Write Path Ideas & Creativity: Let's Recap and Your Turn, Ep 1.6

YOUR IDEAS & CREATIVITY: Episode 1, Part 6

RECAP: YOUR CREATIVE SELF

Our words and ideas sometimes frighten us. Admittedly, writing the previous episode gave me a momentary pause. I'm sure there are readers/writers who will disagree with my thoughts about raw, gritty writing, and taboo subjects. Others may applaud me. I don't believe writing or books should be censored. Every word written should represent our feelings, our truths, our plot bunnies, at the time of writing. Feelings are important to writing because feelings are honest emotions. Honesty, and being true to your thoughts and ideas, contribute to the depth of story.

Ideas quashed by writers because of fear of unleashing them to the world is a sad thing.

If there are those who disagree, so be it. It won't be the first time my opinions or words have made others uncomfortable (sorry, not sorry), and it likely won't be the last. No regrets.

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Let's take a moment to recap where we have been in the past few episodes of Your Path, Ideas & Creativity. 

We began this section by talking about where ideas come from, what you do with them when you find them (or they find you), and what kinds of things in your life can stifle the idea muse. The second episode followed up with a discusson about finding Your Idea Path. In episode 3, we explored the notion of writer's block vs. procrastination, and how we can be kinder to our creative side. Episode 4 talked about not holding back in order to nuture your creativity, and Episode 5 dug a bit deeper into that subject by talking candidly about "writing the grit."

You may want to do a quick review of those posts before moving on. Or, if you're feeling chipper and smart, just jump right on in to the next section, where it's your turn to explore these topics in your own way.

YOUR TURN—Your Creative Self

Below are some ideas to nurture, invite, maintain, or sustain creativity, and to keep you motivated. Which ones speak to you? Do you practice any of these on a regular basis?

Ideas for nurturing creativity and motivation:

• Take a walk. Get outside and clear your head.
• Take a bath or shower. Water often soothes and thoughts flow.
• Step away from the computer for 15 minutes every two hours. Use that time to get tasks done that are nagging at you (dishes, laundry, dusting...).
• Exercise.
• Listen to music.
• Watch a movie.
• Take a short drive and listen to a favorite writer podcast or an audiobook.
• Engage in creative pursuits other than writing—take music lessons, learn to throw pots, paint with wine and friends, and so on. Choose projects that rejuvenate you.
• Read a book in your writing genre.
• Read another outside of your genre. 
  
• Sleep.
• Meditate and reflect.
• Fiddle with creative materials.
• Garden or grow plants.
• Allow daydreaming.
• Take a week off. Plan a trip to somewhere new.
• Enjoy people. Nurture your relationships.
• Play (define "play" as you will).
• Write in a different place—your car, the coffee shop, Wal-Mart, a B&B or hotel—a change of scenery can do wonders.
• Set a date with friends. Or schedule a zoom chat with your close writer friends.
• Take or audit a class about a topic that intrigues you.

Some of these may be difficult right now (mid-to-late pandemic, as I write this) and we must find new and exciting ways to maintain creativity. How can you change up some of the ideas above but still be socially distant and safe?

The more we open ourselves up to new experiences, be they virtual or in person, the more these experiences will add to our depth of ideas and creative juices, so essential for our writing.

Which of the ideas above do you want to put into practice?

[Journal your thoughts. Or, share them in the comments below.]

What other ideas do you have to nurture creativity?

[Journal your thoughts. Or, share them in the comments below.]

Up Next: Let's Talk Craft.

For more articles on writing, search the hashtags #microworkshop or #writepath within this blog.