Let’s just say, right up front, I’m a big fan of editing. I believe it’s an extraordinarily important, frequently undervalued part of the creative process. That said, Jordan Cooper’s recent blog post on Eliminating Your Internal Broadcast Delay did a great job of reminding me why you don’t try to edit and write at the…
Author Archives: KatFrench
The Creative Value of Editing
Have any other Thoughtwrestlers been watching this season of HGTV’s DesignStar? We are not going to discuss how the network has ruined a perfectly enjoyable show by handing it over to Mark Burnett. We are also not going to discuss my dark horse pick for who I think is going to win. Instead, we are going…
A Way Past “I Don’t Feel Like It” to “Getting Things Done”
Ah, creative types. We’re a neurotic bunch, aren’t we? One of the most common hiccups in the creative process is procrastination. Why is it so tempting to put off what needs doing? For several years now, a common theory or practice that gets recommended to help creative people get past procrastination is David Allen’s Getting…
Nostalgic thoughts on Independence Day
But I remember when American patriotism was okay. Not a code word for “if you don’t agree with my politics, you’re a borderline traitor.” Alternately, when you could be proud of your nation’s accomplishments without feeling the need to immediately chase it with an apology for our failings. Because it’s an interdependent world, friends. If…
It’s summer time, and the reading is breezy.
Mark asked those of us with the Thoughtwrestling community to share what we’d be reading this summer. I figured it would be only polite to invite you to my back porch to chat about it. In case you can’t see the video here, you can click on the link below to be able to watch…
Kat’s Super-Secret Recipe for Creative Work
Lean in, kiddos. I am about to impart to you the wisdom of the ages. The super-secret, hush-hush, “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you” secret of how I do my best creative work. Ready? It’s called “starting.” Seriously. I’d love to tell you I have a particular setting, or time…
Tag-Team Thoughtwrestling: Finding Productive Collaborators
I recently reconnected with an old group of online friends. One of our stalwart band was struggling to solve a problem, and several folks chimed in with advice. I wanted to share this collaborative problem solving tale with you because it’s a really powerful tool when it’s done the right way. Knowing your collaborators I…
Procedural or Object-Oriented: What’s the Best Source Code for Your Life?
First, let me preface this by saying that I am not a programmer. I know just enough PHP and javascript to be a hazard to myself and others. But there was a time when I thought that learning web programming would be my vocational path, so I did learn the basics of programming theory. I…
What Prince Can Teach You About Creativity
If “creative freedom” is the end-all, be-all of creative output, how come Prince’s music after he got “emancipated” sort of, well, sucked? Why editors, objective outside input and creative constraints are actually good for your creativity.
Switching Gears from “Fire Fighter” to “Brainstorm Trooper”
A few months ago, I saw this interesting infographic on the rising unemployment rate. Aside from being depressing, what does this have to do with thoughtwrestling? As jobs are downsized and eliminated, fewer people are managing more responsibilities among those still employed. If you haven’t lost your job over the last six months, you might…