The hottest Creativity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Art & Illustration Topics

The Email Archivist

escape the algorithm • 219 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. In 2013, Miranda July started We Think Alone, a unique newsletter where celebrities shared personal emails, prompting subscribers' introspection.
  2. Through We Think Alone, participants were encouraged to view their emails with new curiosity, marking a shift from inbox anxiety to introspective value.
  3. Email archives, though rarely revisited, hold value in preserving memories and providing moments of reflection, prompting the reconsideration of digital communication.

The Challenge to Human Creativity: Can AI Surpass Humans in Divergent Thinking?

UX Psychology • 218 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
🔬 Science Creativity
  1. Artificial intelligence (AI) is challenging the notion that creativity is solely a human trait, with recent AI systems showcasing high-quality artistic and literary works.
  2. Comparisons between human and AI creativity, particularly in divergent thinking, demonstrate that while AI excels in some aspects, highly creative humans can still make surprising connections between concepts.
  3. Creative professionals like designers, artists, and writers may find that while AI can outperform average human creative thinking, uniquely human qualities such as intuition, emotional expressiveness, and cultural embeddedness continue to set humans apart in pushing creative boundaries.

When Creatives Quit

The Intersection • 217 implied HN points • 27 Aug 23
💼 Business Creativity
  1. Quitting can be a complex decision, especially for creatives tied to visas or seeking new challenges.
  2. As managers, it's important to listen and not react immediately when creatives want to quit.
  3. Offering value beyond monetary incentives, nurturing like flowers, and accepting when it's time to let creatives go are key to managing a creative team.

The End of Brands As We Know Them

The Intersection • 217 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
💼 Business Creativity
  1. The evolution of brands is being reshaped by AI, impacting how individuals can compete with institutions.
  2. Technological advancements are upgrading the cognitive operating system of human society, from the printing press in the 15th century to generative AI in the modern era.
  3. Business strategies are shifting from organizational scale to functional speed, from transactional to conversational, and from relying on unique selling propositions to clear points of view in order to stay relevant in the Intelligent Age.
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On AI Doomerism

Musings Of A Wandering Mind • 216 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
💼 Business Creativity
  1. Some in the ad industry fear AI but it can be a tool for creativity and efficiency.
  2. AI offers opportunities for creative directors, strategists, designers, and project managers to enhance their work.
  3. Instead of fearing AI, the industry should embrace it as a catalyst for unlocking new creativity and relevance.

A Game of Thoughts

the shimmering void • 93 implied HN points • 02 Aug 25
📖 Philosophy Creativity
  1. Good thinking is like playing a game where you choose the right moves at the right time. Understanding these patterns can help you think more creatively.
  2. Collaborating with others in creativity is important. You need to be aware of your own feelings and those of your teammates to work well together.
  3. Your environment and connections with others greatly affect your creativity. Being part of a community helps your mind stay inspired and productive.

The Work of Dead Stories

Oliver Bateman Does the Work • 157 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. The author is aiming to increase paid subscriptions for their publication to ensure its longevity.
  2. The author faces challenges in producing fresh content after years of writing and needs to adapt to keep readers engaged.
  3. Despite past successes, the author is uncertain about the future of their creative career and feels a sense of pressure to continue producing meaningful work.

The Journal of Dangerous Ideas

Secretum Secretorum • 808 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Creativity
  1. The idea of dangerous ideas includes those that can harm the world, pose threats, or are inherently dangerous in various aspects like technology, science, or philosophy.
  2. The concept of 'white balls' representing beneficial ideas and 'black balls' representing pernicious ideas explores human creativity and the potential risks and benefits of various thought processes.
  3. The post challenges readers to consider whether pursuing dangerous ideas, like founding a Journal of Dangerous Ideas, is a bold approach worth taking or if it leads to unnecessary risks.

Automating creativity

One Useful Thing • 1174 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Creativity
  1. AI can generate creative ideas in real-life scenarios and can help people come up with better ideas.
  2. Highly creative individuals can still outperform AI in idea generation.
  3. AI excels at combining existing concepts to create new and innovative ideas, making it a valuable tool for generating creativity.

