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CREATIVE WRITING
– BUSINESS PRINCIPLES PRODUCE MORE BETTER QUALITY WORK, FASTER by Kal
Bishop, MBA
Maximization methodologies have long been used
in business to produce quantities of quality ideas, faster. Creative writers
who want to rapidly produce quantities of quality work should apply these same
principles.
a. Waiting for inspiration creates less output than
forcing inspiration.
Simply engaging in the task generates ideas.
By defining the work process, the author can frame the mind for the coming task
and trigger the mind into searching for ideas on multiple cognitive levels.
Creative Directors identify a problem and set about finding solutions, thus
initiating the creative state. Similarly, screenwriters know that they will
come up with good ideas for screenplays while they are working on the present
one. Inspiration for projects comes while working on similar projects.
b. Setting incremental targets and final goals produces
more output than a “do your best” approach.
Creative
Directors may ask people to generate at least five problem statements a day and
come up with at least five ideas to resolve each problem in that same day. At
the end of a week, 20 people have generated a solid idea pool that can be
analysed. Similarly, writers who set themselves a target of 500 words a day
produce more total output after a month than they would if they had not set
themselves that target.
By staging the process over a week, the
Creative Director i) forces output at regular intervals and ii) allows the
problem to incubate in the mind, thus allowing richer insights to generate.
c. Story Structure
Just as in business, where
models such as SWOT, PEST, Five Forces and a million others are used to
generate ideas for particular circumstances or for particular problems, so
stories themselves have such frameworks. Stories are built around templates.
The most famous of these is Campbell’s (1968) Hero’s Journey, around
which have been built some of the most successful ever films – Star Wars,
Spiderman, Shrek, The Incredibles and many more. Applying these structures
allows the writer to break a task into smaller arts and more precisely define
problems and generate better solutions.
The true value of Story
Structure is perceived after a few successful uses. It allows i) the creative
writer to quickly map out a story from an idea and ii) triggers idea flow
because blocks are overcome and competencies learned – it becomes easier
to visualise the idea in the final, fleshed out form.
d. Experience curve, adaptive and generative learning;
subliminal and unconscious perception and learning.
Commonly
expressed in terms like “you have to write a million words before you
write anything good.” When a task is in the early stages, relative lack of
experience, knowledge and refined methodology limits performance to sub-optimal
levels. With time these factors improve and productivity increases
exponentially. Adaptive and generative learning, subliminal and subconscious
perception and learning all help the author to get better at his or her
endeavour.
In conclusion, by really understanding and Managing
Creativity and Innovation, the Creative Writer is able to produce more quality
work, faster.
This topic is covered in depth in the MBA dissertation
on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a
Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power
Point Presentation) from
http://www.managing-creativity.com
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has
consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as
Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation
workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and
written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be
reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com.
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StoryScribe.com (URL:
www.StoryScribe.com)