My Top Ten Online Creative Spots… And Why You Should Take A Dump
Here is a nugget for you die hard weekend readers…
Tony called me out a few days back and asked what blogs I read to get my creative juices flowing.
His question got my dome spinnin’ and I have created my Top Ten List for where I go to get my head spinning with ideas.
Before I begin I have to tell you that I am like most creative people out there. My mind is FULL of stuff. Mostly useless stuff.
SO. Before I sit down for a creative meeting, or to dive into a creative zone, I MUST EMPTY my head.
How do I do this?
A Brain Dump.
I take one of these twice a week. Trust me. Your creativity will multiply by 100 if you empty that little dome of yours.
I do this because, well Seth Godin sums it up well…
99% of the time, in my experience, the hard part about creativity isn’t coming up with something no one has ever thought of before. The hard part is actually executing the thing you’ve thought of.
The List
1. JPG Magazine
This is a magazine whose tag line is “Brave New Photography”. The catch? I’m not a photographer. But the images in each issue have been selected to make you hungry for more of them. Our whole It’s Personal title packages came from photos from this magazine. I am on that site everyday. And it is pure.
2. Web Urbanist
I have always liked to consider myself Urban. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because I lived in Riverside for 9 years and always wished I could be 40 miles east in downtown LA. Maybe because I like to shop at Urban Outfitters. Who knows. All I know is I now work in the city. In Atlanta. So this site in in my RSS feed every morning. WebUrbanist is interested in all things urban – from urban design to subversive art and strange architecture. Ideas abound here.
3. Seth Godin
I know what you are thinking. I just wasted a spot on this list. Everyone knows about Seth Godin. I know. But do you actually read him everyday? Probably not. And if you are in any sort of job which asks you to think outside the box, you need to be reading him. Because every now and again he will say something that will change the way you do life. Seriously. Like this…
History is littered with inventors who had “great” ideas but kept them quiet and then poorly executed them. And history is lit up with do-ers who took ideas that were floating around in the ether and actually made something happen. In fact, just about every successful venture is based on an unoriginal idea, beautifully executed.
So, if you’ve got ideas, let them go. They’re probably holding you back from the hard work of actually executing.
Which is why I blog. Nothing is worth keeping to myself.
4. Language is a Virus
This is one of my biggest little secrets. The “Cure Writers Block” list on the top left of the site. Seriously brilliant. The Haiku-a-Tron. The Title-o-Matic. The Magnetic Poetry. When I have hit a wall. Or before I hit it. I hit this site.
5. FOUND
Sometimes the most creative ideas I get are found in the gutters and streets of Atlanta. FOUND Magazine finds these for me. Love letters, birthday cards, kids’ homework, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, doodles– anything that gives a glimpse into someone else’s life. Anything goes. And it is glorious. It is like Post Secret without intention. And yes, I want to do a series with this tied into it. You should too.
See. I just gave you an idea. I feel free.
6. Classic Cat
This website looks like my grandpa designed it. Don’t let that fool you. Some of the greatest creative works in history were conceived and executed whilst the complex strains of classical music filled the air. Classic Cat hosts hundreds of free and legal downloads from well-known composers. Turn off your Hoobastank and turn this on. You will get a raise. I promise.
7. audible.com
Random. I know. But put it this way. Everyday someone plops a new book on my desk. Everyday there is another book I need to read. These audible files were made to play on my iPod at twice the speed of normal speaking flow. I can choose. I listen to my books in the car to and from work, to and from campuses. That is really it. But I have read 2 books this week. And two last week. You?
8. little-people
Whenever his feed pops in my RSS, I am suddenly forced to stop, look around me, and focus on the small things. This guy is amazing. He takes TINY little figurines and photographs them to make them look large.
In order to get your next BIG idea, look to the small things around you.
9. 6 Year Med
This poor girl keeps getting stuck on my lists. Why in the world would I ever want to read a post that starts with…
My patient with acute pancreatitis came into the E.R. yesterday complaining of belly pain
Because it is told with the with and humor of a great writer who has no intention of becoming a writer.
So I know I will get one thing when I go there. Great stories of medicine that make me smile, and think.
10. moleskinarie
Living in this WEB 2.0 world, I can suddenly become flat. And by that I mean that every website in the world cannot give me the creativity of a pen and paper. This blog reminds me of the importance to shut this screen in front of me and grab my moleskine and pen I stole from Andy’s office. If you are ever in there, the pens on the conference table are to die for. Anyways. This site is chalked full of images that will make you create away from this screen staring at you.
So there you have it. Thanks Tony for asking the question.
Look next week for my Top Ten REAL Creative Spots…And Why You Should Shut Your Laptop
Feel free to spread this around. Credit yourself. I don’t care. Just create.
Add to this list or just say hello…
Los
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RAIN IT DOWN
Well I shall take a gander at those later on today, Cheers
Thanks, though I’ve never asked why.
Dude – you have to share – what brand/model are the pens that are “to die for”???? (I am a huge pen person….)
Thanks!!!
Thanks Los,
Great group of sites…
Check this one out. Different photo each day…sparks my thinking when I wake up…
http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/
Brian
As a full time writer, I greatly appreciate this list. I might have the peruse some of those very soon, since I have some daunting projects. I can concur about Seth’s quote about the difficulty with executing ideas. It’s like having needles and yarn but still trying to figure out how to knit (and knit well, at that).
My blogroll is the source of much inspiration (and I have to note that you’re the latest addition). I love the Explore page on Flickr. And any hodgepodge of music that I choose throughout the day is what usually gets me out of a funk and past some “creative walls.” Edison Glass, Needtobreathe and Anberlin have been on my list as of late.
Merry Christmas, Los.
so i am considered die hard huh? anyway i love the little people site how fun
Thanks Los, I’m always looking for fresh ideas for life and OrangeFamilies. By the way, I like the new look here.
most of my ideas come from the bathroom. Song ideas in the shower and other brain dumpings in my private times in the bathroom.
GREAT POST! Can’t wait to read your “best places to create” post. Muchas Gracias on this info…it’s good to peer into that freshly shaven dome of yours. I would love to hear a LOS LESSON on “Being Creative”…that could even be a weekly post.
Great stuff!!! Now I’ve got to go take a dump…
Los!!!!!
I am a pen freak!!!! I just found 2 new great ones! I’ll have to share them with you…fyi…I am a pen snob and usually I keep them hidden so that no one uses inappropriately (dulls the tip)/borrows permanently/ chews on the end of my favorite pens…but since you have penpreciation, I will let you use them anytime! Oh and btw, I just bookmarked all of your fav. creative spots..I will share mine sometime…
Wow! A lot of those are on my list. And a few that will now be added. You have an awesome blog!!!!!!!
These are awesome Los! Thanks for the new sources of inspiration.
The brain dump link isn’t working… or maybe my brain has completely dumped?
Thanks for your giving heart bro. Love that you share so freely. One of my favorite web places to go for inspiration is honestly my friends on Twitter. They post things that inspire me and help me grow. Three of my main, read every day guys, are Mac Lake, Pete Wilson and Stephen Brewster. Love what they have to say (and you too).