Creative People Possess Common Traits

Writing is an enormous part of my job, and thankfully, it's an activity I love to do. Regardless of the amount of time I spend writing on a weekly basis, there's always room for improvement. Anyone and everyone who has a passion for writing (particularly if you're creating and sharing content online for a business purpose) should avidly read Copyblogger. 

I wanted to share this recent post about writing and creativity, Do You Have These 11 Traits of Highly Creative People? because it's perfect for anyone who's recently hit a creative roadblock or wants to add some zest to their writing. The author elaborates more on the 11 traits of highly creative people, but here's the brief version:

Highly creative people:

• Have the courage to try new things and risk failure.
• Use intuition and logic to make decisions and produce ideas.
• Like to play, since humor and fun are the ultimate creative act.
• Are expressive and willing to share what they feel and think to be themselves.
• Can find order in confusion and discover hidden meaning in information.
• Are motivated by task rather than by external rewards.
• Have a need to find solutions to challenging problems.
• Will challenge assumptions and ask hard questions to discover what is real.
• Can make connections between old ideas to produce new insights.
• Will push the envelope in order to expand the boundaries of what is possible.
• Are willing to test new ideas and compete with others based on results. 

The author admits most people don't naturally possess these traits, but they aren't difficult to attain. So here's the timeline: Act creative, become creative, success will follow. I'm sure the length of each stage varies from person to person, but I truly believe that creativity is the key to not only a successful career, but also to a more happy and productive life. 

Rediscovering Books

I have a confession. I just made my very first Amazon purchase this week. No, I haven't been living in a dark hole, and yes, I've been very aware of Amazon for quite some time now. My justification is that I prefer to make purchases in person. I like to see things for myself before I shell out money - particularly clothes and shoes. 

I made up my mind last week that my next purchase must be a book. I spend WAY too much time staring at the computer and need to get back to basics by reading more books. For whatever reason, I'm healthier mentally and am a much happier person when I can look forward to coming home to a good book. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to finally make an Amazon purchase because you really can't go wrong buying books online. 

So what books did I buy? One might quickly assume that I bought a sappy love story (I do love a good Nicholas Sparks book!) or a book in Spanish (that's next on the list). Those were tempting options, but I went with two books that are highly recommended in the PR industry - Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff and Putting the Public Back in Public Relations by Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge. 

I love reading about my industry because it's fascinating how much has changed in three years since I graduated from college, but I'm looking for book suggestions that don't relate to PR. Drop me a line or leave a comment with any recommendations. Just no history or sci-fi please. :)

Handmade Note Cards from the Heart

We all possess talents and characteristics that make us unique, but many people (myself included) wish they were better at something. I've always wanted to be more artistic. Art class in high school was the class I dreaded the most because I can't draw, sketch, paint, or sculpt for the life of me. No matter how much I try to convince myself that I can learn to scrapbook or create cute little handmade gifts for friends and family, I know deep down it's not going to happen!

On that note, let me introduce you to my very talented and creative friend Lindsay (aka Herban Girl) who I just learned has some amazingly artistic skills. Lindsay recently seized the opportunity to open the virtual doors on her online shop, songbird notes, where she's selling handmade note cards. Her shop is hosted through Etsy, which is pretty much the coolest place to buy products directly from independent designers and artists. Lindsay's cards are unique because many of her designs feature a Japanese influence (she relocated to Japan with her husband for a few years).

I admire Lindsay for capitalizing on her talent and taking the initiative to share her passion and creativity with the world. I know what my next purchase will be...:)

One Person Can Make a Big Difference

I love reading Alan Baker's Web World columns in the Crain's Detroit daily e-newsletter because he provides a good mix of interesting insight and humor. I want to share Alan's recent column about a local man who went out of his way to do something good. It's very touching, and it's one of those stories that tends to get overlooked all too often. 

Alan had previously wrote about a monument that sits on a hill next to the Crain Communications building. A plaque on the side of the monument was totally covered in graffiti. He more recently wrote that he could no longer see the graffiti because the overgrown grass was hiding it, and he called out MDOT for lack of care. Some wise person at MDOT did a good job of listening to the convos going on about their company on the Web, and MDOT took care of the grass the same day Alan filed the story. However, the crew left a tree-like weed behind the monument. 

