On the hunt for creative ideas.

I was in the midst of doing my favorite thing as a freelance copywriter: naming a new product. So there I was, scouring the digital savannah for that one elusive word that would make my product sing. I dove headfirst into the realm of WordHippo's thesaurus, then embarked on an adventure through the lists of WordsThatStartWith.com. But, alas, I came up empty. 

Then, like a plot twist in the making, I was sitting in church and the pastor used the perfect word as one of the subtitles in his three-point sermon. I chuckled and wrote the word in capital letters in my sermon notes so I wouldn’t forget it.

Divine intervention?

Now, was this a stroke of divine intervention? Who’s to say? We’ve all been fed the romanticized myth that creativity strikes like a bolt of lightning, illuminating our minds in a flash of brilliance. Just like how Paul McCartney claimed that the song "Let It Be" descended upon him in a dream about his deceased mother. But let’s be real, us mere mortals don't always get to ride that lightning bolt. No, for most of us, creativity is more like coaxing a campfire into existence using nothing but a handful of dry twigs. ​Creativity is not some elusive unicorn that only the chosen few can ride; it’s a skill, plain and simple. A skill that can be honed, nurtured, and mastered over time. 

Ideas are work!

It’s all about the frameworks. When I’m in the idea-hunting game, I like to play with opposites, mash ideas together like a mad scientist, and toss around a hearty dose of "What Ifs." 

Now, don’t get me wrong; ideas don’t always saunter into my brain while I’m laboring at my desk. But once my brain is tuned in, sometimes stray notions ambush me in the most unexpected places. Like that time I was wandering the mall during the holiday frenzy and a simple wreath had me envisioning an ad with a headline in a round shape. Or the mundane moment at the drive-thru that inspired my very first radio spot. And let’s not forget the time I swiped a sentence right off a Christmas card from my mother-in-law and used it as foundation for a life insurance commercial.  

But here’s the kicker, the pièce de résistance: time. You can’t rush this creative stew; you have to let it simmer.

So let this San Diego freelance copywriter spill the beans: keep your mind wide open and your pencil poised because inspiration doesn’t always come with a bolt; it often slips in through the backdoor.