John Mayer Steals Something From Bob Dylan, Jerry Seinfeld Writes A Pop-Tart Joke, and Writer Austin Kleon Sets Up His Office: Why More Constraints And Fewer Tools Can Improve Your Work

The 3-Word Quote: “Creativity Loves Constraints”

1.

There's a fascinating documentary on songwriting called It All Begins With a Song.

The film tells the story of the songwriters who reside in Nashville. 

Some are established songwriters who have well-known hits to their name. Others are new to the country music capital and looking for a break.

The songwriters discuss the hardships, challenges, and joys of a creative life, but most of all, they talk about writing songs.

And in a few places, we see the songwriters at work.

We watch them struggle with ideas.

We see them search for the right words.

We view them bouncing ideas off one another.

All of this to craft a thought that sounds something like, well, a great song.

It's hard work.

Writing usually is.

But it's mesmerizing to watch.

For some, watching writers work might seem dull—many are more interested in the final product than the work that went into it.

But musician John Mayer likes watching writers work. 

In one interview, he talks about watching a Bob Dylan documentary, Don't Look Back.

And he was immediately drawn to a scene that showed Dylan writing.

There was a clip of Dylan trying to perfect one of his songs. The 60s icon was writing lyrics, and Mayer was fascinated by his method.

So, Mayer decided to steal from Dylan. Mayer was not interested in lifting his lyrics but determined to try something Dylan used in the documentary.

It's a process that Mayer still uses today because he says it helps him be more creative.

And it's a process that might work for you.

2.

Jerry Seinfeld likes Pop-Tarts.

You know Pop-Tarts—the pastry snack filled with fruit-flavored filling. Throw one in a toaster, and you've got instant breakfast.

Seinfeld likely doesn't eat many Pop-Tarts, but he thinks the name is funny.

He even made a film about the pastry this year.

In an interview a few years ago, he was asked about his comedy writing, and in the discussion, the comedian specifically mentioned writing a joke about Pop-Tarts.

He says most of his 'bits' take a few days to create and craft it to make it ready to try out on stage.

But not the Pop-Tart joke.

He tells the interviewer he has been working on the joke on and off for two years.

Two. Years.

So why would Seinfeld work on a joke - about Pop-Tarts - for two years?

Yes, he thinks Pop-Tarts are funny.

But more importantly, he is a craftsman. And before he performs the joke, he must first get the writing right.

And that is what Seinfeld is first - a writer.

He's a writer before he is a performer.

One can't happen without the other.

But how Seinfeld wrote the Pop-Tart joke - and how he writes all his jokes can be a lesson for all writers and creatives.

We don't have to be comedians to copy Seinfeld.

3.

Austin Kleon has written multiple best-sellers, appeared on TV shows and podcasts, and has a newsletter read by hundreds of thousands of readers.

His best-known work is Steal Like An Artist. This book is part advice, part manifesto, and part inspirational about getting started as an artist or writer.

Kleon describes himself as an 'artist who draws,' and he is one of the people to go to when others are figuring out how to be creative in today's world.

He's thoughtful, well-spoken, and always seems to spit out a perfect quote to make his point.

A frequent topic for creative people is how to stay productive; Kleon has several thoughts on this.

But his working style and office set-up have spread in popularity.

He credits this system for helping him focus and be more creative.

And it is incredibly easy to set up.

Many might want to steal it, but using his arrangement might prove more difficult for some.

The Takeaway:

So, what do John Mayer's copying of Bob Dylan, Jerry Seinfeld's Pop-Tart joke, and Austin Kleon's productivity method have in common?

They are three simple ideas that might help you be more effective as a creator. 

And they all involve adding more constraints and using fewer tools to make good work - things that go against most advice today.

John Mayer is a prolific musician - and a successful one.

He's released 'eight studio albums, seven live albums, three compilation albums, two video albums…and seventeen music videos.'

That's a lot of music.

You might think he has to write, record, produce, and release material at a lightning-fast pace to be that productive and creative.

But he doesn't. The opposite is true.

In fact, when he writes, he often tries to slow down his writing pace intentionally.

Much of his belief about a slower writing pace came from watching the Bob Dylan Documentary Don't Look Back.

In it, there was one particular scene that hijacked Mayer's attention.

The scene was of Bob Dylan sitting at an old wooden desk surrounded by cigarette smoke, writing lyrics.

But what fascinated Mayer was not what Dylan was writing but how he was writing lyrics.

Dylan was using a typewriter.

A typewriter.

Mayer said it looked like the machine was an instrument and Dylan was 'playing the typewriter.'

Dylan was slowly and deliberately tapping on the keys.

Mayer was taken with the slowness of the act; he was locked into watching time and talent combine onto the page.

Of course, typewriters were not uncommon during Dylan's time, but most musicians didn't use them to write lyrics like Dylan did.

Mayer decided to emulate the legend. He thought this method of writing lyrics - with a typewriter - might suit him.

So he bought a typewriter.

He stopped writing on the computer.

And he began to splatter pages with lyrics on his new (to him) typewriter.

'I instantly started to really come alive on it,' he said of this new method of writing.

And what made him come alive is the opposite of what many people seek. Writers are looking for speed, but Mayer knows speed and efficiency don't always lead to quality.

Mayer was looking for slow.

'I'm trying to be a whacko when I write,' Mayer says. He's trying for unique ideas and combinations of words to create memorable lyrics.

On a typewriter, he feels he can get deeper into a topic and feel more free because he isn't stopped or diverted by technology.