Alan planned to write a column acknowledging the mowing (but still calling out the weed that remained) the next day, but somebody had removed the graffiti and weed. Alan had received an e-mail from Chris Peraino, property manager for Hospice of Michigan, saying the situation had been taken care of. Chris read Alan's column and decided to take it upon himself to remove what the MDOT crew had left behind. This is a man with some serious motivation and love for Detroit! How many people do you know who would do something like that? 

Check out Alan's entire column here. It's not every day that we read about people in our community as gracious as Chris, so he deserves major credit. We should all follow suit and take it upon ourselves to make a difference, rather than sitting back and waiting for someone else to.

Collaborate with Metro Detroit's Creatives at Tweetea

Sometimes I wonder if people buy it that I truly believe Michigan is brimming with creative talent. I'm constantly saying people in Michigan have so much to offer and are doing amazing things, but the many dark clouds hanging above us (i.e., all the bad things happening in our state) frequently overshadow all the positive news.

If anyone living here, specifically in metro Detroit, doubts that we're a talented bunch, then I challenge to them to come to the next Tweetea event. They undoubtedly will be proven wrong.

My previous American Idol blogging gig for The Detroit News prevented me from attending these weekly Tuesday night events, but I finally made it to my first one this week. The Tweetea attendees traditionally meet at Goldfish Tea in Royal Oak. Whether or not you're a tea aficionado, the uber-cool, Chinese-inspired decor and friendly staff are reason enough to check out Goldfish Tea.

Hubert Sawyers (@HubertGAM) is the brains behind Tweetea. He organized the first meeting last winter and envisioned it as a way to simply meet people. Hubert is a big stickler on health and wellness and has a passion for tea, so hosting the Tweeteas at Goldfish Tea made perfect sense. He started pushing the word out about these events by creating the #tweetea hashtag on Twitter (you can also follow @Tweetroit on Twitter for the latest Tweetea updates). To his surprise, 15 people showed up to the first Tweetea, and the weekly attendee numbers have been steadily increasing ever since.

Hubert makes this very clear: Tweetea is more than a business networking event. The point is to take something away from the event that you can then share with others. Something educational - not just a stack of business cards that will potentially collect dust on your desk or in your Rolodex. The intention is to meet people and build friendships. Then in time, those friendships may develop into a business relationship. And if that doesn't happen, who cares? You've gained a few good friends in the process.

The Tweetea attendees aim to pick a different discussion topic each week. Hubert credits this idea largely to Dave Murr (@DaveMurr). It's gone over well so far. We initially planned to talk about video blogging (or vlogging for you more techie people) at the Tweetea this week because Hubert's in the market for a new camera, but the discussion topics ended up focusing more on how the fall of the Big 3 is affecting our region and the role social media plays in our world today. Here's a breakdown of some of our discussions:

• Social media is not a natural extension of PR.
• Many companies are jumping on the social media bandwagon without first creating a strategy, which is threatening to ruin social media's credibility for the rest of us that are using it wisely.
• Facebook cause pages are effective in raising money if used correctly.
• The nonprofit industry will benefit most from social media in the future because it's all about advocating, not advertising.
• Corporations would do a lot more in sales if they kept their employees happy.
• We need to find the next generation of corporations/brands that are using social media in the right way for new case studies. 
• Detroit gets so much negative press, but only people who live here truly understand that we have an active core of advocates in southeast MI.

The knowledge I gained in the few short hours at Tweetea is invaluable. It's also incredible how much you can learn about someone during one conversation. Who would have thought that Adrian Pittman (@adrianittman) has a devious plan to overthrow Detroit City Council? ;) All humor aside, Tweetea gave me the opportunity to get inside the heads of some of metro Detroit's most talented residents. Here's a complete list of everyone who attended this week:

@HubertGAM

@3sixteenweb
@tinawebanalytic
@DaveMurr
@jennimurr
@michaelstuertz
@adrianpittman
@khalidh
@montilee

Have I said enough to convince you to attend Tweetea? If you decide to come, what topics would you be most interested in discussing with the group?

Positive People Help Turn a Bad Week Good

It's been a rough week. Someone very close to me fears he may be losing his job soon, and one of my very best friends of 20 years is seriously ill. While I'm doing my best to remain strong for them, I'm also struggling to cope with my own insecurities and pain caused by a tragic event that forever changed my life four months ago today. 

Just like the old saying goes, when life hands you lemons, go make lemonade. I learned a long time ago that to get through trying times, it's important to focus on all the good things and positive people in your life.  So, that's what I've been striving to do this past week. My mental anguish knocked me down a bit, but a few people helped bring me back up. 

