12 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a New Creative Project

Every great project begins with a spark—but how do you turn that spark into something meaningful, focused, and deeply fulfilling?

The creative process begins long before pen meets paper or brush touches canvas. It starts in the quiet moments of reflection—when you tune into your intention, your inspiration, and the story you want to tell.

 

Here are 12 questions to ask yourself before diving in:

 

1. What do you want to say throughout this project?

Think of this as the quiet voice beneath your work. What truth are you expressing? What conversations are you opening?

2. What inspires you to create?

What pulls you toward creativity in general—and what about this project is calling to you? Maybe it’s a feeling, a memory, a question, or a desire to contribute something meaningful.

3. What emotions do you want to evoke?

Art moves people. What should your audience feel when they engage with your work? Hope? Curiosity? Nostalgia? Delight? Mapping the emotional tone can guide everything from color choices to storytelling rhythm.

4. What are the fundamental truths here?

Strip it back. What’s real about this idea, at its core? What beliefs, experiences, or human truths does it touch on?

5. What is the core purpose of this project?

Is it to express, explore, connect, challenge, heal, entertain? Knowing your purpose gives your project an inner compass—something to return to when you feel lost in the process.

6. If I had no limitations (time, money, tools), what would this look like?

Dream freely. Paint the most ambitious, creative version of your idea. This question removes constraints and reveals what you truly want—before reality edits it down.

7. What inspires me about this project?

Zoom in. What is it about this idea that lights you up? Is it the aesthetic? The message? The challenge? The transformation it might bring to others—or yourself?

8. What scares me?

Be honest. Fear can reveal what you care deeply about—and where you might grow in the process.

9. If this idea was a place, object, or person, what would it be like?

Give it shape. Would it be a misty forest? A weathered notebook? A bold, eccentric friend? This kind of metaphor play helps make your idea feel more alive and tangible.

10. What’s the story I want to tell through this project?

Every creative work tells a story—whether it’s literal or emotional. What’s the arc? What changes? What is revealed? Think about the before, during, and after your audience might experience.

11. What makes this idea unique or different?

What’s the unexpected angle, the fresh take, the twist? Explore what makes your version of this idea something only you could bring into the world.

12. What’s the “one big idea” at the heart of this project?

Boil it down. What’s the central concept everything else hangs on? This is your creative North Star—simple, bold, and unforgettable.

 

Creative projects don’t always follow a straight line. They loop, shift, and evolve. But when you begin with intention, you give yourself an anchor—a way to return to your “why” when things get messy (and they will get messy).

These questions are all part of our signature project planning framework, taking you from idea to execution in 6 simple steps.