How to never run out of good ideas

Hey Past-me,

I’d stare at blank pages for a really long time.

When I’d finally put pen to paper, I’d just scribble an eye or something. Attempt at a face and just hope it looked like something in the end. I had no idea what to draw or a clue about what I actually COULD draw.

Just blah. Just farts on the page.

💩

Now though…I have way too many f*cking ideas.

And the best(and worst) part is, I know I’ll never be able to do them all. But at least I have a way now. That’s important. It’s no longer about whether or not I can come up with an idea…

…it’s which one am I going to do first?

Which one of these is actually good?

And if they’re not…how do I make them worth doing?

Here’s where I’d start…

In the box:

1. Spotlight on What Makes a “Good” Idea?

2. Technique for Having Ideas

3. A-ha! Quote on Awareness

4. Strategy to Visualize and Test Ideas

5. Hits of the Week: HD Game Art? Wakandan Tech?? Third Thumbs???

Spotlight: What makes a “good” idea?

Good ideas seem to share these qualities:

1. It sticks out: It’s something different that people haven’t seen before. Or so long forgotten, what’s old is new again.

2. It’s useful: It solves a problem or fits what people are looking for right now.

3. It’s doable: You can make it happen with what you have or can easily get.

4. It’s helpful: It makes things better or easier for people in a way they care deeply about.

5. It’s so obvious: People can understand it quickly without getting confused. They get it. It clicks. They say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

6. It’s tweakable: It can evolve and change for whatever reason to make the idea really shine.

7. It’s exciting: It’s something you really wanna do or make, which helps when things get tough. Your curiosity inspires you to action.

You’ve probably had a few good ideas by now, right?

A character you want to spend time with.

A world you want to explore.

A story you can’t wait to tell.

Maybe not easily or on command. Maybe it came to you while in the shower, washing dishes, on a walk, or after a smack in the head or something. It’s usually when you aren’t really doing anything; your mind could wander, and you let inspiration take the wheel…

…but f*ck that. 🙃 

In fact, that sounds reckless.

So, how do we do it on purpose?

Technique for having ideas:

This is proven by the smartest of science peoples*.

1. Collect Data 

   First, you gotta find out what interests you.
   

   Observe your world with every part of you. The sights, sounds, smells — all the feels. Collect them in a box, folder, binder, whatever. Find a place to save the bits of the world that excite you, that make you want to ask questions and spend all your time trying to answer them. What catches your eye? What tugs at your soul. Keep those things.

   The best researchers keep an open mind and look at everything before deciding what’s important.

2. Organize the Data

   Now, take a good look at all the stuff you've gathered.
   

   You need to sort through it, see what stands out, find patterns or see where things that don't quite fit. This is a way to make connections easier. By organizing these thoughts, they become easy to find, you can note how each piece makes you feel and what you could potentially use it for in the future.
   

   It's like sorting puzzle pieces to see the bigger picture.

3. Incubate the Material

   After sorting your information, let those ideas percolate.
   

   This is when your brain starts putting things together on its own. You’ll have "a-ha!" moments out in the world or in the shower. Your idea will run in the background of your mind throughout the day, finding ways to connect it to life in front of you. Maybe you’ll run into an awkward conversation, witness the strangest occurrence, or stumble upon the wrong (or right) way to do something, and it’ll unlock the truth of the idea you’ve been searching for.
   

   It's about patience and giving your brain the space to work its magic.

4. Preserve the Spark

   Once you get a spark of an idea, you help it shine.
   

   But don’t rush it or wait too long. Prototype fast. Don’t worry about perfection, it’s about practice. The more you iterate, the better you get. If you want to tell stories, guess what you should do a lot of? Writing stories. Practice the thing and find the specifics of your ideas that really get to the truth of what you’re trying to say.
   

   Remember, it’s not just about the idea, it’s about how you’re going to execute it.

*Alexander Mackendrick’s excellent book On-Filmmaking for directors-in training.

A-ha! Ideas are everywhere!

Awareness is a muscle you can train.

Once you pay more attention to your surroundings, it’s like looking for clues, hidden messages in the world. All telling you how to make this idea you’re thinking of, but first have to know that you can do that. That as an artist you’re to become a kleptomaniac of ideas.

Strategy to test your ideas:

Get used to this part, you’ll be doing it a lot.

Step 1: Start SMALL

Thumbnail drawings.

Color swatches.

Prototypes with toothpicks and candy wrappers.

Sometimes all you need to do to solve a big problem is to start with a smaller version of it first. You’ll save on paper/battery/ink/energy/sanity. You don’t always have to shoot for final on the first attempt. Find the overall shape, don’t get too into the details.

Give yourself the space to explore without committing too much time or resources.

Step 2: Make sure it fits 

Take a look at each version and ask how does it align with your vision?

There’s a truth you end up trying to find in each idea. You’ll know it when you see it or at least you’ll get better with every idea that comes to fruition. You’ll see when things align with your initial concept or whether it’s reaching originality or becoming just a pale imitation.

Know when you’re on the right track or when to change directions.

Step 3: Remix till perfect*

With perfect in pursuit, you’re more than likely to end up with pretty damn good enough.

Seek feedback from trusted friends, mentors, and teachers. Gather all the constructive criticism that can offer you new perspectives and insights, helping you refine your ideas and make them truly resonate with people. Allow an idea the time it needs to cook.

Sometimes it’s worth making those little tweaks if it gets you that much closer to the truth you seek or that message you’re trying to convey. Even when it’s just, “I think this is cool.”

Hits of the Week:

• Creative Uncut Video Game Art Library

• Reference Study by @SeamousMcFly

• Insight on the Wakandan Tech Design Brief @JohnnyMotion 

• Help Color Chart from @TheAnonM00se 

• Clean Storyboards for FURIOSA from Mark Sexton

• The power of books

• Would you want a third thumb???

When I’m struggling to form an idea, I have to remember to start from abundance. Look through notes. Browse the moodboard. Chat with a friend.

Find something that moves you and follow that thread.

See where it leads.

Anyway, that’s it for the stash this week. Hope you found something useful here.

Talk to you soon,

—Future-you

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