03: How to Make Things Interesting
Hello!
For the newbies: I use this space to explore creativity, art, storytelling, writing, design, tech and the intersections between them—whatever that means. I personally know those connections are what rev me up, and so, I must start somewhere. Thus, here we go!
How to Make Things Interesting
You can never know more than your character does. —Janet Fitch
I recently rediscovered this advice while browsing through my grad school notebooks. It means you can’t anticipate what’s going to happen or know the ending when you embark on writing a story. You can only know what your character knows at that moment and let them make a decision to drive the action. But it’s a lesson I still need to relearn over and over again.
Right now, I’m working on a series of essays that I first conceived of almost a decade ago. I’ve long come to accept that I’m a “slow” creative. I ideate, absorb and let my subconscious do things to the ideas while I move through my life. Eventually they bubble up for me to tackle. I also very rarely attack something or take on a project head on. In fact, a colleague once remarked on how I always seem to come at things from the “side.”
I suppose part of that is I’ve learned a “side attack” means more interesting things happen, and I’m always in favor of making things interesting because they’re more fun to do. When I taught in Japan, I could’ve just run through ESL drills my predecessor left me. But instead, I eventually turned all my lessons into exercises around being creative and directed my classes as if they were plays. When I started editing books, I could’ve just copyedited manuscripts and did what I was told. But instead, I built interpersonal relationships with authors, taught them how to write, got our biggest client to gladly redesign all their books, learned graphic design, and expanded our catalog out into film and travel. I do the same thing with product design. We could just build a website or app by benchmarking what everyone else is doing, but where’s the fun in that? I guess I’m always thinking: Let’s not just make a useful tool. Let’s also make it interesting.
Here’s where we come back to Janet Fitch. In my creative life, I’m honestly very vulnerable and anxious that I won’t be able to build what’s in my head. I often sit down and think: “This is what I’m going to make” and try to bring my beautiful shiny brain children out exactly as they are conceived. I get really depressed when it doesn’t happen, and then, I need to let go of that.
Like in my current work, I need to let go of how I thought these essays would be written. I thought I was writing five memoir essays about different times in my life when my body and my mind were at odds. I thought I knew exactly what I was trying to communicate. I was very firm for years on the opening and closing scenes. I kept trying to write out exactly what made so much sense in my head. But just this weekend, I had to accept the reality—there were probably more essays. Even though they’re going to say what I want to communicate, they’re going to be shaped and created very differently than what I had in mind. The beginning and end are also probably very different. I just need to trust myself as I sit down and tackle each one on a case by case basis. I need to live very much in the moment without anticipating how my GREAT WORK will live in the world, and trust in all the skills in my toolbox. And even though each essay is based on life events I’ve lived, I will relearn each one as I write them again and again to discover how they end.
In contrast, while I can be vulnerable and anxious in my product life, I rarely doubt that I won’t be able to build something—the right something. Part of that confidence comes from 10+ years of experience. I’ve paratroop-ed into so many different product and team environments that I have more than enough data to believe I’ll figure it out. The other part is that I don’t try to anticipate what I’m going to make or how I’m going to make it unlike with my art. I recently articulated in a workshop that it’s because I don’t come to the table with a set list of tasks I’m going to perform to get to my desired endpoint. Rather, I come to the table and ask: “What problem needs to be solved?” And based on that, I decide on my tool and how I’m going to act. Like any engrossing character in a thrilling story, I never know more than what I know at that moment.
I’m thinking about all this now because of two things. First, I just finished a portfolio mentorship. All the new designers are very anxious about how they’ll transition into their design careers and become successful—whatever that means to them. And as a seasoned professional, I feel like the thing I say the most is that your career is just a series of decisions. I could never have strategized my way to my current life 10 years ago. But in hindsight, I can appreciate how all those decisions made in those contextual moments brought me here.
Second, I’m currently working on a longterm project where we’ve just completed a major push. But now everyone is asking: what’s next? Truthfully, I don’t know. I have ideas but I don’t know which is the right one. But I don’t worry about what I’m going to decide. Because once I make the decision, I’m pretty sure it will be interesting. And I love doing interesting things.
Learning Thingamabobs
Whenever I talk to students, they’re always curious about what professional materials I read or follow, and here’s the honest truth: I don’t really. It’s that “side” thing again. For some reason, my brain does an excellent job connecting whatever I’m learning to whatever I’m doing, and that always makes whatever I’m doing more interesting and better made in the long run. That isn’t to say I don’t read, watch and listen to fellow professionals, but rather, I don’t prioritize them unless I have a specific problem I need solved. (Last year I did a whole bunch of reading about ecommerce responsive design via Medium for example.)
