A Busy Month, a Few Lightbulb Moments and Christmas Around the Corner!

Well, that's another month disappeared! I honestly don't know where the time goes.

October has been a busy one, with a bit of everything going on. Writing, designing, making products, building websites, learning more about marketing, sorting out Christmas stock and generally juggling all the different things that come with running several creative brands.

Some days I've been sitting writing chapters for my books, trying to bring stories together that have been developing for years. Other days I've been working on websites, sorting product photographs, writing descriptions, cutting things, sticking things, packing things and trying to work out how to get everything in front of the right people.

And suddenly it's November and Christmas is practically knocking at the door!

A Bit of Writing, a Bit of Making and a Lot of Thinking

One of the things I've really enjoyed this month is getting back into my writing.

I've been spending a lot of time working through stories, developing characters, sorting out the details and trying to get some of my books closer to being finished.

Writing is a funny thing. You can have an idea sitting in your head for years, and when you finally give it some proper attention, all sorts of other ideas start appearing.

Sometimes it's about writing more. Other times it's about going back over what you've already written, looking at it from another angle and realising something that wasn't quite working suddenly makes perfect sense.

I've found the same thing happens with designing products and building brands.

You can spend ages working on something, convinced you've nearly got it right, and then one little change makes everything fall into place.

Sometimes the Answers Just Pop Up

I've been thinking about this quite a lot recently.

When you're working creatively, you don't always have the answer straight away.

You might have the beginnings of an idea, a design, a story or a business concept, but there are still bits missing.

So you work on it. Leave it alone for a while. Come back to it. Look at it from a different angle.

Sometimes you need to stress-test the idea a wee bit.

Does it actually work? Who is it for? Is it too complicated? Is there a simpler way? What happens if you change one part of it?

And quite often, when you've spent enough time thinking something through, the answer just pops into your head.

Sometimes while you're working on something completely different!

I don't think creativity is always about having brilliant ideas out of nowhere. A lot of it is spending time with an idea, understanding it properly and giving yourself the chance to see what it could become.

And occasionally realising you've been making something far more complicated than it needed to be!

Building the Brands, One Step at a Time

Alongside the writing, I've been busy developing my websites and product collections.

There's been plenty happening with Braw Gifts, working on colourful clogs, hats, bags and gifts, bringing different designs together and getting the website into better shape.

I've also been working across The Highland Dancer and my other creative projects, getting products ready, sorting out Christmas ideas and continuing to develop the things I've already spent years creating.

One thing I'm trying to do more of is look at each brand properly.

What is it selling? What works? What needs changing? What can be improved? And, importantly, how do I get more people to actually see the products?

Because creating things is one part of running a creative business. Getting them out into the world and finding customers is another!

I've spent quite a bit of time learning more about marketing, looking at different approaches, testing ideas and trying to understand what works in practice.

There's certainly no shortage of advice out there.

The trick is working out which bits are actually useful for your own business.

Christmas Is Coming!

And of course, there's Christmas.

I've been working on Advent products, making and preparing stock, sorting designs and trying to keep up with all the little jobs that seem to multiply at this time of year.

It's a funny time in a creative studio because you're often thinking about Christmas months before everyone else.

Then suddenly everyone else catches up and you're wondering how it's November already!

There's still plenty to do over the coming weeks, but it's lovely seeing ideas that started as drawings or little thoughts gradually turn into actual products.

Even if the studio does occasionally look as though a craft shop has exploded in it!

Getting There, Bit by Bit

I suppose that's been the theme of the last month.

Lots of different things happening, lots of thinking, making, writing, testing and changing things.

Not everything happens quickly, and not every idea works perfectly the first time.

Sometimes you need to develop something, try it out, discover what isn't working and have another go.

And sometimes you just need to give yourself a little time to think.

I've been working with creative technology for years, and the tools keep changing, but that part of the process never really does. You still need the ideas, the imagination and the patience to work things through.

So that's where I am as we head towards Christmas.

A few books getting closer to completion, websites taking shape, products being made, brands developing and lots more ideas still waiting their turn.

It's been a busy month, and I suspect November will be just as busy!

But I'm enjoying seeing things come together, even if it sometimes takes a few attempts to get them where I want them.

Keep creating, keep learning, keep testing things and see where the ideas take you.

Right, back to work. I've got Christmas things to finish! 💗