A daily dose of creativity
There are times in our lives where we all feel like we’re not producing enough work or nurturing our creativity. It’s easy to reach a point where you feel as though you haven’t been creative for ages. Today I’d to share a little tool that has helped me avoid that feeling, even when I’m too snowed under to even contemplate spending time on a project. It’s called a feed reader (otherwise known as a software based aggregator or RSS reader).
A feed reader allows you to read updates from multiple blogs and websites in one place, and saves visiting all your favourite blogs on a regular basis. It’s a useful tool for keeping up to date with news an information on the topics that you’re passionate about including art, design, photography and writing. It can serve as a great learning tool and source of ideas and inspiration … a bit like having a daily newspaper written just for you. Here’s a peek at just a few of the many (currently over 60) blogs I keep an eye on:
Setting up a feed reader is quite simple. There are many web based feed readers including Google Reader, Bloglines and Netvibes. All you need to do is sign up for an account then add the feeds you’d like to follow. Each time you sign into you feed reader, you’ll have a list of recent posts on your chosen topics. For those who are interested in finding out more, these links should help:
- Which Feed Reader is best?
- Web Based Aggregators
- How News Aggregators and RSS Readers Work
- RSS explained
And if you’re interested in finding some creative content, these lists are a good start:
- Top 20 (or so) Art Blogs
- 160 t-shirt blogs
- Bloglines most followed blogs
- The Top 100 Photography Blogs
- Best art and design blogs of 2009
- Top 10 Blogs for Writers
- Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs
This is how I make sure I get my daily dose of creativity outside of the bubble. How do you stay inspired and motivated when you don’t have time to create? We’d also like to hear about the creative blogs you follow …
DoreenPhillips
Blogtastic Nat!!!!....................X
JayneLogan
Thanks so much for taking the time to set out all of this information! I wasn’t aware and find this very useful!! Cheers, ~ Jayne Logan
micklyn
wow, thanks! fantastic.
Jordan Busson
viva, nat!
yanmos
thanks Nat :)
gabryshak
i am inspired by the work produced by
Six Degrees of Photography by Michael Van der Tol
♥t
Mui-Ling Teh
Cool, thanks for sharing Nat!
Rachel Davison
Great idea. One of the many strengths of redbubble is this expansiveness and generosity. Thanks for sharing!
robpixaday
::blushes:: I’m a little embarrassed to say I don’t know how RSS whoosits acutally work…never used it/them.
You’ve inspired me to try!
Thank you!!!!
nadine henley
what a great community this is – I had no idea this existed! thanks, Nat
izzybeth
THANKS!!!
F.A. Moore
Some browsers now have feed readers built in, too. Did you say this already? I looked for it. Sorry if I’m repeating.
Safari is one of the best for their RSS feed reader and Firefox has one too built into the browser. Look in your “Preferences” (Mac) or Tools (Windows, I suppose) to set it up.
Colleen Milburn
Terrific – thanks, Nat :))
Esther van de ...
This is cool, my daughter will love this !! Thank you so much ;o))
Linda Bianic
Rss feeds are great,, never thought of using them for photog?/ wonderful idea!! thanks!
zulfiqar
good
Matt Penfold
Great info Nat, thanks a zillion :-)
Danny
blogs are fun
and it sounds kind of rude (the word blog that is hee hee)
thanks Nat
Taking the journals back from the self congratulators.
Oi! Oi! Oi!
Torylynn
Thank you so much! My time on the internet is limited and this is very helpful. :)
Linda Ridpath
oh no…!!!! will i ever get away from my lap-top and actually paint
?!? :>)))))
seventeen
My favourite blog is notcot
Nice simple design face with peeps uploading their favourites from other blogs. Gret for art, design, architecture, fashion and whole bunch of other stuff.
Serge Claes
And it would be a great idea if we could use RSS to follow our watchlists here! Or am I missing something?
robpixaday
::whew::
Since I saw this post the first time I’ve been using the feed thing on posts here on RB so I can watch comments. FABULOUS !!
Also: I just tore apart my old reader (a big old mess that I never used) and refurbished it with new cool stuff…then I set the reader as my homepage..YAY!!
thank you Natalie!!!!!
Great post!