Creativity is often viewed as elusive. It’s seen as a light beam of inspiration that people are just sitting around waiting for, it’s uncontrollable and will show up when it wants. 

So they say!

However, the reality of creativity is very far from this mythical view. In fact, it can be nurtured, developed, and fine-tuned, no matter where your passion lies. You can be a writer, business owner or a hobbyist, but the key to your success is creativity.

The difficulty is creativity isn’t always easy to tap into and nurture, which is why you get the myth of the mystical beam of inspirational light, but that’s where creativity coaching comes in. 

Creativity coaching is a particular type of coaching that’s designed to help people develop their creative potential, overcome blocks and take things to the next level, in whatever aspect of their creative life and business needs it. 

But, you’d be forgiven for wondering what on earth a creativity coach does and how it can possibly help you. In fact, creativity coaching can help: 

• Writers and authors
• Arts professionals 
• Business owners wanting help to balance innovation and creativity 
• Business owners wanting creative marketing coaching

So, if you’re curious, stick around for the good bits. We’ll look at where creativity coaching can make a difference by focusing on Creativity Coaching for Writers and Authors, Creativity Coaching for Creative Business Owners and Creative Marketing Coaching… 

Creativity Coaching for Writers and Authors

Writing can be both the most rewarding and the most challenging careers, as I know from personal experience. And, it matters little whether you’re working on a novel, non-fiction, memoir, poetry collection or writing for your business – the process of getting words out of your head and on the page can bring some frustrating obstacles.

And, what’s even more annoying is it appears such a simple process, doesn’t it? 

You sit down, write some sentences and Voila, it materialises (if only it was that easy). 

More often than not there are things like writer’s block, fear of judgement, lack of discipline, overwhelm, fear of success, worry of doing it wrong, and so many others to contend with – and that’s before we add in our day-to-day lives and all the issues they bring. 

It’s right here that a creativity coach can step in and help. Often, like me, they’ve experienced these issues themselves, so have a good idea how you’re feeling and what it takes to work through it, which is a fantastic basis to start coaching. 

Here’s some ways creativity coaching can help writers and authors:

1. Develop a Consistent Writing Practice

One of the most common issues writers struggle with is consistency in their writing. Many, myself included, have faced periods, if not whole swathes of time where they can write 2,000 words one day and struggle to get down 50 the next. 

Creativity coaching can help you learn to develop a writing habit, find something that works for you and allow you to make consistent progress with no more peaks and troughs. 

Creativity coaching will work to: 

• Help you find and set realistic writing goals,
• Ditch the over-ambitious plans,
• Find something that is consistent,
• Encourage a regular writing routine

I am really passionate about making sure my clients find a system that works and absolutely do not believe in one magical fairy dust sprinkled pathway to success. Instead, I always work to find a way that is right for their goals. 

So, whether clients want to write every day or have dedicated blocks of time, we find a solution that allows creativity to develop in a consistent way. 

Plus, I’m great at keeping people accountable!

2. Overcoming Writer’s Block

Writer’s block is the bane of many authors’ lives and is the most well known of writing related problems. However, there’s always been some debate whether it actually exists, but I’m going to settle that now. 

It absolutely does exist. 

But, it’s not what people think it is. 

In my experience, I’ve found it’s one of two things: 

1. It’s the result of some outside stress or problem that you need to deal with and it’s killing your creativity
2. It’s something within the work that you either need to find out more information about or you need to do some more thinking about to puzzle out

When I’m working with clients, I help them find ways to work through these barriers, so whether issues are related to the work itself or whether it’s some outside stress like fear of failure, judgement, perfectionism or something else I help clients find ways to stimulate creativity and help them overcome barriers so they can make progress.

3. Balancing Structure with Creativity

For some, the idea of putting creativity next to structure is a complete creative killer and say that it should never be anything other than free flowing and open, and I agree to a point. 

However, if you never put yourself in places and structure ways that encourage your creativity to show up, you do end up sitting around waiting for creative inspiration to strike, which is frustrating and not conductive to developing any kind of seriousness when it comes to your work. 

I believe that the creative spark can be nurtured and encouraged to grow into a flame in the same way you nurture a seedling – by adding structure to your creativity and by teaching your creativity to show up when you do. 