But here are things I do on a regular basis to help build my professional and creative skill sets:
Practice Empathy
This happens in lots of ways for me from casual conversations with strangers, engaging with materials about and by people different from me or places/events I’m unaware of, actively listening, writing in journals to engage my own perspective and self-awareness, seeking out activities outside of my comfort zone, reading A LOT, etc. Recent examples include: networking through Lunchclub or supporting contemporary and local opera.
Explore Things/Be Curious About Experiences and Things
It ties in with empathy, but here I specifically try out interesting experiences especially as I am an experience designer. If there’s a popular app or service, I’ll try it out and run through the interface. I try to make note of interesting things I see just in the course of my life—from fun graphics, delightful copy or unexpected but great UX. I’ll read/listen/watch if they come my way. From trying out new foods (a guava latte = not a good idea) vs. trying out unexpected things (a bespoke theatre experience = A LOT of fun), I learned cool things about online and offline interaction from each honestly.
Exercise My Imagination
This can happen multiple ways, but here are two examples:
1) Whenever I come across friction in an experience, I’ll ask this question to myself: Is it a user need or business need? Then I play a little game where I try to imagine the conversations or situation that led to the “why” behind the friction. Here’s a recent example: I have a Calendly subscription, and I had a question. Of course, the company had a Help section. After trying to find the answer, it ended with me typing “I am frustrated” into the AI chat bot. Only then did I get an email form. So here’s where my game comes in. It’s just an interesting way to consider the facets of the friction.
User Need: I have questions that need timely answers.
The only way to get the answer I wanted was to throw a tantrum in an AI chat.
Maybe there was another way to do it,
but as the user, it’s not my responsibility to see that path.
Business Need: Probably provides Help section because
a) user questions are redundant,
b) saves team time and costs.
Has put a lot of friction to deter users from talking to a human in order to, I assume, save team time and costs.
I imagined the reasons behind these decisions.
Maybe they had data to show the friction was more valuable than just having an obvious contact form?
Or maybe the team is currently building out its help section?
2) I used to daydream a lot when I was younger, and I’ve noticed that technology and the constant stream of distractions has taken that away from me. So I’ve really made an effort over the past few years to not idly scroll my phone or stream stuff when I’m not actively doing something like waiting in line or talking a walk. I just let my mind drift and think things and imagine.
Do Creative Things
Creativity is all about problem solving in the moment and doing so with intention. I was just reminded of that during a creative lettering workshop I took two weeks ago. I’ve taken enough classes for technique, but I asked the teacher to discuss why my layouts always turn out weird. And she demonstrated (again for me) how you do a lot of critical thinking about how to tackle an issue in the moment. And you just can’t know it’s even an issue until you encounter it. This is true no matter if your creative practice is cerebral, tactile or physical.
Observe, Journal, Repeat
I wrote my first newsletter about this, but writing is a way for me to form my opinions and perception of the world. It’s also a way for me to document things I observe and want to think about. It helps me sort out lots of things. I carry a notebook with me so I can write things in the moment. I personally find that handwriting is best for me instead of typing it into a digital interface.
Read A LOT
It’s worth mentioning again, but I do read a lot in all kinds of genres, mediums and documents. Reading expands your world so much and touches on all the things I’ve mentioned above.
Reading, Watching, Listening
To honor how I take things from the side, here’s some things I’m doing right now:
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Watching and learning how to draw the human anatomy with Art Prof.
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The art of flourishing! It’s a superpower I really really want. It’s so pretty.
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I’m really interested in local journalism, and I’ve made an effort to diversify my sources. I believe we’re reaping the consequences of the digital world’s destruction of that media. I’ve also found I’m more grounded personally when I remember things happen not just at a world or national level but also state and local. And, I learn fun things like how beavers help the environment. To find your local indie newspaper, go here.
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I zoomed through The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet. Very intriguing!
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I’ve been tapping into what the next iteration of the internet might look like, and I’ve learned terms like digital gardening, pods, etc.
Reminder: I have a book!
It took over ten years, but I’m very smug about it. Here are some nice things people say about it:
“A truly enjoyable spin on the adventures of navigating adulthood and the evolution of friendship.”
“A love and lyrical exploration of a close college friendship, sustained – at first easily, and then with more effort – as two young women strive to share their lives from a distance."
“This is a book to revisit, and especially fun to read if you’ve lived in another country and felt at odds and at home."
Or learn more about it on my official book website.