Long Questions/Short Answers

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 243 implied HN points • 12 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Asking the right questions can change how you see the world. Questions can guide our thoughts and experiences more than the answers themselves.
  2. When you focus on a big question in your life, it can shape your goals and actions. This question becomes your mission, driving you toward new discoveries.
  3. Curiosity is key to learning and growth. The questions we ask help us filter out irrelevant information and find what matters to us.

why it's impossible to finish anything, especially the good things

Both Are True • 245 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. Distractions often keep us from finishing our ideas. When we start something, everyday things like parenting or chores can pull us away.
  2. The closer we get to completing a project, the more we might doubt its worth. It's common to think an idea isn't good enough as we work on it.
  3. Acknowledging our fears about sharing finished work is tough, but creating and putting it out there is essential. We have to be brave and share our creations, no matter the fear.

The Carpenter’s Guide To Online Branding: Sell Your SawDust.

Day One • 2456 implied HN points • 05 May 20
💼 Business Creativity
  1. Share your work process, not just the final product. People love stories and want to be informed, educated, and entertained.
  2. Don't hoard your 'sawdust' - share the byproducts of your work. Opportunities come from letting people in on your journey, not just the end result.
  3. Reveal your progress and growth journey. By showcasing your development, you can attract more clients and showcase your expertise.

POV > AI

The Intersection • 118 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
💼 Business Creativity
  1. A unique point of view can be more valuable than relying solely on AI for creative work, showcasing the importance of human creativity and perspective.
  2. The creative process, involving brainstorming, team collaboration, idea refinement, and client communication, can be greatly expedited by leveraging AI tools.
  3. Creatives with experience have a wealth of ideas and insights stored in their 'drawers' of knowledge, allowing them to quickly adapt and innovate, providing a distinct value compared to AI.

Lessons from Christmas Puzzles

Rethinking Software • 299 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Starting a new task requires laying a good foundation, like sorting puzzle pieces before building the picture. Once you get into it, things start fitting together more smoothly.
  2. It’s important to pause and appreciate your progress. Sometimes you need someone else to help you see how far you’ve come.
  3. When you're tired, take a break. You can solve problems much quicker when your mind is fresh, rather than pushing through fatigue.

Be an idea expander

polymathematics • 139 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
💼 Business Creativity
  1. Open your mind to new ideas and let them grow instead of shutting them down right away. Protecting fragile ideas helps them develop.
  2. Focus on creating alternatives rather than competing. Unique ideas that are different can lead to success.
  3. Think about how something makes you feel when deciding to pursue it. Following what excites you can lead to better choices.

Forté #20

SJF • 98 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. The author shares things that have recently inspired them, such as a magazine website with beautiful imagery and a moving video about living a fulfilling life as a craftsman.
  2. There is a reminder about minimizing unnecessary mental clutter by re-evaluating how we use social media during work breaks.
  3. An interesting website called Tree.fm allows users to listen to sound recordings of forests worldwide, offering a serene escape.

Turning another page

thegreataffair • 98 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
📚 Literature Creativity
  1. The author is reflecting on a new creative phase in her life, feeling the need to break away from previous patterns and explore new ways of storytelling.
  2. She is grappling with the challenges of being a freelancer in the journalism industry, contemplating the balance between passion for writing and the practicalities of making a living.
  3. The author is prioritizing following her heart in her writing endeavors, embracing curiosity and a broader approach to storytelling, even if it means taking risks and stepping outside conventional journalism.

Forté #18

SJF • 117 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. The author finds inspiration in reading Tolstoy's War & Peace and using a Hobonichi Techo notebook for daily journalling.
  2. Subscribed to The Idler magazine for a slow, good life perspective and enjoyed reading An Idler's Manual by Tom Hodgkinson.
  3. Explored the Voyager Golden Record images and learned about the robot 'There's Waldo' that finds Waldo in different countries.

Netflix's Witcher Controversy: When Creative Meets Committee

Litverse • 279 implied HN points • 06 Jan 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Decisions in the entertainment industry are often made in committee rooms, limiting creative freedom for actors and creators.
  2. The involvement and loyalty of creators to the source material can clash with the commercial interests and decisions made by studios and committees.
  3. The entertainment industry operates on a complex system of finances, survival instincts, and audience metrics, often prioritizing completion rates and profitability over creative vision.

