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- Make Art, Not Content (Cole Schafer-isms)
3 rules for creating art. Inspired by one of my favorite online writers, Cole Schafer (read his whole post here, you’ll be glad you did):
#1. If you can’t be original, be better than the original.
This is so much better than “good artists copy, great artists steal.” It forces your agency to focus on “better.” It doesn’t even matter by how much—Virgil Abloh’s 3% rule, I’m looking at you. Once you understand this, you can see the potential for creativity everywhere. Everywhere.
#2. If you don’t have fun writing, the reader isn’t going to have fun reading. This same advice applies to marketers, graphic designers, product developers, videographers and anyone creating anything for a living. Your work carries an energy that is felt by the end consumer. If you are inspired by your work, the reader will be inspired too. If you are bored by your work, the reader will be bored too. Your reader feels what you feel. So, pay very close attention to what you feel.
The answer to “How do you do so much” should always be “I love what I do.” Let it shine. And if you don’t love it, that’s ok too, stop. As Seth Godin says, “Doing what you love is for amateurs. Loving what you do is for professionals.” Love the act, and others will notice.
#3. Create art, not content.
Who cares what the algorithm thinks. Seriously. All of them—ignore them until you need them to do something specific for you. Be creative without creating for consumption’s sake. Because genuine connection will always outlive algorithmic optimization.