Matt’s Mix Tape, Vol. 95

Jun 11, 2021

Hi, I’m Matt Tillotson and this is Matt’s Mix Tape, a weekly Mix of ideas on writing, content strategy, and personal tech for the Creator Age.

This week’s Mix:

It takes two, baby: Our iPad dreams crushed again
We are all creative copycats
Supercharge your storytelling by emphasizing emotion
John Krasinski on doing things before we are ready
Tech tools: Procreate
This week’s Florida Photo

It takes two, baby

We had hopes. We had dreams.

Apple stuffed the iPad with elite hardware. Surely, iPadOS 15, introduced this week at WWDC, would set the iPad free to be the One Device, a standalone computer we all know it’s capable of.

Nope. Instead, Apple wants us to have (at least) two separate devices.

Here’s what iPadOS 15 gave us, and why.

We are all copycats

Everything we make is a confluence of our consumption. So it’s pointless to be so protective of our creations—they aren’t original, anyway.

Lauren Razavi shares what an abundance mindset looks like when it comes to creativity:

Lauren Razavi @LaurenRazavi

People often ask if it's OK to copy me on stuff like: • ideas • formats • frameworks • strategies • thinking • habits I almost always say yes. Crazy, right?! For today's #Ship30For30 essay, I wrote about copycats, collaboration and community. 1-min read 📖👇

Everything is a remix:

Creativity isn’t magic: it happens by applying ordinary tools of thought to existing materials. And the soil from which we grow our creations is something we scorn and misunderstand even though it gives us so much — and that’s… copying.
— Kirby Ferguson

There’s a difference, obviously, between blatantly ripping something off and remixing it with other work and ideas as your own creation.

But Lauren is right: Creativity happens in community.

So be generous and give, because if you’re creating, you’re taking.

For better stories, emphasize emotion, not facts

Dylan and I talked this week about creativity and marketing. (I recorded it. It’s going to be my first podcast and video, soon!)

Like Dylan, my storytelling needs work. Here he gives us a five-step framework, courtesy of Robbie Crab, to weave more resonant emotion into our stories:

⚡ Dylan T. 🚢 2️⃣2️⃣/3️⃣0️⃣ @growthcurrency

I'm a shitty storyteller. Here's how I'm going to become a better one—and how you can too. "5 Steps To Become A Better Storyteller" (thanks @RobbieCrab) 🔟/3️⃣0️⃣🚢 #ship30for30

I’m a really shitty storyteller. I think I got it from my mom.

She’ll tell a story and describe every single insignificant detail. She’s so focused on the facts that she can’t keep the listener emotionally invested. (Love you, mom!)

Lawyer and performative speaking coach, Robbie Crabtree, has a quote I love. He says:

“Your stories should be factually close—but emotionally accurate.”

I love this because I’m just like my mom: I’m too caught up in the details—the facts—when telling stories. Well not anymore! I’m going to change that using this.

Robbie Crabtree’s 5-step framework for storytelling:

#1 - Determine your goal. What’s the whole point of your story?
#2 - Determine the emotion. Which emotion will help your listener reach the goal? People connect with emotions.
#3 - The Hook. Capture your listeners’ attention with your hook—think an Atomic Essay headline—but for a story.
#4 - The Theme. Your central idea, your North Star.

Emotion is how we generate interest and impact. Stories are the best way to package emotion into a memorable framework.

Do things before you are “ready”

Earlier this week I settled into a comfortable movie theater seat for the first time in 15 months. It was great to get back to the movies with my girls.

We saw Quiet Place II, John Krasinski’s sequel to 2018’s “A Quiet Place.” It’s great! It’s extremely stressful!

In the video below, Krasinksi walks us through the movie’s excruciating opening scene, and discusses the power of doing things too soon:

… the best work I think comes from when people are asked to do things a day before they were supposed to do things, again, working on pure instinct.

Try things, just a little too soon.

Tech tools: Procreate

Drawing is therapy.

Few things shut off my internal chatter like drawing. And lately, I’ve been drawing with Procreate on the iPad.

What is Procreate?

Procreate gives you everything you need to create expressive sketches, rich paintings, gorgeous illustrations and beautiful animations. […] It's a complete art studio you can take anywhere

Procreate is loaded with advanced features, but you can do so much just learning just 10% of its capabilities.

Procreate costs $10 on the App Store. Ten bucks! Not long ago, similar software would easily run $200-$500, plus a dedicated tablet and stylus.

If you’re at all interested in creating art on the iPad, Procreate is incredibly powerful—and one of best values on the App Store, period.

This week’s Florida photo

Nearing sunset on the Hillsborough River.

Welcome to eight new subscribers

As always, thank you for reading and sharing.

Please hit reply if you have questions, comments, or open rebuttals. (Or just want to say hi.)

Pitchfork Papers

Maybe it‘s just me but I think your letters are getting better by the week. I loved the interview with John Krasniski and hat not heard of either the original ~Quiet Place or the new sequel. I will try both. Also your reference to Lauren Razavi was thoughtful and thought-provoking. Thanks for writing this..

Expand full comment

1 reply by Matt Tillotson