Breach The Sky To Brave The Stars

From The Future • 196 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Our imagination holds the key to turning dreams into reality and shaping the future.
  2. Self-doubt can be a barrier, but listening to our inner voice and taking risks can lead to breakthroughs and progress.
  3. Innovative stories of the future require a mix of familiar elements and new ideas, pushing the boundaries of conventional storytelling.

57. Han

The Line Between • 196 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Art can bring a sense of freedom and connection through creation and exhibition.
  2. Collaborating with a diverse group can create a sense of family and unity, regardless of differences.
  3. Artistic expression plays a vital role in fostering humanity and should be cherished and continued.

Drawing things together

lifeboat • 196 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. The importance of persisting through challenges in creative work
  2. Using habitual ways of working while also breaking them to explore new possibilities
  3. Art reflecting the passage of time and the complexity of nature

The Point Of Posting | #286

Boundless by Paul Millerd • 246 implied HN points • 20 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Posting online can be really rewarding, as it helps people sharpen their ideas and connect with others. It’s like brainstorming with a big group, which can boost creativity.
  2. However, it can also attract negativity as audiences grow, which can make sharing ideas feel overwhelming. It’s important to stay focused on personal goals and connections amidst the noise.
  3. The online space for sharing ideas has changed a lot, making it harder for new voices to be heard. Despite this, continuing to write and share is still a valuable endeavor, even if the environment is different.

#129 Luxury design

Design Lobster • 279 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🪑 Design Creativity
  1. Didone typefaces like Didot bring a sense of luxury and sophistication to design with their high contrast and vertical emphasis.
  2. Consider pushing your design to the extreme and exploring the most extravagant version, like the Jacob & Co Astronomia Solar watch, to challenge yourself and think creatively.
  3. Luxury in design can come from simplicity and refinement, as Coco Chanel pointed out, emphasizing the absence of vulgarity over excessive opulence.

The creative imperative

Erifili • 159 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Creativity
  1. Everyone has some level of creativity within them, it's just a matter of prioritizing and nurturing it.
  2. Engaging in creative expression, like writing or art, is crucial for personal growth, self-awareness, and emotional catharsis.
  3. Being intentional about making time for creative expression is essential for overall wellbeing, self-discovery, and personal fulfillment.

Brendan Dawes on AI and Creativity

Chance Operations • 396 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Creativity
  1. Brendan Dawes uses AI as a tool to collaborate with in his creative process, combining it with his own developed techniques and algorithms.
  2. The impact of AI on creativity raises questions about the value of traditional creative skills and the importance of the personal evolution and self-reflection that comes with artistic processes.
  3. AI's integration into creative fields has the potential to revolutionize art and writing, but also prompts discussions on the nuances of originality, the erosion of certain skills in the digital age, and the impact on the art industry.

Is creativity the only job left?

The Intersection • 178 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. To stay relevant in an automated age, move upstream in your work, not downstream
  2. As technology evolves, taste becomes a crucial skill for creatives to distinguish themselves
  3. In a world where machines handle repetitive tasks, creativity stands out for its uniqueness and original ideas

no, they don't hate you

Both Are True • 111 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. People often worry that others hate them, but they might actually be feeling the same insecurity. It's a common cycle of doubt.
  2. Instead of assuming someone dislikes you, it's better to recognize that they might be preoccupied with their own fears and feelings.
  3. Understanding that both sides might be feeling misunderstood can help break the cycle of negative thoughts and improve relationships.

Belonging While Building

Anima Mundi • 103 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Creating something meaningful is best done with others. We don't have to build alone and should look for support from those around us.
  2. True belonging comes from being seen for who we are, not just what we do. It's about finding people who understand and appreciate our efforts.
  3. Building relationships based on trust and care helps us grow together. It’s important to find spaces where we feel safe and accepted while we create.

Ideas I've been collecting

Erifili • 139 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity
  1. Human progress relies on the pursuit of knowledge through critical thought and good explanations.
  2. Creating an Idea Lab fosters intellectual culture and encourages truth-seeking, while an Echo Chamber stifles diverse opinions.
  3. Embrace the conditions for emergence in achieving goals, relationships, creativity, and motivation.