Comments on: How to Make Sure You’re Functioning At Your Creative Best

By: NJS

NJS — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:27:15 +0000

I’ve contemplated getting a water-proof notebook and pencil for in the shower. It’s frustrating to think of so many things and have no way to record them.

This is also a great argument for leaving kids (and people in general) some unstructured or daydreaming time.

By: Ana Goncalves

Ana Goncalves — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:48:53 +0000

Great Post!
Interestingly that’s how I post my own entries. I am spontaneous everytime I create an entry, but at the same time deliberate to the point I know I know I’d like to share it with everyone so I make it a standard process to upload it straight away, and stick by this flow in the moment.

By: Kid In The Front Row

Kid In The Front Row — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:19:56 +0000

I’ve always known this, and always operated with the knowledge of these two states. Am not sure if I’m particularly self-aware, or if all writers instinctively know these things.

Either way, I’ve not really read about these two states before – so it was great to read this. Thank you!

By: Tracey

Tracey — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:52:48 +0000

Great post. I wish i could tap into my creative side more often. Usually I try to look at things like a kid would, and find I have an easier time being creative. That or I watch a movie or listening to music that helps me slip into a creative state. And if that doesn’t work, going out in nature usually calms me and gets my creative ideas flowing.

By: Nora - The Professional Hobo

Nora - The Professional Hobo — Wed, 12 May 2010 09:15:23 +0000

I’d be lost without my idea journal. I regularly come up with awesome ideas in unlikely places…and I always have something to write them down. I’m trying to get into the digital age with my iTouch, but somehow the good old fashioned paper journal seems to prevail.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 12 May 2010 07:33:36 +0000

Umm! Lately I’ve found myself getting up from the computer with my articles already written.

It’s all happens unconsciously.

I don’t know how it happened but a switch was triggered inside my brain and now writing is effortless. The ideas fall onto the page. Is research required? Yes. But even that’s happening spontaneously.

Which is cool.

By: Mary Klest

Mary Klest — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:16:32 +0000

I keep an idea journal. It’s a good discipline for all writers. The TV show “House” provides good examples of these brain states. The cure doesn’t come while in meetings but during everyday occurrences that trigger a thought linking to something relevant.

By: Meg

Meg — Mon, 10 May 2010 21:12:26 +0000

I’ve been derided by some writer’s who’ve claimed I was either 1. a freak of nature, or 2. lying. I write in my sleep. It began with a determination to record and interpret dreams. Somewhere in the process I gained control and could direct my dreams (your first creativity mind set), while pulling freely from the subconscious ether of swirling ideas during free sleep.

The end result is a rich, unique solution to problem solving. It’s also a great way to free associate clues to find out, ‘who done it’.

As I head into sleep, I’ll focus on what scene I have coming up, or how to get my character out of the delimna I’ve placed them. Frequently by morning I’ll have it worked out in my head. I’ll spend the day with it perking on the back burner and after my normal work, I can sit down and write it out.

I’m glad to see proof that I’m either 1. not a freak of nature or 2. that there is proof that I am not lying!

Thanks for the reaffirmation! Meg

By: Aury (Thunderdrake)

Aury (Thunderdrake) — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:06:26 +0000

When it comes to creativity, he does seem to hit the nail on the head with the deliberate VS spontaneous pathway.

Which is probably why i find writing blog content exponentially easier for me than say… Trying to write a dark fantasy novel.

Undertaking both of them, I find that writing blog content is a lot easier when you have a deliberate mindset; one that solves problems.

On the other hand, the spontaneous pathway is where all that creative power comes from. I’ve been having the damnedest time trying to draw from this particular pathway. I can immerse myself into a lot of ideas, but it’s certainly easier said than done than to get them to manifest.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:29:46 +0000

My blog is only about 10 wks. old, but as soon as I began I found myself awake at 3am with ideas to write about. It can ruin your sleep, for sure! But those seem to be the most ‘inspired’ posts, I must admit. Now I keep a note pad on my night stand so I can jot ideas down and try to get back to sleep.

