog over lunch...
Posted by: Brandon | June 29, 2006 at 11:28 AM
As an ex-creative who's currently into planning, I have to agree with Scamp on why so few creatives blog. I have two suggestions for anyone keen to take the plunge into blogging but are wary.
1. Though most blogging is freestyle and off-the-cuff, it doesn't always have to be so. Starting off with an overall structure will help minimise the effort of the daily task. Like Martin's idea a day blog. Russell also does this well, though mixing all those different strains in one blog. His IT Conversations on Thursday's is an example of one strain.
2. Blogging doesn't always have to be an individual burden - it can be collaborative and fun. For eg. Martin could invite a few more of his friends/colleagues to also post ideas on his blog. I run a collaborative blog where a group of us post one-line reviews on movies (http://pgthirteen.blogspot.com)
Posted by: blaiq | June 30, 2006 at 10:54 AM