Use "LSD" to Help Your Business Writing:
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Okay. There’s a 99.9% chance that you are appalled! And rightfully so!
Let me assure you right off the bat: This is a 100% Drug-Free blog! No mind-altering substances here. The LSD I’m alluding to is not Lysergic acid diethylamide. I can assure you the strongest thing you’ll find around these parts is a cold pint of Guinness, consumed for the dreamy taste and marvelous texture.
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Creativity: An Explanation:
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Creativity is, according to the folks at Merriam-Webster:
Pronunciation: ˌkrē-(ˌ)ā-ˈti-və-tē, ˌkrē-ə-
Function: noun
1 : the quality of being creative
2 : the ability to create
Well "Gee Golly Willickers" guys, that wasn’t a very creative definition! Reminds me of one of those third grade tests: "Johnny, will you please use the word creativity in a sentence for the class?" "Yes, Ma’am…’The girl was creative.’" "Wonderful Johnny!!!"
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My Definition:
Creativity is the systematic act of racking the heck out of your brain to draw out the wonderful ideas and inspirations which are lodged deep in the recesses of your mind and molding them into a dynamic, fun, thought-provoking thing of beauty!
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My Formula for Creativity: LSD:
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"L"
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Look at the world around you. All of the ideas you need are right there. Look at nature. Watch your dog playing. Think of lessons you learned as a child. Watch the news. Examine current events. Look at theories and principles. Read a book. Plant a tree and watch it grow. It’s all right there!
Listen to the world around you. Ideas come from music. They come from hearing birds singing and raindrops pattering against the roof. They come from hearing the wisdom of others. Lessons. Lectures. Comedy. Religious teachings. Quotes. Children playing. Thunder. Wind. Waves. When it comes to creativity, your ears are one of the most powerful tools you have!
Live life! Creativity is not rooted in forcing yourself to sit in front of a computer screen! Creativity emenates from life! Hike. Travel. Play. Bowl. Enjoy. And watch the well-spring of ideas flow over! Nobody ever said a business blog needs to be about business only…how boring would that be? Blend business with life!!!
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"S"
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Subjectify. Arrive at a subject which you want to base your piece around. In business, it can be anything. Fishing. A great movie. Migrating birds. A game of stickball. Steps towards solving a problem. Principles. Foundations. Anything! Come up with great subject matter and think of how to transform it into a GREAT idea!
Solidify your thoughts. Draw out the important concepts. Remove those that don’t seem relevant. Think of a sculptor who starts with a block of clay. Remove what doesn’t belong and shape what remains.
Start writing! Put pen to paper. Scribble. Doodle. Get all of your thoughts written down! Be on a mission!
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"D"
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Dream! Yup…close your eyes. Picture the end product. What do you want it to look like? Where do you want it to be? As a literary writer myself, I’ll tell you an interesting fact: many writers begin with the final chapter! The outcome can be the most intriguing place to start. Crystalize your ideas into the climax!
Dare to be different and take a chance. Creativity is not doing what’s already been done a thousand times. It’s trying something new. It’s experimenting with the unknown. Gamble! The end-product could very well be something which will make others say "WOW!"
Delve into the depths of your mind! Strain. Push like a woman giving birth! (not that I know what that feels like!) Yes, the birth of the unique, creative ideas which will set your work apart from others. Think of what’s been done before…and what hasn’t been done yet. Those ideas which will make your writing stand out from the crowd!
Think of the great quote by Robert F. Kennedy:
"There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why… I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
Develop the final product. Pour your heart and soul into it! Don’t hold back! Brainstorm!
Delay. Fight the impulse to submit the work right away. Sit back. Breathe. Take a walk. Listen to a great CD. Go out to dinner with your spouse. Then, and only then, take a second look at the work. And think. Did you miss something? Are you satisfied? Finalize the piece. Proofread. Edit. Dot the "I’s" and cross the "T’s." Make it perfect! Let it represent the ideals of your dream!
and…
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Deliver!
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Well folks, that’s it for my first year of business blogging. Now it’s time for a break! As always, thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the beginning of August!
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Dear Reader: There is an error with the ReTweet on this one. If your would like to ReTweet, something which I would be grateful for, you can paste the following into Twitter:
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"LSD": My Formula for Bringing Unique Creativity to Business Writing! http://bit.ly/aMBCvI
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Images: Psychadelic: courtesy of layoutsparks.com; Pen: all-free-download.com; Calendar: 2010calendar.ca; RFK: historyimages.com; Guinness: Digalist.com
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Yonatan Maisel is a professional writer and published author. He is a history buff who enjoys long walks in the woods with his wife and Canaan dog "Halva." His business-blog, going strong for one year now, appears here at http://www.jobshuk.com/, with updates occurring twice-a-week.
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