"trivia"

A loaded word! It hints that there's not much more than amusement, maybe even vanity, to the pursuit of diverse facts and information. I do this a lot, I enjoy finding out about new things, but I sometimes have an angst about this habit -- I wonder if it's just dilettantism, a weakness rather than a strength.

So it was an encouragement to read this, on Copyblogger this morning:

Where Do We Find Inspiration?

Where do you discover your own creative angles for content? Carl Ally, an advertising legend, offered this insight:

The creative person wants to be a know-it-all. He wants to know about all kinds of things—ancient history, nineteenth century mathematics, current manufacturing techniques, hog futures. Because he never knows when these ideas might come together to form a new idea. It may happen six minutes later, or six months, or six years. But he has faith that it will happen.

In other words, what you learn outside of your niche may well be more important than your substantive expertise. Read everything you can across diverse topic areas, and live life to the fullest for inspiration at every turn.