This framework allows for much more productivity. Creativity coaching can guide you through how to balance this so you’re not stifling that creativity, but instead giving it space to breathe. 

4. Encouraging Creative Exploration

Sometimes writers get stuck writing the same thing they’ve written before, which may work commercially but doesn’t give them the creative freedom they once had. These writers often struggle to bring in something new and inspiring for a number of reasons, from fear of failure through to worry about wasting time. 

Creativity coaching in this instance can help you find ways to explore new genres and new types of writing without compromising your existing work. It’ll help you find the confidence to tackle new unexperienced areas, to experiment with new styles or tackle topics outside your comfort zone, which gives your creativity a new and exciting journey of exploration and also reignites your passion.

Essentially, creativity coaching for writers and authors is more than just producing words on the page, it’s also about developing your mindset, routine and finding ways to nurture your creativity with the tools and support you need to overcome all the challenges we face as writers. 

Creativity Coaching for Creative Business Owners

Creativity is not just for writers and those in the art world, it can also be for creative business owners who need support to balance creativity with the business side. 

Creative thinking and creative solution making are big in the corporate world these days, but they are just as important for those small creative industry businesses who need help too. 

These businesses often struggle with balancing their creative maker side with the business side of things and find themselves resisting certain things, and struggling with their creative side because the admin and business or other worries are on their mind. 

However, just like any other creative pursuit, business owners can experience burnout, creative blocks and frustration when their ideas don’t seem to come to life as they’d planned.

Creativity coaching for these businesses focuses on guiding clients to stay connected to the creative vision by helping them make clearer, more inspired decisions and working out ways to overcome challenges unique to entrepreneurship.

Here are some ways creativity coaching can help creative businesses:

1. Innovation in Product and Service Development

Businesses, particularly creative businesses, thrive on innovation and this is true whether you’re a designer, creator, handmade artisan or service business owner. Innovative solutions and creative products and services all come from innovation. 

For creative businesses, this kind of innovation can take your business in new, exciting directions, if there is space to allow for innovative work. However, if the business is wholly focused on order fulfilment and no time is given over to innovation, this can be a real issue for future developments. 

Creativity coaching can help you find time to allow for innovation, develop new ideas that align with your brand and help you attract your target audience in a way that’s unique to you.

For clients wanting this kind of solution, I work very much as a sounding board for brainstorming sessions, alongside helping them refine ideas and turn abstract concepts into plans and find ways to work that allow for imagination and creativity.

2. Balancing Creativity and Operations

Running a creative business is more than just doing creative work. It also needs you to manage finances, do marketing activities, develop customer relations, and all the day-to-day operations. 

It’s the sheer amount of work that can make many people feel overwhelmed and pulled in all different directions. When this happens, they quickly lose sight of the creative aspects that once made them thrive. 

Creativity coaching can help you find ways to balance these demands and make sure your creative energy stays intact, while also finding efficient ways to manage the operational and business side of things. 

Inevitably, for most business clients, this issue comes up in some form or another. In sessions, I spend time helping them learn ways to manage things better, maintain that work-life-balance without feeling guilty, while also continuing to nurture that creative spirit. Sometimes it’s about a readjustment to balance things, sometimes issues are much deeper rooted.

3. Overcoming Creative Fatigue and Burnout

Nearly every business owner I’ve ever spoken to, whether that’s been as a coach or just in general, has experienced creative fatigue and burnout. This is the point when the ideas stop flowing and the work just feels repetitive, dull and sometimes impossible to do. 

Creativity coaching will help you find tools to overcome this and will use things like mindfulness techniques, self-care strategies, and creative exercises. Through examining what your needs truly are you will end up with tools that help you reconnect with the joy of what you do, and find new sources of inspiration.

4. Encouraging Risk-Taking and Experimentation

Many of the successful businesses we see work on innovation and adaptability as a way to grow and develop. Inevitably, risk taking and experimentation go alongside this, and for many business owners, taking risks is an absolute no-no. Fears for their business longevity, income and even their survival are wrapped around this risk taking. They simply cannot see a way to experiment that won’t threaten what they already have. 

