Aside from being one of the speediest Contributing Editors at Trend Hunter, Meghan Young also appreciates some impressive choreography as her top prison dance video choice can attest to. The video, which took off in 2009, has become so popular its garnered its very own 12-part web series. As Meghan has contributed the most trends to the Trend Hunter website, it is worth heeding her advice as how she works to find some of the best trends, and how she resets to get her creative juices flowing.
What is your favorite trend and why?
My favorite trend revolves around a viral prison dance video that took off in 2009. The Sibu prison dancers did this reenactment of Michael Jackson and now it's being turned into a web series.
How do you define cool?
I define cool as something that resonates with a group of people. It's more of a feeling that translates into someting that they connect with. It's subjective and a little bit vague, but that's what I feel cool is.
What is your secret to uncovering the best trends?
My secret to uncovering the best trends is a lot of hard work. It's going through my RSS feeds and websites and honing in on something that resonates and connects with me. I look at it like a question. When you have a question, you know that everyone else is thinking of that same question. When I look at a trend, a product or a service that generates a feeling in me, I know that people are going to have a similar reaction.
How do you reset to be creative?
When I need to reset and am experiencing some sort of writer's block, I need to step away from my computer and decompress a bit. Usually I don't start up right away. I either re-read what I've already written or browse through other websites, maybe go onto Facebook because usually it'll just pop into my head. If you leave it alone, it will be like an epiphany. Another tip is to just bull doze right through. Keep writing and then you can edit after.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
When I was little I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. Specifically a novelist. Now I'm just chipping away. That's why I love Trend Hunter, it allows me to write and hone in on my skills in that department and become concise, direct and personable.
What is your favorite thing about working at Trend Hunter?
My favorite thing about working at Trend Hunter is the freedom. I work from home, I'm a freelance writer. I make my own hours, I write about whatever is under the sun. I get to connect with great people who are funny, intelligent and the definition of cool.
Meghan Young, Trend Hunter (INTERVIEW)
Young Reveals Why the Prison Dance Video is Such a Hit
Trend Themes
1. Viral Prison Dance Video - Opportunity to create a web series and capitalize on the popularity of viral dance videos.
2. Defining Cool - Opportunity to create products or services that resonate and connect with a group of people's subjective definition of cool.
3. Resetting Creativity - Opportunity to develop tools or techniques to overcome writer's block and find moments of epiphany for creative inspiration.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - Opportunity to produce and distribute web series based on popular viral dance videos.
2. Product Development - Opportunity to create products that align with people's subjective definition of cool and resonate with their emotions.
3. Creative Writing - Opportunity to develop tools or techniques for writers to reset their creativity and overcome writer's block.