Trying to come up with yet another idea for a headline the other day got me thinking about the creative process as a whole.  In the ad and PR industry we’re usually expected to crank out ideas rather quickly, and we don’t always have time to wait around for that “big idea” to jump out at us.  Whether it’s an entire concept or a single piece, cranking out new concepts can definitely be a challenge, albeit a fun one.

My good ideas tend to come when I’m not thinking about things. But, I find this generally only happens after I do whatever I can to dive right in and get started, even if it’s just a jumbled mess of words. Later, somehow or another, things come together in a way that almost always surprises me.  And that great idea—no matter how simple—jumps right off the page. I think most of us are like that. We have our tried and true methods for coming up with what I refer to as creativity on cue.

So, how do you conjure up creativity? Are you the methodical type, or the “wake up in the middle of the night with the big idea” type? What’s your process for getting started?