On Creativity and Content

Before I go any further, today is India’s Republic Day. To all our Indian/of Indian origin friends and readers, happy Republic Day!

As you think about blogging, whether for personal or business reasons, how much do you mix up your content?

Seriously, please tell me in the comments section, I really want to know.

I’m guilty of thinking about it a lot, but not doing it enough. I love different types of content, and like many people, am attracted to visuals almost as much as – perhaps more so than – written content. Not necessarily infographics, though there are some great ones out there, but give me a great cartoon, and I’m hooked.

I love Mark Schaefer’s {growtoons}, Ken Mueller featuring The Social Life of Frank and Linh and get a kick out of Jeff Esposito sharing his pick for cartoon of the day.

Which is why I’m über-excited that, starting tomorrow – and inspired by Mark, Ken, Jeff and Joey Strawn – Waxing UnLyrical will run a bi-weekly cartoon drawn exclusively – exclusively, Shakirah! – for you, courtesy Erin Feldman.

If you’re a regular reader (and if you’re not, there’s that lovely RSS button/email subscription box in the right sidebar, hint hint), you’ll remember Erin as the very talented artist who created the Baconator badge for me (thank you, Klout).

I asked if she’d like to join the regular blogging team… and if she’d consider showcasing her artistic talents by creating exclusive (there we go again!) cartoons for WUL.

Much to my delight, she said YES. Ok, maybe not in all caps, but she agreed.

So tomorrow we introduce “Waxing Off With Sarah and Sheldon,” and I we hope you will enjoy it thoroughly (please let us know what you like/don’t like, will you?)

As 21st century communicators

we have so many tools at our disposal. But the biggest tool we have is our creativity. And it’s this creativity of Erin’s that I hope to showcase here on WUL.

Which is why I asked, at the start of this post, how much are you showcasing your creativity by mixing up your content?

Ken does great videos (particularly this one). So does Erica Allison. Many people I know write complete drivel, but people like Erin and the afore-mentioned Shakirah Dawud don’t.

Kami Huyse uses her creativity to write really useful, insightful posts, like this one. Katie Paine can make just about anything amusing.

Mark even makes up his own illustrations, and Joey, as I mentioned earlier, is a terrific writer and cartoonist.

And Beth Kanter… she, quite frankly, exhausts me with her creativity.

You might not be a “perfect” writer, but you can make your content your own, be it through audio, video, cartoons… you name it.

And that’s a talent you can exercise

for your clients; if you’re an in-house communicator, for your organizations; if you’re a small business, or non-profit organization, to engage better with your constituents.

Your imagination, and willingness to test, and fail, are really all that’s stopping you. Right?

Erin and I don’t know if her cartoons will work here at WUL. But we’re trying.

Hopefully, they will work (and you’ll help us along by telling us what you like and don’t like). And we’ll keep trying.

Are you going to do the same?

And please, do stop by WUL tomorrow to see the grand unveiling of Waxing Off With Sarah and Sheldon!