From collector to creator

Learn how to build a creativity inbox so you never run out of ideas

This was a live course. By signing up as a yearly member, you will get access to the recordings, case study interviews, and worksheets.

WATCH THE RECORDINGS

Have you ever sat down in front of a blank page, staring at it without knowing what to write about? Have you tried to launch a blog or a newsletter, but felt defeated as soon as you started?

Last year, I started writing on Ness Labs and launched the Maker Mind newsletter. Since then, more than 500,000 people have read my content, and 24,000 people have subscribed to my weekly emails.

The key to these numbers? Consistency. In one year, I published more than 200 articles on Ness Labs.

Publishing content consistently is something I used to struggle with, until I developed an easy system to capture and connect my ideas. I call it my creativity inbox, and like most inboxes, it’s never empty.

If you want to dramatically increase your creative output and consistently publish original content without ever experiencing writer’s block, this course is for you.

What’s included?

Over four weeks you’ll learn how to take useful notes, how to apply networked thinking to generate new ideas, and how to turn these ideas into original content.

Not only will you create a system that will make you consistently creative (the how), you will learn about the principles behind the creative system (the why).

The course includes:

4 lessons with practical strategies
4 interactive workshops to put the lessons into practice
Weekly assignments and worksheets
Access to the Ness Labs community, with weekly events and online discussion forums

What will I achieve?

By the end of the course, you’ll have a sustainable creativity system, at least 10 great ideas to write about, and one fully-fledged article published online.

You’ll have a toolkit and strategies to help you say goodbye to blank pages. No more scratching your head to try and find an idea to write about. No more struggling with consistency.

You’ll also have valuable connections with fellow creators by gaining access to the Ness Labs community where people like you strive to be more creative and more productive.

What’s the curriculum?

MODULE 1: COGNITION
How to design your creativity inbox

Find your why
Define your niche
Harness the power of mindful time-blocking
Track your progress
Design a self-reflection practice

MODULE 2: COLLECTION
How to add your first notes to your creativity inbox

Collect content to read later
Capture ideas
Take productive notes
Tag your notes
Extract meaning from your notes

MODULE 3: CONNECTION
How to generate your first ideas

Use networked thinking
Practice idea sex
Think in maps
Generate new ideas from your notes
Select the best ideas to write about

MODULE 4: CREATION
How to write and publish your first article

Go from idea to outline
Perform extra research
Write a first draft
Edit your article
Publish your article

BONUS

Optional session: how to start a successful newsletter
8 exclusive interviews with Harry Dry, Steph Smith, Gemma Milne, Marie Poulin, Marie Prokopets, Alina Pukhovskaya, Khe Hy, and Josh Spector.

How do I join?

The course is included in the yearly Ness Labs membership, which is just US$49 per year. Once you have joined the community, go to this link and click on “Collector to Creator” to get instant access to the course.