The Art of Noticing

Today I noticed that I’ve been doing things in my business more out of habit and momentum than any real reason at all. Once I looked at it all with fresh eyes, I realized I was able to stop doing a lot of stuff that was a lot of work for no real benefit. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the importance of continually re-evaluating priorities to avoid becoming engulfed by inertia. Ol...

During a recent drive I noticed that when my car hit a patch of ice and went into a skid, I was able to stay calm. Which is weird, because I didn’t know that would happen and you just can’t know until it actually happens. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that heightened situations reveal aspects of ourselves we aren't aware of when life is stable. Facing challenges has a way of exp...

Today I noticed that during my normal morning walk, an unusually heavy fog had rolled in. It was creepy as hell. Familiar trees and houses looked distorted and regular folks nearby were dark silhouettes looming through the haze. All it took was fog to turn our neighborhood into an unsettling, creepy place. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that one small atmospheric change can trans...

Today I noticed after an infuriating exchange with my daughter’s school, it’s not actually the key issue that’s a problem anymore. The real problem is the way the parties are communicating with each other … and if everyone would just stop posturing and act like respectful humans, the whole dumb issue would go away. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is to look beyond surface issues to u...

Today I noticed that even though I've spelled the Homer’s favorite treat as "donut" my whole life, I finally looked it up to learn that "doughnut" is actually the proper spelling. “Donut" is now widely accepted from repeated misuse, making me some weird donut poseur (not that I plan to change). The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is to reconsider what I think I know for sure, because the...

Today I noticed that on a recent road trip, as my daughter and I drove past rows and rows of massive wind turbines spinning slowly under the sun with their giant industrial shapes towering over an otherwise empty landscape, the whole scene felt oddly post-apocalyptic. Ordinary? Yes. But cool? Also yes. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that everyday scenes can take on an imaginative...

Today I noticed that while rewatching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , I was shocked to realize that it was David Tennant who plays the villain Barty Crouch Jr. I know Tennant and I know Harry Potter well, so how did I miss this? The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is to pay closer attention to the familiar. Even with something you've experienced many times before, looking closer ca...

Today I noticed that when I went to a sushi restaurant, the owner’s extreme friendliness made all the difference. His personal attention made the difference in a way I never see in other restaurants. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that genuine emotional connections can transform mundane experiences. Something as simple as heartfelt warmth from another person can uplift a routine...

Today I noticed how damn weird feet are to look at. They’re downright freaky, and yet we take them for granted. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is to defamiliarize the mundane. Look with new eyes to unearth exotic aspects in the routine. Challenge assumptions by highlighting the unfamiliar within the boring. WANT MORE? Members get extra episodes of the podcast, extra companion blog p...

Today I noticed that being authentically yourself, flaws and all, is the best Unique Selling Proposition you can have. Your unique experiences give you one-of-a-kind stories to tell. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is to embrace your original perspective. Stay true to your authentic self, even if it’s strange or uncomfortable for you to do. Your singular view has value and sharing it...

Today I noticed that when I tried to record an open-ended podcast, the result was aimless and unfocused. But when we restricted the time to “the time it takes to have one drink” and gave the participants specific roles, it gave needed boundaries and made the whole thing better. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that constraints breed creativity. Operating within clear limitations fo...

Today I learned that after playing Tom Petty’s song “Last Dance with Mary Jane” on my 6-string guitar for years, I was shocked to hear how good it sounded on a 12-string. I don’t have to do anything special. Playing it the same just sounds … bigger and better. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the impact of changing tools or mediums as we do our creative thing. Switching from a 6-st...

Today I noticed that the skill gap between the lower and upper levels of NCAA Division One college volleyball are larger than the gap between less competitive D2 schools and my daughter’s current national level of club play. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that all credentials are subjective, not always based on an objective standard. For writers, acknowledging the subtle but sign...

Today I noticed a recent change in the drive-through setup at Chick-fil-A. They've replaced the usual hand-through windows with door-like structures, so they can step right up to the car. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the way service and design are always changing and becoming more efficient. In art, we can do the same: always finding new ways to develop our work, to get better...

Today I noticed how the boundaries and separations between elements in our senses are arbitrary. in truth, it’s all just experience, and it’s our brains that insist that this is one thing or sound, and another sound is separate. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the subjectivity of perception and its use in storytelling. In writing, playing with characters' sensory experiences can r...

Today I realized that I have a set of superstitious beliefs that I've learned to work with rather than against . For example, I have a habit of knocking on wood, but instead of getting all OCD about it, I’ll tell myself that one knock-on-wood can last until morning. It’s dumb, yes … but it’s also an example of using our neuroses within our rules instead of letting them control us. The creative les...

Today I noticed how, as an adult, I don’t usually get to join in the fun experiences typically reserved for kids. Amusement parks, for one. My kids hit Six Flags with friends, and adults don’t do stuff like that with other adults. What gives? The fun stuff should be for everyone. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the idea of age-related themes. In writing, we can challenge the usual...

Today I noticed how specific the traffic patterns are on my regular drives around town. It’s all strategic lane changes, and the patterns never change. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is all about the patterns and rhythms in everyday daily life: secret, quiet patterns that we don’t normally know are there. Recognizing and using patterns in writing (in character behavior, plot develop...

Today I noticed while driving through rural West Texas that instead of using real fence posts, a lot of fences improvise with thick vines and branches. It’s resourceful, cost effective, and even environmental sound — and it’s a great example of an adaptive approach to everyday ingenuity. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the value of improvisation and resourcefulness in writing stor...

Today I noticed that my very specific requirements for a keyboard are kind of a pain in the ass, but they’re what I need just the same. I need a keyboard that’s 1) ergonomic, 2) wireless, and 3) without that stupid number pad on the right side that nobody uses. There’s exactly ONE keyboard that fits everything, and they don’t make it anymore. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is how im...

Today I noticed that even if I’m very good at story, I’m no good at following all the details in mystery movies. It’s weird, but I just don’t have as much of that analytical side to my brain. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that we all interact with and understand stories in different ways. Knowing it can influence the way we do our work, and help us zero in on what we do best. WA...

Today I realized that my true passion and calling are as a novelist , not a scriptwriter or a movie director as I used to hope to go into someday. That might change, but for now it feels like I’m a novelist , dammit … so I’ll be the very best novelist I can be. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the importance of recognizing and embracing your real and unique calling. As creatives, w...

Today I noticed the stark difference between Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining and Stephen King's version: the made-for-TV movie King made because he thought Kubrick’s version wasn’t faithful enough to the book. But the thing is, King’s movie is just plain bad … and I think it’s bad mostly because it so faithfully adapts the book. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that boo...

Today I noticed how when TV shows people being high on drugs, they show them mainly as being uninhibited … which, it turns out, is the way I am pretty much all of the time. Apparently being stoned is just being unfiltered in terms of desires, actions, and actions. I guess I’m “high” all the time. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is that “drugs = fun and uninhibited” is sort of a stere...

Today I noticed how completely my friend Curt managed to fool me with an AI approximation of his voice. He sent me a demo, wanting to know if “the sound in his new office” sounded okay. Really he was seeing if I could tell the voice was fake … but I couldn’t at all. The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the evolving role of AI in creative expression and storytelling. The advancement in...