I've wrote before about some of the amazing people I've met through my client, 

The Salvation Army of Washtenaw County. Another one of those incredible people is Tim Schroeder. I first learned about Tim through an article he wrote in TSA-WC's newsletter. Tim made a very powerful impact on me during our phone calls and e-mail exchanges,  but finally hearing him tell his story in person last week was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. 

For many years, Tim dealt with numerous addictions that eventually landed him in jail facing three life sentences. He fought hard to leave his previous life behind and is now leading a program at TSA-WC and the Livingston County jail to help others who have been overtaken by addictions. He also recently found love again and remarried his wife who he divorced about 10 years ago. You can read all about Tim here. Tim's inspirational story helped remind me that when you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. I soaked up a bit of Tim's happiness the day I listened to his story and used it to get me through this difficult week.

The other uplifting part of my week occurred over wine and sushi. The combination of two of my favorite dining choices was made even better by the people I was sharing it with - my best bud and colleague, Lauren, and Stephanie Casola, someone who I previously only connected with through e-mail and Twitter. Laughing, eating and sharing stories with Lauren and Stephanie helped me forget about the bad things that had been dragging me down all week.

I can always count on Lauren to brighten my mood because she's one of the most positive people I know, and I quickly learned that Stephanie was exactly the same. Stephanie was one of my favorites journalists to work with back when she was with The Observer & Eccentric, but she did a complete 180 and is now working at a local public relations firm. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose my job, let alone dive head first into a completely new career immediately after losing that job. My coworker, Andrea Westfall (another person who constantly brings a smile to my face), did exactly the same thing. I admire Stephanie and Andrea for being brave enough to try a new career and for succeeding after such a short amount of time in their new roles. Their positive attitudes and upbeat personalities are infectious, even more so during this past week.

A new week lies ahead, and I'm going into it with high expectations. Life throws everyone curve balls now and then, so I know I'm not alone. Whether they realized it or not, the above mentioned people played a big part in helping me to bury my blue mood.

Anyone reading this who has a story to share about someone who recently inspired them or injected them with a much-needed dose of positivity, please share :)

The Dash

I recently attended a PRSA Detroit event where the speaker, Denise Ann Taylor, read aloud one of my favorite poems - "The Dash." It's a very clever poem and is a great reminder that what matters most is how you choose to spend the years between your birth and death. It really makes you think! 

The Dash 

By Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone

From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

And spoke of the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth

And now only those who loved her

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,

The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;

Are there things you'd like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what's true and real

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger

And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives

Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect

And more often wear a smile,

Remembering that this special dash

Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read

With your life's actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent your dash?

Know of any other great poems that really help put things into perspective? Please share! 

One Last Wish for Happiness

Forewarning: This is one of those "make you choke up" stories.

My agency's president sent us all an e-mail the other day about an 11-year-old boy named Adrian Gerber from Caro, Mich. who is terminally ill with leukemia. A member of her church works with pediatric cancer patients like Adrian and passed along word that Adrian's illness took a turn for the worse and he was asking for one small thing - greeting cards. Greeting cards make him very happy, and his one last wish was to receive cards from the community. So with heavy hearts, we each took a card, drew a colorful picture and wrote a happy message to brighten up Adrian's day.

The person who wrote the e-mail described Adrian as an amazing young man and the most caring 11-year-old that he has ever met. He's one of those kids who cares more about cheering up other kids who are battling cancer than he does about his own illness. Adrian finds joy in making others happy, so he absolutely deserves nothing more than happiness during his last few weeks on earth.

Here's a touching article from the Tuscola County Advertiser about this courageous boy.

Hearing Adrian's story and learning about the simplicity of his last wish really put things into perspective. So many people think happiness equates to tangible items like money or flashy purchases. Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic when I save a lot of money from my paycheck or when I buy something new that I've wanted for a long time. But when all is said and done, are those things really the meaning of happiness? I think not. Adrian got it right - doing something to create happiness in someone else's life is the best way to bring happiness into your own. A part of me felt absolutely miserable for this boy and his family to know that his life will soon be tragically cut short. But an even bigger part of me felt proud and happy to know that I played a part in making Adrian's last wish come true.

Whenever you're feeling down, do something to help someone else out. It's the ultimate pick-me-up.

Creative Quips from Module '09 Midwest Digital Conference

Two really cool events took place this week that unfortunately I wasn't able to attend. These things called work and clients got in the way (so kidding, I thank my lucky stars every day that the economy has not affected my job).

