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How To Create An Idea Factory Workshop by @david_perell and @AliAbdaal
The biggest takeaways from yesterday's excellent 90-minute workshop in one
thread
Be original, find your voice, and never run out of content ideas.
Hope you find it as valuable as I did!
The biggest takeaways from yesterday's excellent 90-minute workshop in one
threadBe original, find your voice, and never run out of content ideas.
Hope you find it as valuable as I did!
1/
The key to success online is to publish content with consistency, and for a long enough period of time, for your returns start to compound.
Remember: Success is a marathon, not a sprint.
The key to success online is to publish content with consistency, and for a long enough period of time, for your returns start to compound.
Remember: Success is a marathon, not a sprint.
2/
@MKBHD is a tech YouTuber with 13.6 Million subscribers.
But when he was just getting started, he had managed to gain only 74 subscribers after making 100 videos.
Don't let a slow start discourage you. Stay consistent, and keep going.
@MKBHD is a tech YouTuber with 13.6 Million subscribers.
But when he was just getting started, he had managed to gain only 74 subscribers after making 100 videos.
Don't let a slow start discourage you. Stay consistent, and keep going.
3/
If you want to stay consistent over a long period of time, you need to set up systems that support you.
Systems optimize and streamline your workflow so it takes you less time and effort to create content.
This makes content creation more sustainable.
If you want to stay consistent over a long period of time, you need to set up systems that support you.
Systems optimize and streamline your workflow so it takes you less time and effort to create content.
This makes content creation more sustainable.
4/
New creators fear their ideas aren't original and they don't have anything to say.
Good news: Nothing is truly original.
"When people call something "original," nine out of ten times they just don't know the references or the original sources involved." - Jonathan Lethem
New creators fear their ideas aren't original and they don't have anything to say.
Good news: Nothing is truly original.
"When people call something "original," nine out of ten times they just don't know the references or the original sources involved." - Jonathan Lethem
5/
You don't need to have original ideas to create content.
Any idea becomes original when it is combined with your knowledge, experience, and personality.
There are no unique messages, only unique messengers. - @JadahSellner
You don't need to have original ideas to create content.
Any idea becomes original when it is combined with your knowledge, experience, and personality.
There are no unique messages, only unique messengers. - @JadahSellner
6/
How does @AliAbdaal come up with great ideas?
Simple. He "steals" them:
1. Find creators that you love and look up to.
2. Get ideas and inspiration from their content.
3. Put your own unique spin on it and make it your own.
4. Give a hat tip to the original creator.
How does @AliAbdaal come up with great ideas?
Simple. He "steals" them:
1. Find creators that you love and look up to.
2. Get ideas and inspiration from their content.
3. Put your own unique spin on it and make it your own.
4. Give a hat tip to the original creator.
7/
The right way to "steal" ideas:
1. Steal from many sources instead of just one.
2. Get inspiration instead of copying directly.
3. Put your own spin and take on the idea.
3. Add personal experiences and stories from your own life.
4. Give credit to the original source.
The right way to "steal" ideas:
1. Steal from many sources instead of just one.
2. Get inspiration instead of copying directly.
3. Put your own spin and take on the idea.
3. Add personal experiences and stories from your own life.
4. Give credit to the original source.
8/
How to find your voice and style
Imitate, then innovate.
When @AliAbdaal started, he wanted to be the @petermckinnon of Med School Youtube.
His content was inspired by Peter's content.
With time, he slowly began adding his own personality and found his own unique voice.
How to find your voice and style
Imitate, then innovate.
When @AliAbdaal started, he wanted to be the @petermckinnon of Med School Youtube.
His content was inspired by Peter's content.
With time, he slowly began adding his own personality and found his own unique voice.
9/
We all start by modelling and imitating our heroes.
This is perfectly normal. It's how we learn.
As time passes, we slowly find our own voice and style.
"Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself." - Yohji Yamamoto
We all start by modelling and imitating our heroes.
This is perfectly normal. It's how we learn.
As time passes, we slowly find our own voice and style.
"Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself." - Yohji Yamamoto
10/
If you want to be more creative, diversify your content diet.
Take inspiration from different fields, different places, and different times.
"If you curate a sufficiently unique information diet, you'll have a combination of ideas nobody has ever seen before" - @david_perell
If you want to be more creative, diversify your content diet.
Take inspiration from different fields, different places, and different times.
"If you curate a sufficiently unique information diet, you'll have a combination of ideas nobody has ever seen before" - @david_perell
11/
To get new ideas, try to consume content that's off the beaten track.
