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Creative Thinking: Tip 8 - Seven Roadblocks

Up to this point, I’ve discussed various techniques to help you with your creative thinking. Now, however, I want to discuss something just as important; the things that keep you from being creative!

The following list contains seven roadblocks that could keep you from reaching your true creative thinking potential. Do take it with a grain of salt, however, as some people think differently. I will say that I’ve fallen victim to most of these, and probably still do on a daily basis. I’m working on changing that.

Creative Thinking: Tip 7 - Random Words

I know (for you thinkers out there) that you’ve run into this scenario before:

You're in your creative thinking mode, and you try to brainstorm on one particular problem or topic, but the answers that fly out of your head are all kind of trite. They do not branch out too far, and are held back by your sometimes-limited understanding of it.  For instance, if I gave myself a minute to think of ideas in regards to bananas, the basic things that might come up are:

Yellow
Curved
Fruit
Banana pudding
Peanut butter and banana sandwich (I’m hungry right now)
Grocery store
And so on…

Creative Thinking: Tip 6 - Routines

“If you want to develop your creativity, establish regular work habits. Allow time for the incubation of ideas, and adhere to your individual rhythm. Violations of this rhythm can retard your creative efficiency.” - Eugene Raudsepp

Routines are followed by just about everyone in this world. They may be subtle, but they’re there. It may be as small as fixing that cup of coffee in the mornings, showering at certain times, going to bed at certain times, or writing at certain times. Some of these become so ingrained in us, that they go from a routine, to a habit. It becomes less work, and just something that you do all the time.

Have you ever wondered why the good writers always have a writing routine? Why they wake up to the call of the rooster, and pound out 1000 words, maybe even before breakfast? It’s because they’ve conditioned themselves, during that certain time, to be at the peak of their performance. Their brains catch onto this rhythm, just like yours can. It'll understand the time you’ve set aside as “work” time. It won't sit there, waiting for inspiration, but will go and actively pursue it.

Creative Thinking: Tip 5 - Mind Mapping

Today’s post is in relation to using a technique called Mind Mapping.

This technique has been in use for centuries, and applied to just about everything possible. This includes: brainstorming, problem solving, creativity, learning, and so on. Although it’s believed to have been around longer, there’s some confusion as to who actually claimed to have developed the technique. Right now, as it stands, a fellow named Tony Buzan is the current runner-up. He’s the expert in this field today and the one that coined the term “Mind Map”.

So, what is Mind Mapping? It’s pretty straightforward and can be done simply with a pencil and a pad of paper.

Here’s the idea:

Creative Thinking: Tip 4 - Understanding Your Mind

I came across a wonderful resource for creative thinking today. It’s not a step-by-step guide to helping you generate ideas, but it should help you understand the process, and help you with your writing.

I wish I ‘d found this article first, before I posted the others in this category (as it would be a good starting point). Oh well, can’t turn back now. The article is titled: “Understanding the Mind: 5 Keys to a Writer’s Creativity” by Rob Daugherty. I particularly liked the following information:

Creative Thinking: Tip 3 - Relax!

“It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing.” – Gertrude Stein

I thought that quote was appropriate for this post. Don’t worry! I’m not going to hold you too long, at least not tonight. 

I suppose a good many of us, at this moment, are in need of a “good idea.”  Whether it’s for a story, work, creative bill paying, making a million dollars, whatever. Me? Right now, I’m in need of one miracle of an idea. Actually, any idea that will unblock my current story will suffice.

So, there you are, struggling for an idea. Any idea. You’re racking your brain, tossing at night, cursing your cat, spinning your head in Exorcist fashion (maybe with pea soup as an extra), but you cannot come up with one. Sometimes, you get on your computer, looking for that ray of hope, but there isn’t any. You have even started to talk to yourself.

Sound a little bit like you when you’re trying to think up an idea?

Maybe that’s a little drastic and dramatic, but I think it gets the point across. And that point is:

Creative Thinking: Tip 2

I bought myself a new toy the other day. I say toy, but in reality, it’s my freedom from the reproducing quantities of scrap paper that litter my home. For the last few years, I have taken down every epiphany I’ve had, problems I needed to solve, errands I’ve needed to run, and bills I’ve needed to pay. Because of it, there’s paper everywhere. Have you ever seen those Dell (or was it IBM) commercials where the servers reproduced like rabbits while spooky music played in the background? That was happening to me, except on a cheaper and lighter level. Now I’m recording my thoughts and creative writing ideas on a simple, lightweight digital recorder, without the hassle of paper (while being more environmentally friendly as well).

That’s all fine and dandy, Vic, but how can taking down notes help with creative thinking, or my writing?

I can think of two good reasons why taking notes (or recording them) can assist you with creative thinking, as well as writing:

New Creative Thinking Category

I've decided to expand the categories in Writesville by creating a new category called "Creative Thinking".  All of the posts will be related to motivating or assisting our often-befuddled creative minds. Why do this? I have no idea (I'm not creative enough to answer that just yet). 

Silliness aside, I feel that, as writers, we sometimes need all the help we can get when it comes to generating ideas (whether it be for plot ideas, scenes, and so forth). Some of the tips I plan on posting will be completely new to me and some will be ones that I employ regularly. Some will be actual idea generation techniques while others are just suggestions to help your creative thinking. Either way, by posting these tips, I hope to be able to improve my creative writing while, at the same time, sharing the information with you.

I'm not sure how long this series will continue, so I'll just take it one tip at a time until I'm exhausted.

Oh, and by the way, what do you do to stoke the fires of your creative mind? Feel free to share your techniques by commenting or emailing me.

So, on to the first tip in the series!