Chris Brogan (@chrisbrogan) was in town for the Module '09 Midwest Digital Conference, so he put the word out on Twitter for a last minute Tweetup in Royal Oak. My PR buddy Brandon Chesnutt(@bchesnutt) gives a good overview of the Tweetup for those of us who had to miss out. 

I was able to catch a few of the tweets from the Module '09 conference this past week, but my crazy day didn't allow for much Twitter time. It seems the conference was a smashing success, so a huge congrats to you @adrianpittman!! I looked through some of the Module tweets using Twitter Search and found a ton of really creative and thought-provoking quotes from the presenters. Here are a few:

@charliecurve - Facebook reconnects your past. LinkedIn and blogs connect your present. Twitter connects your future.

@hajjflemings - Creating content is not hard. Making content that matters is what takes time and commitment.

@penguin - Social media doesn't make you awesome, it just exposes what you already are.

@chrisbrogan - I believe it was Vanilla Ice who said, "Stop, collaborate and listen."

@chrisbrogan - PR is immediate. Think "nano-time". It's all about the velocity.

@shannonpaul - Don't focus on selling - make it easier to buy. 

@shannonpaul - Surprise people with things that are yummy and awesome (love this one!)

@ozsultan - Instead of ROI, think ROBI - Return on Brand Investment.

@scottmonty - Social media is not a campaign, it's a commitment.

For more on Module '09, check out @terrybean's 7 takeaways from the conference.

If you attended Module '09 and have some words of wisdom to share, please share with the rest of us and leave a comment :)

My Startup Weekend Detroit Experience

I recently had the opportunity to participate in the very first Startup Weekend Detroit at Compuware's headquarters in Detroit. The concept of Startup Weekend is very simple: A group of highly-motivated creative types (ranging from Web developers and entrepreneurs to graphics artists and marketing/PR professionals like myself) get together for a weekend to launch businesses. Andrew Hyde founded the idea of Startup Weekend in 2007. Learn more about Startup Weekend at its Web site.

I have to give a HUGE shout out to Shannon Paul and Jeremy Tanner for all they did to bring Startup Weekend to Detroit and to keep everything running smoothly those three days!

I'm not at the point in my life where I'm interested in starting a business, but I figured those who are need help with branding and marketing their business. That's why I decided to check out Startup Weekend and help out where I could from a PR and marketing perspective. 

After devouring coney dogs, fries and salad from American Coney Island Friday night, many attendees got up in front of the crowd to pitch their business ideas. We voted on the ones we thought were the most interesting and then divided into teams to see how far we could get in the business development stage come Sunday. It was hard to pick a team because many initial business pitches were really interesting, but I ended up working with 

Brandon Chesnutt and Hajj Flemings to help develop their idea - Pitchlab. 

Essentially, Pitchlab is a social networking site that allows people to perfect their elevator pitch (the short, concise pitch you give to sell yourself or your business). It combines elements of LinkedIn and YouTube, so people can upload videos of their elevator pitch and viewers can rate and comment on the pitch. 

We made tremendous progress by the end of the weekend. Our group was really dynamic because our members had a wide range of skills, so we were all able to work on different aspects of developing the business. Here's a list of my Pitchlab team members and their Twitter names:

Hajj Flemings - @hajjflemings 

Brandon Chesnutt - @bchesnutt

Billy Strawter - @3sixteenweb

Brandon Joerges - @brandonwj

Henry Balanon - @balanon

Jason Raznick - @jasonraznick

Keun Lee - @keunlee

David Damore - @admore

Todd List - @tjlist

Dave Benjamin - @davebenjamin

Here's a quick video that Curve Detroit's Charlie Wollborg shot of Brandon and I talking about our business idea (this is back when we were going to call it Rate My Pitch).

Startup Insights: Birth of a Brand? from Charlie Wollborg on Vimeo.

Also check out our group's Twitter page and YouTube channel. If you REALLY want to get a glimpse of Startup Weekend Detroit, take a look at all the tweets. 

I learned a lot and had a great time, but above all I met some AMAZING people and continued building relationships with people I previously met. Yes it was a long weekend and yes I was exhausted on Sunday, but it was absolutely worth it. We use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to network and establish relationships, but I've learned those relationships are truly solidified once you meet in person. 

I wish Brandon and Hajj the best of luck with getting Pitchlab up and running!