Mayer was tired of the little red squiggly lines and suggestions begging to be attended to as he typed on the computer. 

The typewriter doesn't taunt him with errors and suggestions like a computer does.

His typewriter was a forcing function to slow down his work and focus on his lyrics.

It allowed him to be more of a 'whack job' while he wrote, a good thing in Mayer's eyes.

You're likely not a songwriter. You think you have too much to do to slow down your writing process. 

And you might be surrounded by people encouraging you to churn out content. You may live by a 'content calendar,' or you may have seen online programs that promise to help you create 30 pieces of content from one idea.

Some have to work in this world, but Mayer would think this is the opposite of creativity.

Mayer creates art, not content. 

He's trying to create connections, not generate clicks. 

Perhaps he has the luxury of time that most people don't.

But when he forced himself to slow down and put some constraints on himself, his production and quality went up.

Sometimes, it often takes time to get it right.

***

Jerry Seinfeld has worked on a Pop-Tart joke for two years.

This isn't likely the slowdown John Mayer was looking for when he started using his typewriter.

But like Mayer, Seinfeld is a craftsman.

The comedian obsessively worries about the timing of his jokes. He is paranoid about selecting the perfect word.

And like Mayer, he takes his time when he writes.

Seinfeld had strict deadlines for years while writing and creating his TV show.

But when it comes to writing his stand-up material, he doesn't rush.

Like Mayer, he purposely adds constraints—a system that forces him to work in a certain way.

In one video interview about writing, he tells the interviewer,' I know you think people are going to be interested in this, but they're not' - referring to information about his writing process.

But it is interesting.

Because Seinfeld religiously uses two tools when he writes, two must-haves.

And they're decidedly simple.

The two things? A yellow legal pad and a pen, specifically a Bic clear barrel, blue ink.

That's it.

No iPad, no computer, no phone, no tech of any kind.

Why?

Because writing longhand helps him think better. 'I don't like that cursor flashing, looking at me like 'so, what do you got?' he says of computers.

His legal pad and Bic pen allow him to write easily without distractions. Slowing down his process improves his writing.

But we know the pen and paper aren't what makes Seinfeld funny. He would write great jokes if he had a stick and had to write them in the dirt on the ground.

The wand doesn't make the magician.

And we know many great writers do write on the computer.

But for some, like Seinfeld, there is no better process than writing longhand.

When the interviewer attempts to ask if Seinfeld has ever used a computer to write, Seinfeld cuts her off and doesn't even allow her to finish the question.

'No. Never,' he responds to her.

His low-tech, slower style mirrors John Mayer.

And it might work wonders for others, too.

In various studies, simply writing things out by hand on paper rather than on a keyboard has been shown to improve memory and retention.

One study states, 'Neuroscientific research has uncovered a distinct neural pathway that is only activated when we physically draw or write our letters.'

Writing longhand changes the way our brains work.

John Mayer and Jerry Seinfeld know what they need to make great work, and they purposefully introduce constraints to help them achieve it. 

***

Creativity guru Austin Kleon also favors low-tech creation.

Kleon has become known for championing another working style that benefits his writing and creativity.

He, too, favors pen and paper.

Kleon says, 'The notebook is the place where you figure out what's going on inside you or what's rattling around. And then, the keyboard is the place that you go to tell people about it.'

Pen and paper for production. Mouse and keyboard for publication.

However, Kleon goes a step further when writing in his notebook or when working on a creative project.

He adds more constraints - or rather, he removes distractions.

In his book, Kleon describes a secret to help him remove distractions when he creates.

His secret?

He has two desks.

It doesn't sound like much of a secret.

But he doesn't advocate for two desks to simply have more space to work.

He has two desks because he does completely different work at each of those desks.

But the one desk that received more notoriety than the other, Kleon calls it his 'analog desk.'

His analog desk is exactly as the name implies - it is his desk that is completely free of technology, free of digital distractions.

Kleon writes about his two desks:

'I have two desks in my home office - one is 'analog' and one is 'digital.' The analog desk has nothing but markers, pens, pencils, index cards, and newspaper. Nothing electronic is allowed on that desk. This is where most of work is born, and all over the desk are physical traces, scraps, and residue from my process (unlike a hard drive, paper doesn't crash). The digital desk has my laptop, my monitor, my scammer, and my drawing tablet. This is where I edit and publish my work.'

Kleon believes in low-tech creation.

He says, 'I think this idea of constraints in work and life is super-important. There's something about analog tools - there's a simplicity that's easier to get started with.'

Many think of an analog desk as a unique take on modern workspaces.

But remember, all desks are analog desks, to begin with. We are the ones that digitize them.

What John Mayer, Jerry Seinfeld, and Austin Kleon have either stolen or stumbled upon is that the simpler and more distraction-free way to create, the better.

They use analog tools.

They write longhand.

They slow down their creative process.

They all added constraints to their work.

It might not be how most of the world works, but it works for them. The Eagle's song titled Life In the Fast Lane might describe today's working world well.

But for three giants of creativity, life in the slow lane has proved to be more fruitful.

In a creative rut? Maybe it’s time to slow down and switch lanes.

3 things before you go:

1. watch: inspiring video about how to approach your next 12 months; one minute might make you think differently

2. watch: a great commercial; worth the watch

3. watch: in honor of the World Series starting; a great news story about a baseball craftsman

Thanks for being a reader. See you in 10 days.

-Jeff