A Note on Incubating
“I am my brain’s publisher.”
~Philippe Starck
For the past year, I’ve been nurturing my next big ideas—and a new novel. For me, the challenge is carving out enough “white space” in my brain (and on my calendar) to cultivate creativity. I once heard that Philippe Starck spends at least six months in creative isolation before launching a new collection. Though extreme, I totally get it. And while I don’t have the luxury of that type of off-the-grid creative process, I do have an approach to incubating that aligns nicely with my day to day work as a consultant.
My process? The same three steps we use in consulting. 🙂
Gather data
Validate
Test
Gather: This year, I took writing classes and devoured craft books—most of which I read twice!
Validate: I was blessed to find an incredible community of like-minded people—fellow writers, award-winning authors, professors, and editors—who helped sharpen my ideas.
Test: And last, I entered the first pages of my new novel into a writing contest. (And for a perfectionist who never let’s anyone see her work until it’s “done”—this was a huge accomplishment!) Just applying to the competition helped me level up my fiction game and polish my opening chapters.
So, if you have a big idea or are looking to launch a new creative project, my recommendation is to find some white space—gather data, get advice from experts, then test while it’s still messy. Unless it’s a spaceship, it doesn’t have to be perfect to get off the ground.
