Creativity Toolbox

Jump-start the creative process and come up with out-of-the-box ideas

by Ann Wylie, president, Wylie Communications Inc.

Ever feel as if you've covered the same topic so many times that only the names, dates and numbers change?

I'm sure that you are such a pro that you could make a story on "How to scrub your Venetian blinds with a toothbrush" scintillating — even in its umpteenth iteration. But no matter how talented and hard working you are, you have to ask, "If I'm getting bored, could my reader be, too?"

If you're suffering from the "same-old, same-old" syndrome, try these creativity techniques to bring your tired topic to life:

Reverse it.

Hundreds of books have been written about how parents affect their children. But my fellow writers' group member Barbara Unell took the opposite approach to write a book on how children affect their parents (The Eight Seasons of Parenting).

Compare it.

When you compare your topic to something else, you may discover a new way of looking at your story. Try seeing your subject through the lens of everyday occurrences, the things you read or the latest trends.

Change the perspective.

Tell your story through someone else's eyes. The bulk of the 1994 Mayo Foundation Annual Report, for example, is "My book for kids with cansur," a journal/sketchbook chronicling the experience of 8-year-old Jason Gaes, a former Mayo patient. Try using letters from customers, e-mail missives from a global team, a salesperson's diary or a reader's journal to tell your story.

Need more techniques for creating a structure that makes your copy easier to read and write? Check out Ann's workshops and learning tools.

About the author

Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. Ann works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out. To learn more about her training, consulting or writing and editing services, call Ann at 816/997-8753 or e-mail her at ann@wyliecomm.com. Get a FREE subscription to Ann's e-mail newsletter at http://www.wyliecomm.com/newsletter_signup.shtml.

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