The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 12 with guest Will Hudson

Will Hudson (@WillHudson) is the Co-Founder and Director of It’s Nice That, a publishing company that champions creativity across the world of art & design. Together with Prescott, he discusses how It’s Nice That began as an art school project and grew into a publishing empire cum creative agency in London. We also hear about Will’s productivity habits, and how he manages the assault of so much email.
 
Show Notes & Links

Prescott and Will met a few times, in New York and in London
It’s Nice That began as a university project
INT publishes about 9 articles per day, across art, design, fashion, film, animation, etc.
The difference is “creative expertise” and giving all submissions equal weight
Printed Pages, quarterly magazine
Here London, annual creative symposium
Nicer Tuesdays, a monthly event
First Broadcast, audio-visual site
Company of Parrots, a shop
This At There, London events listing
Studio Audience, weekly podcast
Core offerings: online, monthly events, the magazine
INT Works is a creative agency that now operates independently from It’s Nice That publication methods
“Don’t get too content with the way we publish content”
Will’s background is graphic design and photography, but there was “academic interest”
Alex runs INT Works and client projects; Will runs editorial. Happened naturally that way.
It’s Nice That’s editor-in-chief, Rob Alderson (@RobAlderson)
“… become the Ambassador of the company, rather than the Sergeant Major.”
the commute from Brighton to London
“Email seems so defunct for a 21st century operation.”
Email: 10% need a reply; 20% get a reply for politeness; the rest is rubbish
Online editor Liv Siddall (@LivSiddall)
An article exists to: showcase the work, and to give context (not just a gallery)
Special effects dad creates videos of his son
Google’s search algorithms
Facebook’s sharing of page content
Banner advertising vs. new, interesting content
Vice
Steer, web development courses
WorkOutOfWork.com

Tools

One sheet of A4 paper (double sided) for the week
Paper and Pen, to make sure.
Macs, with email.
Evernote
A3 sheet of paper for Editorial planning
Google Doc
Folders of screen-grabs
Highrise
Pocket (formerly Read It Later)

Techniques

Mix old-school and new-school methods
T.R.A.P. your email (Toss, Reply, Action item, or Pass). Leave off the last P for procrastinate.
Pick up the phone to save time on Email
Have a Monday morning meeting with everyone. Keep it to under an hour.
Build a system that will be stressed down the road
Host editorial meetings to preview ideas and prioritize publishing order
Write your blog posts with future discovery in mind
Approach change positively, as a challenge, even when it’s from Facebook
Move email conversations to Twitter to keep them short

Habits

Do an hour’s work on the train during the morning commute; use the time to clean up thoughts and work through email
If someone emails you personally, respond. Even if it’s short.
Take a screenshot of your [company's] website everyday
Get the early start — 1.5 hrs in the office before everyone else arrives
Change your routine so you can see things differently, and re-evaluate priorities