When Michael asked if I’d participate in this blog, my immediate response was, “sure!” But as the deadline quickly approached, I got that panicked feeling that comes with the blank page. I had no idea what to write about. Hell, I’m not even a writer. What was I thinking when I said I could do this?

But then it hit me – I should write about figuring out what to write about. After all, what creative person hasn’t been in this exact spot, staring at the blank page?

So, how do creative people come up with ideas?

Do your homework. Research your subject, your competition, and your audience – especially your audience. Watch what they watch, read what they read, go where they go, eat what they eat. It will help you find an insight into their life and speak to them in their own language.

Think big. You can’t be afraid to fail. Or at least you can’t let it stop you. Open yourself up to explore ideas that are seemingly impractical and may be met by naysayers. Even if they end up tossed aside later for something else, it’s all part of the process. And you’d be surprised at how a great idea will manage to find a way to get produced.

And small. At the same time, don’t be so quick to dismiss ideas that seem too obvious. A good idea doesn’t have to be complicated to be brilliant. It just has to be meaningful to your audience.

Keep good company. Check out some creative publications and industry award books. Collaborate with others who will help you further your ideas. Surrounding yourself with other creative minds can help get the juices flowing and may inspire you to look at your project differently.

Mix things up. It’s been said that there are no new ideas. But there certainly are new ways to look at them. Try combining seemingly unrelated items together – look at your subject through the lens of history, nature, art, pop culture, etc.

See if it sticks. Without judgment, quickly write down as many ideas as you can and post them on a wall. Go for quantity of ideas, not necessarily quality. You never know where they’ll lead. Many times I’ve found that something I initially rejected ends up sparking something better.

Don’t try so hard. If you aren’t getting anywhere, go for a walk, play on Facebook, even clean out a drawer. Do something mindless to distract yourself. If you let your mind relax, the ideas will come when you least expect them. Just have the notebook ready.

So before I came up with this idea, I did all of those things. I researched some creative blogs. I made lists of potential topics. I picked the brain of a writer friend. I wrote something. Deleted it. Wrote something else. Then I walked away from it for a few days. My gut told me that an idea would hit me when it was time. And sure enough, it did.

Now, what to write for the next post…