Jessica Zhou
Jessica is a writer, poet, researcher and artist. Previously the creative editor of Kernel Magazine and producer at MSCHF.
Poetry, writing
What tools do you currently use in your creative process?
Two notebooks: 1) for tasks, 2) for free associating / notes app in parallel
Move over to notion database with date and tag, project management for big picture view
Writing in google docs and notes app, writing and editing - collaborative in one place
Calendar for freelance, working blocks with people
What are some of the biggest opportunities in your creative process?
In the pre-process, creating more opportunities for collaboration
Using more mood board type workspaces -
Excited about anything that allows for nonlinear thought, branching out possibilities
When you don’t have the words for an idea yet, visuals feel helpful for free association, rough sketches of thoughts (ways to create + preserve different branches, trace iterations of thoughts, opportunity to revisit)
Creating a good group chat - social opportunities.
Using a document type tool to feel like a messaging tool (conversation first) or adding comments in docs (what people currently manually do)
If you could change one thing about your creative process, what would it be?
Better using Google drive to keep track of draft versions
Often making different copies of the same document, sending it out to different publications/feedback providers
Create and save different states of the same document as it pertains to different readers
Currently tracking things in Notion, but it’s challenging with so many different documents
Considering a split screen tool, tracing the path for progression of a piece (seeing version history with an emphasis on content at the forefront)
Keeping everything organized - “I wish there was an easier way to see over time all the different things I was working on”