Author: Leslie Burns

…but in this case, I’ll make an exception.

(hat tip to Jane)

Truman Capote was famously quoted, when referring to Jacqueline Suzann’s novels, as saying: That’s not writing, that’s typing.

In every discipline, there are those who type. Sometimes, rarely, they get famous and/or rich, but the work they do is always lacking something (think Paris Hilton and acting/singing). All we can do is see these people for what they are, anomalies, and concentrate instead on doing our own best work. For most of you reading this, that means making your own great creative stuff.

Don’t type your way through your creative life.

Just about a year ago, I posted this in its original form. I’ve updated it a smidge for today’s post. It’s one of those things we ALL need to be reminded of occasionally.

When was the last time you…

…shot for yourself?
…turned OFF your cellphone?
…didn’t check your email for more than 24 hours?
…turned off your computer?
…took a vacation?
…took a 7-day+ vacation without bringing work?
…took a break without the kids?
…hugged your kid(s) for no reason?
…shot something in a completely different way than normal (for you)?
…read a novel?
…took a long walk in nature?
…shot film?
…delivered images to a client in person?
…sent a handwritten “thank you” note?
…meditated?
…watched a classic movie like Casablanca?
…danced?
…danced alone just because the music compelled you to shake your thang?
…sang?
…spent more than 30 minutes eating dinner?
…made dinner?
…made dinner from scratch?
…didn’t watch TV for 24 hours (or more)?
…didn’t use the ‘net for 24 hours (or more)?
…went on a picnic?
…told your assistant s/he did a great job?
…told your significant other you love her/him?
…gave your significant other a gift for no reason?
…participated in a group art project?
…wrote a short story or poem?
…ate a real breakfast, sitting down?
…got 30 minutes of exercise, regularly, for more than a week?
…lit candles?
…had great sex?
…went to an art museum/gallery?
…went to a science museum?
…listened to classical music?
…volunteered?
…read a book out loud?
…went to a play/musical?
…let someone else drive while you looked out the window?
…took a train or a boat?
…went to group meditation or church or temple or mosque?
…forgave someone?
…admitted you were wrong?
…taught students of any kind?
…smiled for no apparent reason?
…wore a costume?
…threw a party?
…met someone new (not connected to work)?
…kayaked, canoed, rode a horse, rode a bike, did something outside and unpowered?
…really listened to someone telling you something you didn’t want to hear?
…tried anything “risky”?
…”fired” a crappy client?
…raised your prices?

If you have to think about it, it’s been too long. All of these things will help your business because all of these things are good for your health, physically, mentally, and/or spiritually. Try to do at least a couple of them regularly–some work great every day.

Most of us struggle with making decisions at some point or another. Sometimes it’s “should I buy the generic laundry detergent or the Tide” but usually the struggles come with the bigger, financial choices, like “should I buy a new Mac or just make do with my old one” or even “should I shoot food, which I love, but which would mean completely changing my business?”

Here’s a technique I have found very helpful when I get “stuck” trying to make a choice: the weighted pro/con list.

Take a piece of paper (physically writing helps) and draw a line vertically down the middle. Write the choice at the top of the page (“Should I buy a new Mac?”) and put “pro” or “con” on either side of the line. Now list the items in each column as you think of them. For our Mac-buying example, you might have “faster” in the pro and “$3000” in the con area.

After you’ve listed every reason for and against you can think of, including purely emotional ones like “I love the design” or “It would make me feel good,” go back over each item and rate its importance to you on a scale from 0-100 (least-most). Maybe “faster” is 50 and “$3000” is an 80…whatever you feel is right is right. Try not to think about what others would rate the items–just what you would.

Then, add up the numbers in each column. The column with the higher total “wins.”

Of course this isn’t scientific or anything, but it does help clarify your thoughts and feelings on any issue. I love this technique and use it often myself, though they do look at me funny in the grocery store when I whip out pen and paper in the laundry aisle. 😉

The bridge collapse in Minneapolis is a terrible thing and my heart goes out to all affected. I’m a firm believer, however, in trying to find good in the worst life offers us. By finding that good, our pain is lessened and the sacrifice of others can have more value.

In that spirit, I suggest we use this tragedy to teach ourselves something. Let’s all take a moment today to think about what we would most regret if our own death came upon us so unexpectedly, and, more importantly, to do something to fix it. For example, if you would regret not hugging your kids that fateful morning, make it a new rule in your life that you will hug your kids every morning, no matter what.

If you would regret not doing your best work because “there was never time” to shoot/create for yourself, make the time, no matter what.

If you would regret not having life insurance, buy some now.

If you would regret never having gone to Paris, make a plan today to make it happen.

If you would regret doing crappy work for unappreciative clients, fire those clients today.

Remember that every day you have the chance to choose what you do.