Instead of reading the same books as everyone else, look to more obscure sources for inspiration and ideas.
"The originality of an idea depends on the obscurity of sources" - John Hagarty
To get new ideas, try to consume content that's off the beaten track.
Instead of reading the same books as everyone else, look to more obscure sources for inspiration and ideas.
"The originality of an idea depends on the obscurity of sources" - John Hagarty
12/
Good ideas are all around us. The problem is our brain is not trained enough to notice them.
Creativity is a skill that can be improved with practice.
Learn to look for inspiration and ideas in the things you encounter in your life on a daily basis.
Good ideas are all around us. The problem is our brain is not trained enough to notice them.
Creativity is a skill that can be improved with practice.
Learn to look for inspiration and ideas in the things you encounter in your life on a daily basis.
13/
Most people have many great ideas through out their life.
Unfortunately, they don't have a reliable system for capturing and storing these ideas.
"Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them." - David Allen ( @gtdguy)
Most people have many great ideas through out their life.
Unfortunately, they don't have a reliable system for capturing and storing these ideas.
"Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them." - David Allen ( @gtdguy)
14/
Where does @david_perell look for ideas?
1. Epiphanies
2. Reading
3. Conversations
4. Experiences
Ideas are all around us.
The key is to pay close attention, and write every single one down.
Where does @david_perell look for ideas?
1. Epiphanies
2. Reading
3. Conversations
4. Experiences
Ideas are all around us.
The key is to pay close attention, and write every single one down.
15/
The three parts of @AliAbdaal 's idea generating machine:
1. Eureka Moments
2. The Birdsong Technique
3. Idea Mining Technique
Let's explore each one...
The three parts of @AliAbdaal 's idea generating machine:
1. Eureka Moments
2. The Birdsong Technique
3. Idea Mining Technique
Let's explore each one...
16/
Ali's Eureka Moments Method
Sometimes, ideas come to us at the most unexpected times and places.
You must capture these flashes of inspiration as soon as you can and file them away.
Use any tools you have: waterproof notepad in the shower, Apple watch, quick capture apps.
Ali's Eureka Moments Method
Sometimes, ideas come to us at the most unexpected times and places.
You must capture these flashes of inspiration as soon as you can and file them away.
Use any tools you have: waterproof notepad in the shower, Apple watch, quick capture apps.
17/
Ali's Idea Birdsong Method
Learn to look for and recognize good ideas as you go about your day.
Whenever consuming content, a part of you should always be thinking "How can I use this in my content?"
Capture everything and store them in your idea vault.
Ali's Idea Birdsong Method
Learn to look for and recognize good ideas as you go about your day.
Whenever consuming content, a part of you should always be thinking "How can I use this in my content?"
Capture everything and store them in your idea vault.
18/
Ali's Idea Mining Method
When you find a creator whose content you love, you've found a goldmine of endless ideas.
Go through their content and find ideas you think will resonate with your audience.
But don't copy. Instead, get inspired and put your own spin on the ideas.
Ali's Idea Mining Method
When you find a creator whose content you love, you've found a goldmine of endless ideas.
Go through their content and find ideas you think will resonate with your audience.
But don't copy. Instead, get inspired and put your own spin on the ideas.
19/
How do you choose which content idea you should create first?
Ali and David choose whatever they are most excited about.
"The more self indulgent you are, the better your article." - @Julian
How do you choose which content idea you should create first?
Ali and David choose whatever they are most excited about.
"The more self indulgent you are, the better your article." - @Julian
20/
If you enjoyed this thread, make sure you check out:
@david_perell's course "Write Of Passage"
and
@AliAbdaal 's course "Part-time YouTube Academy"
I believe they are opening for enrolment soon. (They might be open already)
These course have changed people's lives!
If you enjoyed this thread, make sure you check out:
@david_perell's course "Write Of Passage"and
@AliAbdaal 's course "Part-time YouTube Academy"I believe they are opening for enrolment soon. (They might be open already)
These course have changed people's lives!
And if you're interested in more about tweets about content creation and idea generation check out this thread: https://twitter.com/MarkShpuntov/status/1349450962386223107?s=20
Finally, if you've enjoyed this thread and found it valuable, please consider sharing it from the first tweet here:
https://twitter.com/MarkShpuntov/status/1357834827748302855?s=20
Thank you!
https://twitter.com/MarkShpuntov/status/1357834827748302855?s=20
Thank you!
