Fireworks for Creativity by Clifford Fryman
Writer’s block, procrastination, and writing seeming more like work than the fun endeavor it should be plague me. Over the years I have discovered a few ways to add some fireworks to my routine to get me over these hurdles. I thought I would share some of them today.
Collaborative Writing - A few years back I participated in the crowd sourced Twitter writing project BBCAA held. I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had. My creativity level was at an all time high as I crafted sentences based off the last that had just been chosen. The quick speed and constant twists and turns were exhilarating. Writing with another person or group of people may not be for everyone, but it is a sure fire way to boost creativity and get you out of a rut.
Out of the Mouth of Babes - I have three children and I am constantly caught by surprise with some of the things that they come up with. Just the other day my youngest said cats like to eat fish because they want to keep getting smarter. I heard that and thought how it is said that cats rule us. Although I normally do not write children’s stories, ideas for one started blooming in my head for one. The story may never be read by anyone but him, but what he said got my creativity going and words on the page and that is never a bad thing.
Out of the Comfort Zone - Writing what you know and in the genres you normally do is safe and comfortable. When I get in a rut, I like to step outside my comfort zone and write something I normally would not write. The children’s story I mentioned above is a perfect example. Creativity has to increase and what I come up with may lead to something different or help me approach my normal writing in new ways.
Classic Genre Bending - I would probably never publish them, but taking a classic and bending the genre is a fun way to be creative. It has been successfully done by mixing well known characters with zombies and vampires, but just the exercise of taking something well known and turning it on it’s head while still making it work gets creativity flowing.
Fanfiction - Everyone has characters from television, movies, books, comics, and/or cartoons they love and I am no different. I have ideas of stories I would like to see those characters in, just as others no doubt do as well. I write it exclusively for myself and would never dream of posting anything. With that said, writing within an established world allows me to bypass the creation process and concentrate on plot and consistant characterization.
While these are some things that work for me, they may not work for everyone. It never hurts to try them though, and they may yield some unexpected results. Try them and let me know what they inspire. If you have any other tricks, feel free to share them in the comments below.
