Briefly Creative

Finding Clarity in Creativity Briefly Creative #125 — My journey searching for purpose in my personal and professional pursuits by questioning them over and over again. Greg Gunn • Nov 14, 2023 • 3 min read​Read and listen on brieflycreative.fm​ Hey Reader, it’s Greg. Welcome to my newsletter where I share my thoughts, experiences, and actionable tips for pursuing a creative life. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.​ Created with Dall•E 3 If you’ve been subscribed long enough, you may (or may...

Your portfolio site checklist Oct 31, 2023 | Issue #124 Happy Halloween Reader! Welcome to TLDR #124. After months of tinkering in my spare time I’ve finally relaunched my website. And I did it in dark mode 👻. My inner goth feels seen now. It needs polish, but let me know if you spot any bugs or broken links. Also, I have a favor to ask. My newsletter page looks boring. It could use a few thoughtful testimonials from beloved readers like yourself. So, if you enjoy reading my emails (and are...

Reconnecting with my craft. Oct 3, 2023 | Issue #122 Hey Reader, welcome to issue #122. It’s been five months since I left my Creative Director role to pursue product design at Chess.com. There are many things I’ve enjoyed about the transition, but reconnecting with my craft tops the list. Historically, I’ve operated as a hired gun(n). Flying in at the end of the marketing process to make it look pretty, subjectively speaking. The project timeline was usually measured in weeks and then I was...

A meaningful mantra. July 25, 2023 | Issue #121 Hey, Reader 👋. Welcome to TLDR #121. The last email I sent was lengthy, so I’m keeping this one short. Also, don’t forget to visit the archive if you missed an issue. If I could offer some advice… There is no shortage of advice fighting for your attention online and in real life. Most of it’s fleeting and in the interest of making money, which—if I’m being honest—is nice to have access to. Case in point: I recently discovered Bogleheads and am...

My path to Product Design July 11, 2023 | Issue #120 Hey, Reader 👋. Welcome to TLDR #120. This is the third (and final) email covering my transition from a longstanding Creative Director role to Product Designer. You can read the first two emails—and many others—by visiting this page. Enter web 1.0 I was a child of the 90s and a big nerd, so when I got my first computer (an entry level HP Pavilion) I was glued to the internet. A lot of that time was spent on AIM, but I never tired from...

Solving the job hunt puzzle Jun 27, 2023 | Issue #119 Hello again, Reader👋, welcome to issue #119. In the last email, I shared that I’d recently resigned from my longstanding role as Creative Director at The Futur (previously known as design agency Blind) and joined Chess.com full-time as a product designer. This is issue will talk about that transition process. How I started the job hunt, what worked well for me, and what didn’t. A quick note—like anyone doling out unsolicited career advice,...

Rested and recharged. June 13, 2023 | Issue #118 Hey Reader. Long time, no write. How are you? If you’re new to this newsletter (or forgot who I am), then welcome and hello. My name is Greg and I’m a designer that loves to share my creative process via this newsletter named TLDR. I’ve spent the last five months in a cycle of overworking myself, acknowledging burnout, and then enjoying a good, long break. Which has sadly stifled my motivation to write. Oops. In light of that, let me catch you...

Why I started logging my professional achievements. Jan 10, 2023 | Issue #117 Happy New Year, Reader! Welcome to the first TLDR newsletter of 2023. It’s a bit late for an annual recap, and even if I did attempt to write one, I wouldn’t know where to start. Instead, I’d like to share something new I’ve started working on: an achievement journal. Caption goes here Think of an achievement journal as a chart of professional accomplishments. Each entry is an impact statement about said...