On Creativity: A Freelancer's Journey through Boredom, Desperation, Success, then it gets Boring Again, & Finally More Things Happen

Witness my triumphant return to the WordCamp stage with a talk about the nature of creativity, how natural creativity is handcuffing the cubicle-bound everywhere, and how I pushed through my awkward teenage years to invent a comic book character called Man-Badger.

Transcript

1. On Creativity
 A Freelancer's Journey through Boredom, Desperation, Success, then it gets Boring Again, & Finally More Things Happen Kelvin Cech 
 @functionwriting: go bananas on the twitters

2. The Last Time Kelvin Presented at WordCamp It Was a Fucking Disaster

3. WordCamp 2012 #YEG This is exactly what my slides looked like for my talk at WordCamp Edmonton in 2012. I wrote down basically everything I could think of relating to my topic. Which, come to think of it, I don’t even remember. I think I was talking about blogging or something? But then someone asked me about SEO and that’s when the swearing began. It should have been so great because the walls were all exposed brick. Exposed brick is basically crack for startups. I wonder if the room at WordCamp 2016 will have exposed brick? Haha that’s funny, of course it will. What’s a creative conference without exposed brick? Nothing, that’s what it is. My talk is going to be sew great. What will people think when they see the picture of me in the bathtub? Are people still reading this? Of course they are dummy, and they’re not listening to you talk oh god they all look so much smarter than you just say something quick or better yet run aw
5. The Purpose of Kelvin’s Neat-o Talk at WordCamp 2016 • To inspire. Like Gandalf. 
 • To extract creativity. Like a scientist. 
 • To animate dormant creativity in the workplace. Like how zombies work.
6. Creative Identity vs Creative Culture
8. How can you make people happy?
12. What we all came to see • What does your audience crave? • How can you take them there? • Can we have a good time on the trip?
13. Creative Ways to Be Creative 1. immerse yourself in a strange environment 2. listen to other people talk 3. bet on yourself
14. Sexify the Mundane Tell them about your super glamorous job. Insurance: Hockey: Heavy equipment: your parents are fucked retirement tips for grandparents safety at the workplace
15. Be concise. Find a narrow focus and stay there.
16. Natural creativity is a good start. But that’s all it is: a start.
17. Your particular brand of creativity is earned.
18. Star says thanks. kelvin@functionwriting.com @functionwriting
19. Special Thanks • WordPress (of course) • Tara Hollingsworth at the Westover Cabin • Scrivener • Ainslie & the gang at WordCamp YVR