Creativity coaching can help you learn to embrace experimentation in a way that’s not threatening and work to innovate and take creative risks, whether its experimenting with new business models, launching an unconventional marketing campaign, or trying a new approach to customer engagement. 

Experimentation and risk-taking need to be done in a way that does not threaten the fundamentals of the business, but is allowed a small part where it can grow and flourish. Coaching here focuses on encouragement, solutions, feedback and ways to find space, time and confidence to try new things. 

Creative Marketing Coaching

In all the years I’ve been working in marketing, most business owners get one thing wrong when it comes to marketing. 

In almost all cases, they always mistake marketing for sales. 

They see marketing as a spammy thing you do to force people to buy your stuff, which is often one of the reasons they think they hate it.

But, marketing is so far from this assumption, it really is a wonderful thing when people realise this. And, this goes for whether you’re a business owner, freelancer, arts business, commercial business, or any other type of business owner, the fundamental foundation of marketing is not the same as sales. 

Creative marketing coaching can help you learn how to create messages that are simply showing people what you have and speaking to them on their level using their language, so they can make informed decisions about you and your services. 

It’s not about shoving yourself in people’s faces, it’s about finding the people who are already looking for what you have but don’t know you exist and connecting with them on an emotional level, and this is what your creative marketing coach can help with. 

By infusing creativity and innovation into your marketing, you can break away from the mundane and do the marketing that resonates with you, as well as with your audience. 

Here’s some ways creative marketing coaching can help:

1. Crafting a Unique Brand Story

Your brand story is the words that represent you and your business. It’s just as important as your visual brand and the way your site looks, however many people forget about it or don’t know how to create one. 

However, when done well, it can create a unique narrative that your audience can connect with on a deeper level across every aspect of your marketing campaigns. 

Creative marketing coaching will help you find and articulate this story, guiding you on how to communicate your values, mission, and vision in a way that resonates with your audience. 

I help clients use all the tools at their disposal to deliver their brand story, things like their social media, content, blog posts, videos, and many other ways using a creative marketing approach to help the brand stand out.

2. Developing Bespoke Marketing Campaigns

Sometimes you need to shake things up a bit and do something a little different. 

And, too often, businesses are putting out generic marketing campaigns that aren’t linked to strategy and are purely focused on what someone has told them they ‘should’ be doing. 

But, all of these businesses don’t understand that marketing is about showcasing your uniqueness, your individuality and the things you’re passionate about, it’s not about putting out generic content because someone told you to. 

Creative marketing coaching can help you brainstorm, strategise and create unique and unusual campaigns that make an impact for whatever type of marketing you want to create. Your coach will use their experience to help you tap into that creative spark to deliver new ways to engage your audience. 

3. Leveraging Digital Tools Creatively

Digital tools are everywhere and there are endless tools for everything you can think of, and even some you can’t. In all the years I’ve been working in marketing, the possibilities available to marketers has only increased, and probably will continue to. What this means for business owners is it’s likely there’s a tool out there to do exactly what you want, and the chances are I’ve used some of them over the years.

Creative marketing coaching will help you find tools that allow you the space to do more important things.

So, whether you need to experiment with storytelling, find a tool to automate a part of your business, or any other aspect, creative marketing coaching can help you identify which aspects can and should be automated, so you can focus on the more creative parts of your business.

4. Building Authentic Connections with Your Audience

As I mentioned earlier, marketing and sales are not the same thing. Marketing, unlike sales, is about building lasting relationships. 

Creative marketing coaching will help you find ways to develop meaningful, authentic connections with your audience, whether this is with community engagement, personal storytelling, or interactive content.

Because, let’s face it, these days people want to buy from people they respect, like and believe in. They care about your values and the things you stand for and ultimately the buy from the people they find likable and trustworthy.

Is Creativity Coaching Right for You?

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck and uninspired, or even just unsure how to move forward, creativity coaching or creative marketing coaching could be exactly what you’re looking for to fix this. 

Offering personalised, tailored guidance coaches help you navigate the issues and problems that go hand in hand with running a creative business, being a creative practitioner, or simply just running any kind of business. 

Creativity coaching is a fantastic way to help you get over writer’s block, innovate your business, find new ideas for your marketing, or simply find a structure that allows you to do creative work and balance daily life demands.