We’re coming up on a
holiday here in the US – Thanksgiving.
So, I thought I’d spend a little time musing about creativity and what
it takes to keep that part of us pumped up, nurtured and ready to go. Some
suggestions, as it were, to help the blocked, confused and wandering – also the
steady writers and artists out there who might need to take a breather or find
a new path.
Hopefully
some of these ideas will perk you up, give you a new slant or just assure you
you’re not alone.
If
you’re stuck on a story or whatever you’re attempting to create – and I know
you’ve all heard this, but you probably need to hear it again – for heaven’s
sakes take a break. Do something mindless or that will force your conscious
brain to focus elsewhere and give your subconscious a chance to free range a
bit. Take a walk, shovel the drive (in winter), mow the lawn (in summer), do
the ironing or maybe cook dinner. Surprise your spouse with that dinner, he or
she is no doubt so used to you being so immersed in your creative work that
they rarely see a decent meal. Seriously, give yourself a break, give everyone
a break, unclench.
Here’s
something else you can do to enhance creativity. Just watch people. Really.
Watch them. People…the things they do and say. They can be funny, startling,
offensive, romantic – you know, all that stuff you want to infuse into your
creative endeavors, quirks and happenings you want to put into your stories.
Another ~ Let your mind
wander. Unhook the discipline for a bit and let it be what it is, let your
thoughts take you where they will.
And
how do you keep track of random thoughts that crop up with all this relaxation
and subconscious stroking? Well you can easily keep a note pad handy, but if
you like you can also think about using your phone to make a record of those
thoughts. If your phone has a record feature, use that, if not, call yourself
and leave a message in your box. You don’t want to lose those gem ideas.
Another
idea? How about going to the place you’re setting your story or where you most
associate with the creative work you’re doing. If you’re a writer and the story
is set at a beach and one is nearby, head on down and do some jotting there.
Airport? Bus Station? Hospital? Mall? Small town? Go on, take a field trip. Might
not be practical if you’re planning on writing about Jupiter or the depth of a
volcano is your inspiration for your next creative work. But no doubt you’d be
able to come up with variations on a theme.
Variety
is another great inspiration. The more you have, the more likely you’re going
to be successful in generating the ideas so vital to your creativity. Start a
garden, get a hobby, play with your dog, take up knitting – do more than one! I
garden in the summer, create jewelry all year (want to take a peek – I have a
little shop on ETSY, Silverstreak) I also knit, read, make lampwork beads in the flame (that really is focus!) and
do some occasional bead weaving.
So
the long and short of it is you need to give yourself some time to let the
ideas percolate and to come up with fresh one. Deadlines may loom, pressure
build, but that doesn’t mean you can skip the creative process in the middle –
and that takes some nurturing.