By: axel g

axel g — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:51:16 +0000

That’s an interesting topic!

How do you produce engaging content when you don’t feel 100%?

I believe we have to accept fluctuations.

You can always compensate by working harder whenever you’re at a high…

By: Jennifer Blanchard

Jennifer Blanchard — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:48:19 +0000

Great post. Very thought-provoking. I keep a Moleskine notebook on hand at all times. I travel with it, carry it with me all day and never let it get too far away from me. I find that my best ideas come randomly throughout my day…so keeping my notebook with me is the best way to ensure I capture every idea.

I like the suggestion of keeping track of when the ideas hit me…I’m going to give that a try this week!

By: Jewelry Assembly Chicks

Jewelry Assembly Chicks — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:34:53 +0000

So true! When I’m finished doing the “chores” of my work day, as soon as I relax, ideas come rushing in. I write everything down. I usually don’t have the cell with me. When I’m doing something for fun, I try to get a lesson out of it, always keeping the mind open to the possibilities because when I’m having fun, it does seem more ideas spontaneously flood the relaxed brain.

By: Antoniu

Antoniu — Mon, 10 May 2010 06:33:15 +0000

Many of my ideas for posts come as I’m laying in bed before falling asleep. For this reason, I always keep my phone close by so I can jot down the idea in Evernote and then access it on my computer in the morning.

By: Julius

Julius — Sun, 09 May 2010 20:27:38 +0000

This is very interesting. I think it’ll take a while before I can have this skill, but it’s worth the try. I’ll also start reading more about these creative brain states.

By: The Crazy Suburban Mom

The Crazy Suburban Mom — Sun, 09 May 2010 19:40:41 +0000

For me it doesn’t work that way. I decide on a topic and start writing – the creativity is in the editing.

I find when I’m done it’s not how I expected it to turn out, it’s much better.

I don’t find ideas just *pop* in, it happens but if I waited for that to happen I wouldn’t blog very often and I blog almost every day and have for a year. Sometimes more than once a day

By: Snake Control

Snake Control — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:58:59 +0000

I get most of my ideas while driving or while lying in bed trying to fall asleep. I’ve learned to carry a mini-digital recorder to capture them in the car. As for the bed I can only hope they are there in the morning.

By: Livia Blackburne

Livia Blackburne — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:40:40 +0000

Madeleine — great point about the sleep wake boundary. That happens to me too. Sleeping in general is good for promoting sudden insights. Although, I do notice that when I’m still sleepy, I come up with really whacky ideas too. One memorable one was when I woke up in the middle of the night and composed a romance scene for my novel with the super sexy sentence “His arm was so close that she could feel his arm hairs brush against her.” I seriously thought that was brilliant at the time! But then I woke up later and decided “maybe not” …

By: Madeleine

Madeleine — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:33:53 +0000

Livia, A really helpful post which confirms that sitting there staring at a blank monitor is not a good way to generate ideas. (That’s certainly consistent with my experience.)

But, like many of my fellow commenters, I’ve had good ideas or solutions to problems pop into my head while I was taking a shower or walking or riding the bus, mindlessly looking out the window.

The post also mentioned sleeping as part of the spontaneous pathway–but not the boundary between sleeping and waking. Some really good ideas come to me when I first wake up and lie there a few minutes without talking and without coffee. One time years ago the thought that came like that was a terrific solution to a huge problem I had, actually an epiphany.

By: Sherry Zander

Sherry Zander — Sun, 09 May 2010 15:18:43 +0000

Instead of pen and paper, I use my cell phone as my weapon of choice to combat the possibility of losing an idea. How do I do that? I leave myself a voicemail! If you’re like the majority of the free world, you always have your cell phone with you, anyway. May as well use it to its fullest potential.