The presentation went really well, I got so much out of it. It was nerve racking and put my communication skills to the test. I got lots of great feedback and new ideas from the audience so I'm taking that as a good sign I was able to effectively communicate my 3 wacky ideas to everyone. Mission accomplished! Now, I have the glorious task of implementing the feedback, designing, and producing this marvellous piece in 4 weeks! (Holy shit!).
Let me back it up a step and recap. (If you've been following along you can skip the next 2 paragraphs.) My project is on creative block, or designers block, as I have recently gone through such a (horrible) thing. When going about figuring out my 3 possible directions to take the project, I summarized some basic things I went through to overcome (or help deal with) my creative block:
walking away - removing yourself from the problem, however that might have been. (Examples: eating a [gigantic] bowl of ice cream, watching tv with family, spending time with family or friends, going to the gym, having a hot shower etc etc).
communication - talking it out. this includes talking to mentors, friends, family, creatives and non creatives. It helped me unbottle all the emotional shit I'd been bottling up for quite some time, I spoke about my feelings and emotional state both with this project/creative block and with my life in general. It helped inspire me again, make me feel better, less overwhelmed, and more confident in myself. It got me brainstorming with other bright-minded creatives which helped with my flow of creativity again.
creativity - engaging in something else creative ie getting involved in someone else's community project, forcing yourself to do one creative thing a day (not related to any of your projects).
My 3 directions (3 possible ways I could tackle this project)
community blog: a website based around the idea of creativity, inspiration and communication. A blog to vent about current projects and have a virtual conversation with other designers. This site would also include links to other local community projects you can dive into (virtual and real), and little projects to do catapult your brain back into creative mode.
personal book: a personal reflection of what I've gone through. Though this won't help others directly, it'll help me as it will force me to critically analyze my negative thought process and creative process and do something to change this. It will help me find peace within myself and hopefully provide inspiration to others going through something similar.
walk-away website: a website that gets the community involved building your project. This would act as a place where you take the primitive concepts, sketches and guidelines to a project and throw them into the blogosphere. Through 5 minute rotations everyone online would get a chance to respond and build off of what was previously sketched/noted down. This is a place where you can take part in other designers' projects by responding to their scribbles.
So. Here's my next step. As of last class last Monday, I have my plan of action. I have decided to go with the book idea - direction numero dos. This book is a testament of what I've gone through over the past few months. It is extremely personal. It is my emotional response to some of the emotional drama I've gone through tied into the experience of my personal creative block and being who I am and how I think and where I am in my life. Personal is the key here, this book is my personal story, a diary essentially. It's no ordinary book though - this thing will have pop ups and fold outs and lots of nick knacks to explore and discover.
However, feedback from the audience has introduced the idea of bringing in the aspect of community and communication into this project. I like this feedback and think it's a great idea, considering it was one of the biggest things that has helped me, and this book is about my experience. The problem now is figuring out how to incorporate this. This is where I need your help friends! I have a few ideas but I have not figured out exactly the right route. PLEASE let me know through email or comments what you think of these next ideas, whether you can expand or critique them, or if you have any of your own.
**I should just note that I think it important to incorporate this aspect of community communication, though it is equally important to remember the purpose of this book - what makes it unique - is it is my PERSONAL story. Therefore, the community involvement can't take over the book. (This is one of the troubles I realized when coming up with ideas. I was letting the communication part take over the book).
IDEA: Let friends leave comments on different bits of the book - like the comment cards at restaurants. There could be little flaps within each section and if the content is something you can relate to or you want to leave me some advice, simply fill out a comment card and leave it in the book. This would be done once the book is complete and being passed around to read.
Potential Problems: It is not directly true to the idea of communication during a problem. This communication is happening after the problem (in the form of this book) being complete. The purpose of communication during a crisis is helping the subject through their problem.
IDEA: Having my friends/advisors/people-I've-spoken-to-over-the-past-few-months-about-this tell my story. Have everyone write down a little paragraph or bit about what they realized I was doing or going through during our conversation. Example: When talking to one of my mentors she pointed out that I was worrying about things way down the future (8 months away), and that I should be focusing on the present problems and let the future take the path it will take. "Worry about that then, not now because it's not something you have control over," she would say. So perhaps she would write me a little letter saying "Daria is a worry wart. She needs to not get so overwhelmed by the what ifs of the future, and focus on what she has control over in the present, and what the present problems are that need fussing with. And girl, it's going to be ok. Relax, breathe, have a beer."
Potential Problems: This is relying too much on others. I'm relying on the communication aspect to write my book, and this book is my personal reflection so it needs not stray from that.
IDEA: Have all my friends give me a write up of 3 pieces of advice for me, based on our conversations, my situation, and/or what they see me going through.
Potential Problems: too much work to ask of in such a short timeline of my also extremely busy and stressed friends?
IDEA: Have my friends write me a letter each about who I am in their eyes. A wise friend once told me, "when I'm feeling insecure and full of self doubt, I sometimes look around and think about what my friends think of me. If they all seem to have confidence in me, then I must be doing something right."
Potential Problems: I worry this would turn into some ego-trip "look how great Daria is" - and that's so NOT where I'd want this to go, or how I'd want this to be taken. I don't want the book to be seen as a brag story or a boasting of the self, because that's so far from the real case. This idea comes from having very little self-confidence, and a lot of self-doubt, and overcoming that by the help and realization of the love of your friends. Sometimes all it takes is realizing what others think of you that helps you feel a bit more confident in yourself, or at least make you strive to make them proud.
Potential Problems: again, too much work to ask of in such a short timeline of my also extremely busy and stressed friends?
IDEA: with any of these written blurbs, I thought it would be cool to ask my friends to write it up in a creative way - like hand write a letter, or make a little card, or one could be an email. My goal would then be to take this written piece they've given me and physically incorporate it into my project. Rather than being given a write-up that I then style and incorporate and manipulate it myself into the book, having the real piece as is from my friends placed into the book. Like a little piece of everyone who has helped me along the way.
Potential Problems: This could be disastrous in production, and could put me in a position where I'm compromising the design of the book to force someone else's work to work with the book design.... And once again, it's a lot to ask of my friends in such short notice and timeframe.
IDEA: ask my friends their stories, document it and incorporate them into the book. This way it is not just my story, but how my friends when through a similar situation and how they dealt with it.
Potential Problems: Straying from the fact that this is my PERSONAL book. One thought I had to solve this was, maybe it's MY analyzation of my friends' situations - their situation through my eyes and how I can learn from their situations. Another problem with the original idea is that many friends may not want to have their heart spilled and gutted into my book. Plus it's a lot to ask of everyone who I know is super busy, and I have a tight schedule to keep to so I'd have to steal a few hours of all my friends' time within the next week.
That's all I have so far - any ideas? Suggestions? How can I involve the aspect of communication and talking through your problems with your friends - hearing their problems which can help you come to some conclusions about your situation? It's like, with every conversation I have, my friends help me discover who I am a little bit more, by realizing what I'm doing, what I'm going through, how I'm dealing with it, what I'm feeling etc.
IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH LEAVING COMMENTS - to save you the hassle, please email me your feedback as blogspot seems to be unable to post comments right now. Sorry!
IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH LEAVING COMMENTS - to save you the hassle, please email me your feedback as blogspot seems to be unable to post comments right now. Sorry!
