How I created a (soon-to-be-bestselling) card deck...
You've probably heard me talking about my card deck—The Blog Post Inspiration Deck—for a while now.
I created it thanks to my mentor, Marcy Nelson-Garrison, who runs a free 5-day "Stand Out Card Deck" challenge and follow-on Card Deck Master Class program, which she opens once a year.
I thought I'd share my journey with you, so you can see if creating a card deck is something you'd like to do.
The card deck idea
I think the card deck idea first took hold in me when I purchased my first deck, the beautiful deck called SHINE, by Julie Santiago.
The cards are large and beautiful and square, and the font is delightful, the box is amazing. I fell in love! And I knew then that I wanted to create a card deck.
The idea sat in my mind and then BAM, along came a one-month program designed to help me brainstorm and then create a "passion project." It hit me so strongly -- YES! A passion project! That's what my card deck was. And IS.
So when I joined that month-long program, I already knew that my passion project would be a card deck!
I shared my idea with the women in the group, and everyone loved it!
However, the idea quickly fizzled because I ran into questions the program leader couldn't answer, questions about using other people's quotes, printing... basic stuff, I realize now.
Sadly, I closed the card deck "folder," so to speak, but the idea was still close to my heart.
Then, lo and behold, I somehow ran into information about Marcy and her Card Deck Master Class program, which now follows her free, 5-day Facebook challenge, "Your Stand Out Card Deck."
The Card Deck Master Class
I was like, "WHAT?!? A whole program specifically focused on creating a card deck?!? Someone, please take my money!"
LoL. It didn't actually happen that fast. I corresponded with Marcy a bit by email because I was worried about having to miss some of the class sessions. But she assured me that they'd be recorded.
I think I had a few other objections, but they were weak, because... well... CARD DECK CLASS!
I signed up for the Card Deck Master Class program in September, 2017.
It took me until April, 2018, and then look... CARD DECK!
But I didn't start out wanting to create The Blog Post Inspiration Deck.
In fact, I wanted to create a deck around the unique process I go through when preparing to write marketing content for clients.
My journey to The Blog Post Inspiration Deck
This is what the process looked like.
I brainstormed.
I brought my ideas to Marcy and the group.
I brainstormed some more.
I worked through the course modules.
I attended bi-weekly mentor calls with my classmates and Marcy on Zoom.
I attended bi-weekly "studio sessions," where we met to work on our card decks.
I created spreadsheets.
I worked through more modules.
I masterminded.
I brainstormed some more.
Frankly, I was having a super hard time trying to mash my concept into the form of a card deck.
I was starting to think I'd made a mistake... that I wouldn't be able to do it.
The reward of giving yourself fully to the creative process
And then, suddenly, one day during a two-hour studio session, I was messing around with one of my spreadsheets and an idea suddenly burbled up inside me.
I thought, "Huh."
And I began to type.
Within ONE HOUR, I had a card deck with three suits of 20 cards each, most of which remain in the final version of the deck I ultimately printed.
It was like magic.
And I believe it happened because I gave myself the creative time and space and noodling permission required to be open to what the Universe was asking of me.
It wasn't a deck about my process (although I'm still dreaming of that one).
The idea was, initially, for The Blog Post Idea Generator!
With Marcy's guidance in the class, I hired a designer or two, but wasn't having any luck with the concepts they were coming up with.
Here are a few of the early iterations.
Maybe you can see the beginnings of the deck I wound up with in the images in the third column. At least I liked the colors.
But I wasn't so hot on the design.
Then I remembered a series of graphic images I had created last year, and am now offering for free as a 30-day email series called The Power of CHOOSE. It's just powerful quotes on our choices dressed up in colorful attire.
Here's one example:
Does that circle look familiar?
Take a look at the back of my cards.
The CHOOSE series is where I got the inspiration for the circle for the back of my card deck cards!
(By the way, you can still sign up for that CHOOSE series; it's totally free!)
After finalizing the design, next came the task of choosing a printer, deciding on what kind of packaging and insert I wanted, and how many decks to print.
The experience has been so amazing! I am so happy that Marcy's Card Deck Master Class program found me, and I am thrilled to talk about my experiences!
If you're interested, I suggest you sign up for her 5-day "Your Stand Out Card Deck" challenge when she next runs it. It's free, and will give you a chance to play with the idea of creating a card deck for yourself!
Let me know if you have any questions; I'm always happy to talk about my experiences—with the deck, and with the Card Deck Master Class!
