I'm back'ish. | annotated by Ruben

"Reframe your relationship with frustration. Frustration doesn’t get in the way of creativity, it is the way. It’s energy you can use to create. It’s a window into the things you hate and could change. It’s a call to look sideways. We need to take frustration and turn it into fuel. Let that pave the way for action. That’s the only way through it. Otherwise, it can burn us alive."

—Katrina Encanto / Executive Creative Director / 180 Global

That's an excerpt from my latest Creative Director interview. Woah.

Also, hiya,
I missed you and I'm back'ish. Just popping my head up for a quick check-in and then I'm going back into my hole for a little bit.

For subscribers new and old, a quick recap of how we both ended up here. I hope bullet points are your favourite—

In Dec 2021, I self-published a book on copywriting I'd been chipping away at for over 7 years. People like it. And now they're mistaking me for an expert.
Since then, I've appeared on countless podcasts, and am now being asked to speak at universities and companies around the world. Crazy.
Last year, I launched my first online course and learned a crap ton. (Translation: I failed a crap ton)
This is year #3 of this newsletter.
You are 1/6000+ subscribers
I write about creativity and copywriting in advertising.
I also write about the importance of creating something/ANYTHING for yourself. I will bully you into doing it.
This year, instead of selling ad space in this newsletter, I'm leaving that space for subscribers...aka...you, to share the things you're making/building. For free. More on this when I'm officially back.
I still don't know what the hell I'm doing. (I think this is very important. For way too long I thought the perfect idea was just going to come to me and I would know exactly what to do with it and I would live creatively ever after. But creativity doesn't work that way. You figure things out by doing; through taking action. Joy comes in the doing. Pain comes in the overthinking. So, pick any one of your many ideas and get started. Future you will not be upset.)

That's the Coles Notes. I'll be back in full swing soon but I'm still in planning mode and my brain needs a little more rest. As I wrote in this short newsletter back in Dec 2021, if you don't take the time to stop and reevaluate the tracks you're on, you might not realize you're running in circles.

A gift and a wee favour.

Last year I decided to interview 50 Creative Directors from around the world. I just finished #12+13. It's a 2-for-1 with Katrina Encanto and EJ Galang from Amsterdam 180—two of the top creative minds in the whole dang universe. And they're not only creative partners, they're partner partners. Awww.

Their interview is the gift. Trust me.

And the favour? If you don't have time to read it right now, please take 3 seconds to click on this link or this one or this one. And please 👍 it or ❤️ their interview so I can get on the good side of the LinkedIn robots. And if you leave a comment I will 1000% respond.

I'll let EJ play us out—
"You will not go far in this job if you don’t love the creative process. This isn’t about loving advertising or the industry or awards. This is about finding a part of the creative journey you would wake up and go to work for, whether it’s writing sentences, coming up with ideas, or dreaming up worlds. Because if you don’t love anything about the process, the daily grind of decks and revisions and rejections will wear you down. There is no other creative industry that faces as much rejection as we do. It is imperative that you enjoy the process."

—EJ Galang / Executive Creative Director / 180 Global

Have a confident and creative week.

P.S. To 🪓 me anything, hit reply.

P.P.S. To share this—
https://mailchi.mp/nelkencreative/katandej

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Nelken Creative

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Vancouver, BC V5Z 1A3

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