Okay, not yet, but they might in the future if Daniel Pink is correct. At the very least, Mr. Pink confirms, in this article from HOW Magazine, much of what I’ve been saying for years: differentiation, following your creative heart, doing compassionate and passionate work, etc. are indeed the necessary steps on a path to success now and in the future.

Many people in many different professions have said it: it would be a great job, if only we didn’t have to deal with idiot clients. We all (yes, even me) have had client frustrations from time to time. Those head-scratching comments or requests (one of my favorites is the guy who emailed me asking me to edit his portfolio images and review his site and tell him how to market his business…all for free) that make us say “What were they thinking?”

Usually, of course, these situations get worked out and sometimes they become funny stories to share. Åsk Wäppling of Adland fame pointed out this site for some real-life “Wha…?” client moments in advertising.

And, if you want more from other professions (especially tech ones, but some creative too), there is always Clientcopia for a good laugh.

Do you have a good story about clients or other issues on a project? Want to share one (or more)? Please email me with any and I’ll either do a post (series of posts?) or maybe a podcast about them. Please don’t post them in the comments here as I want to make sure the names are changed to protect the idio…I mean, lovely clients and other people. 🙂

I have often advocated becoming a member of whatever creative pro groups there are available to you in your area. Photographers should consider APA and ASMP in particular; designers, AIGA and GAG, etc. These groups will help you with your business, and for that alone, they are worth the dues. They also often offer discounts for things you need, so you can easily recoup the cost of membership. However, there are sometimes extra benefits you would never expect.

Last evening ASMP San Diego had a members-only Pixels n’ Pints event. These types of events let photographers get together and share their work in an encouraging environment (pre-digital, they were called “Suds n’ Slides”). But this one was special–it was held on Joan Embery’s ranch just outside of town.

Yes, that Joan Embery–the one so many of us grew up watching on Johnny Carson, with “her” animals (from the San Diego Zoo). For me, it was surreal. I remember getting excited as a kid when Ed McMahon would announce “and Joan Embery” at the end of the guestlist for the evening’s show (I didn’t have a bedtime as a kid so I watched a lot of Johnny Carson). And then there I was, at her ranch, listening as she told us all about the cheetah we were looking at just a few feet away.

Now, of course if you are not in San Diego, this same event won’t happen for you. But these groups in any location can give you many things beyond discounts and CODB calculators. Of course, they work hard to bring in speakers of interest–so if you’ve always wanted to meet, say, Joyce Tenneson or Chip Kidd tell your local chapter and they might make it happen. But there are many unexpected benefits from attending any meeting that can profoundly affect you and/or your business. Sometimes it’s one conversation with a colleague or meeting someone who says “I’ve seen your work–it’s really wonderful” (and means it) or hearing that others face the same issues you do (even if some of them make bad choices in how they deal with those issues). And sometimes it’s something more.

So, join up, participate, be active in your local creative groups. The potential to get so much for so little is right in front of you.

There’s a new Creative Lube available (also available on iTunes, of course). The topic for this edition is change.

I’ve been reading more and more about Ms. Rowling and the more I read, the more I see how she made some great, but difficult, choices to protect her intellectual property. In this article, the author claims that Disney came to her (Rowling) with an idea to build a Harry Potter theme park. She reportedly refused because they (while clearly offering a ton of money) would not let her maintain creative control.

Yes, you read that right, she said “No” to Disney and a lot of money. This wasn’t a first. When Hollywood approached her about making the books into movies, she was very hesitant. Again, she didn’t want to sell out for the money if it meant losing control over her creative vision, so she negotiated a deal where she felt she would still have that control.

In other words, she has said “No” a lot. She has said it when it was the best thing for her intellectual property rights, her creative vision. She stuck to her guns and has never sold out, just for the money. Instead, she has controlled her creative assets wisely and showing the original passion she had in their creation.

She’s not alone in this. Directors like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas (as well as many others) have owned their own films, at least in part (early on by dropping their fees in trade for a percentage of the film they were going to direct), pretty much since they started making movies. In fact, they swapped 2.5 points (percent of a film, in Hollywood terms) of Close Encounters and Star Wars, so they each own a bit of the other’s. This is what has made them very wealthy men (the control/ownership–not the swap), but remember that the underlying reason for the ownership was always creative control.

Every time a client approaches you to create something, you have a choice about the deal. You can hold onto your rights and license them for an appropriate fee or you can sell them outright (for, it had better be, a MUCH higher fee), and lose all control. You need to make that choice for yourself and not rely on what others tell you those rights might be worth in the long run. Remember, Lucas made Star Wars for no “director’s fee,” giving up a six-figure salary and instead he got to own all the merchandising rights to the film (which the studio thought worthless!) and 40% of the film (see bio).

The difference between cash today and wealth tomorrow can be one choice.