by David Andrew Wiebe | Apr 13, 2023 | Creativity
Not like it was in-demand until recently.
But generic content is officially dead. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can write it for you. I can guarantee your peers and competitors are already using it and are achieving marketing and sales feats that would turn you green with envy.
There’s no denying that Google’s algorithm updates will see un-doctored AI written content tanking to the bottom of the barrel. As of this writing, AI still offers terrible advice, wanders off into the weeds often, and has trouble establishing proper context.
Yes, AI writing will continue to improve. But the point is AI can already provide people with what appears relatively logical, common-sense, and sensible advice. It doesn’t make it right or even good. But you can have AI write an informative eBook in minutes now, especially if you offer thorough, quality prompts.
I’ve had my share of conversations with other musician coaches on how there is a lot of low-quality advice floating around out there, but how that doesn’t stop people from eating it up. It’s sad but true – many people consume whatever sounds good and makes them feel good, even if a dose of reality is what they really need to improve.
I asked AI yesterday how to get a girlfriend, and it told me the process would be long and hard. Which goes contrary to my experience so far. While I’ve run into my share of frustration in dating, I’ve found that if attraction is present, things can progress rather quickly. Maybe I’m a jerk for saying that but not all experiences are universal.
But I digress. Chiefly, this is the end of generic content. AI can write better than eager guest posters in India or the Philippines (I’m not singling you out, India or Philippines – I love you) and offer what appears cohesive ideas.
More than ever, as creators, we need to look to creative alchemy, a concept I proposed nearly six years ago. How can we combine our skills and gifts to create something unique? How can we synthesize and fuse ideas in a compelling way? How can we innovate and go beyond tired tropes?
It’s the slash / conundrum in full effect, but the alternative is to disappear into the glut of generic, good sounding (but bad) advice.
by David Andrew Wiebe | Jun 20, 2021 | Inspiration
If you’re going to be a full-time podcaster, you can’t just be a podcaster. You’ve got to have something to talk about. And then you’ve got to be able to talk about it in an interesting way. You’ve got to be a student of storytelling and psychology, such that you’re able to capture and hold a listener’s attention.
The reality is that a full-time podcaster is an exceedingly rare thing. So, while all these responsibilities might seem excessive and demanding, if you want to play ball with the big boys, you’ve got to be able to hold your own.
Learning to become a songwriter is basically the same thing. You can’t just be a lyricist. You’ve got to have something to say. You’ve got to be able to say it in a compelling way. And you’ve got to be able to put it all to a catchy hook that becomes an earworm.
You won’t be an effective songwriter if you’re not curious or passionate about something. It doesn’t matter whether it’s riding horses or woodworking, if you don’t engage in something meaningful and challenging, you won’t have anything worth writing about, and people won’t relate to your songs.
You’ve often heard me describe myself as an author / entrepreneur / musician. But if I were to break it down, I’m really a blogger / author / writer / ghostwriter / copywriter / podcaster / digital marketer / web developer / graphic designer / singer / songwriter / guitarist / composer / music producer / community builder / entrepreneur / presenter / public speaker / entertainer… Starting to get the idea?
The Slash Conundrum is that today, as a creative, it’s impractical to be anything other than a polymath. The people that we look up to – our heroes – necessarily had to become known for one thing. But now, you’re a commodity if you just speak well. There are 37 million YouTube channels, and polished speakers are a dime a dozen.
You may identify with Jennifer Lopez the artist. But when you think about it, Lopez is really a singer / dancer / artist / icon / model / actress / entertainer / public figure / entrepreneur, so on and so forth. See what I mean? The modern-day artist isn’t just an artist anymore.
I don’t know about the future, but the present belongs to the polymath. So, the slash, even if unwanted, is mostly inevitable, especially if you want to thrive as a creative or creator.
The game to play is creative alchemy. How will you fuse your passions, strengths, talents, interests, and experiences to develop a package (art, persona, brand) that stands out?
You can’t just be a podcaster. You’ve got to have something to talk about. You need to live and experience life. You need other interests. You need to have conversations. You need to take risks.
The conundrum, of course, is that all this can seem quite daunting.
