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The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. So, like many others I too have faced “how do I go from point A to point B”. Your direction and drive should be centered around a common task it will ensure that you can at least get moving. This can be incremental movements toward your goal. You can at least mark the amount of progress you have made within a specific amount of time. If you start out not focusing on one primary task for the bigger goal, you’re not concentrating your efforts in a positive way that will affect change.
Creativity must be focused at some point and usually it is during the planning period. You can have all the ideas but once you start narrowing them down then you can really recognize which ones will truly work and bring you closer to a completed project. If I want to build a house I will not start putting up walls without laying a foundation. It defeats the purpose; my house will be unstable. The foundation helps to stabilize the walls, keeping them in place.
It is the same with creating. You need to have a clear-cut laid out plan which is the underpinning. After so you can begin building up the project. Your plan should fulfill what you are trying to accomplish. all guesswork should be already taken care of. Your plan must be mapped out such a way that the only thing missing is building the project itself.
If your creation is going to be geared towards the market, then research and understand what they are likely to buy. Does your product meet a need or want? Does it provide convenience? It is very challenging defining where your creation fits in a market. Once you have a clear-cut target you can then begin creating the concept from your plans.
Here's a situation we can evaluate. There is a big push for all electric vehicles. The target market is the automobile industry; this is already understood but, how will it be more cost-effective when going into production than gas powered vehicles. Will it still be price competitive during the sell after you factor in production costs. What technological creative method could be done to cut costs and save the consumer money as well as manufacturing.
I gave this example as a mean to demonstrate some factors which must go into consideration when creating product for the marketplace. All steps must be planned and laid out before manufacturing. If things are not laid out then you stand the risk of losing time and money. This could take away some or all your ability to compete financially. Those cost will end up being calculated in the selling price. Consumers may not be willing to pay the high overhead expenses incurred by costly mistakes.
I'm no marketing genius but it's simple math. To make a profit, I must get back what I put in along with the amount I’m wanting from my selling price.
Your creativity is priceless. It is unique to you but may not be unique to someone else. You can express yourself freely without influence of the marketplace and still make a good product. Art sells Because its value is on an opinion level evaluation. This is not always the case for all art. Decide what area you want to go in. Your art does not have to be traditional art. It can be purposed upon another medium that has functionality. Look at cell phone cases. These cases have art embroidered on them. The functionality of the case is to protect the phone; the art is the aesthetic appeal that satisfied the buyers want.
The creative process is a unique experience. No two people will use the same method identically. creativity brings about freedom to express. It is a movement controlled by the eyes, hands, and thoughtful ideas each creator manifest. Vision internalized paints a very vivid picture only the creator sees in the raw moment. Honing and careful plotting helps the maker bring this image a physical life.
Highly successful creative people have mastered the technique of vision to life rendering. Whatever envisioned, carefully planned out before execution, will manifest as expected most of the time. Even when it does not it will be taken as a win because it is looked upon as just shy of the target. They have a Winner's attitude. A lose is a victory. Why?...because they have a high tolerance for failure during all creation stages and they make adjustments quickly.
Creativity is a dice roll when money is involved. you will either hit the number or you won’t. Trying to do so for the masses becomes more about catering than actual creativity. You have to satisfy the market on an individual level. People will buy your work for the value they place upon it. Betting on all is foolish, everyone’ taste is not the same. Learn your customer base; they should be your fan base.
Anybody can learn to draw, write, carve, build a circuit, a hut, swing and any other marketable object out there. Having people support it is another thing. Those willing to is your market. They want your work. Give them it.
This excerpt was taken from my eBook Creativity: The Power and Means
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