What Would MacGyver Do?

by Danny Thompson

Growing up, I was a huge fan of MacGyver-(actually, I'm still a fan. Even carry a Swiss army knife on my person at all times). What impressed me about the character was his limitless resourcefulness. Unlike the typical action hero or super spy, Mac never went in armed to the teeth or augmented by ultra-tech gadgets.

He simply went in with a healthy knowledge of disparate subjects, an open mind, and a single unassuming yet versatile tool. It's a great model to follow when concepting your next project.

In the Bag

For my last birthday, I received the first season of MacGyver as a gift and, for the first time, saw the pilot episode. There was a scene that I think is particularly useful for creative types. Mac is getting ready to run headlong into a dangerous situation. He has his trusty knife and a small satchel slung over his shoulder, telling a bewildered military type he has all the supplies he needs.

The officer, incredulous, asks what's in the bag.

"Nothing," Mac replies. "The bag's not for what I'm taking with me. It's for what I find along the way."

I love the sheer bravado in that statement. I know a lot of writers who keep a "swipe file," where they store ads, headlines and concepts that they particularly like, referring to it when they are stuck for ideas. There is nothing wrong with this...but it's not my cup of tea.

I've found that it's just as hard to make a swiped concept fresh for your ad as it is to come up with a brand new one. I'd rather explore the subject in depth and use "what I find along the way" as fodder for my concepting.

When researching your subject/product/target keep a spare sheet of paper at hand and write down key words as you come across them. Demographic labels, features, benefits, colors, descriptions, numbers, locations ... whatever. Go ahead and add some words and phrases you come across while researching other subjects, or just perusing the newspaper, too. Later, when you get to the concepting stage, refer to this sheet as a resource for prompting your creativity.

It's in Your Head

Creativity is born in the marriage of two normal ideas that don't go together. The more normal ideas you have in your head across a wide range of subjects, the greater your potential for huge creative leaps.

Read voraciously across a wide range of subjects. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, history, science, technology, how-to, arts, philosophy, religion ... read anything and everything that finds its way into your hands. Stuff your head full of raw information until it's on the verge of bursting open. When it does, magic is likely to happen.

Also, try different things. A new hobby. A new form of exercise. Brain teasers. Learn something new that is technically demanding. Keep growing and stretching.

It's in the Questions

Questions are the copywriter's Swiss army knife. Who, what, where, when, how. Why? Why, why, why, why, why, why? Why not? What if...?

If you only remember two questions to ask, ask why and what if. The first will push you past preconceptions and pat answers. The second will push you beyond the established thinking.

What Would Mac Do?

What he always does: walk in head up, eyes alert, mind open ... trusting that everything he needs he either already has or will find along the way. Trust yourself that much, and you'll never have to worry about writer's block.

Danny Thompson is a freelance writer and marketing guru with nearly a decade of experience in marketing, management and corporate training. He recently started CopywriterSurvivalGuide.com, a site of free tips and tools (& more) for freelance copywriters looking to row their business.

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