Hannah Quinn

I Want to be Creative but Don't Know How



Posted: Saturday, April 19, 2008

by Hannah Quinn
Too-Write! Professional Services

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE CREATIVE BUT JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START?

We often think creativity comes naturally. For the most part, it does. The trouble is we lose our ability as we get older, get busier and have to be more practical. It is also something we lose if we don't practice. Once we start being creative, we get to be more creative.

I've always been a naturally creative person, but when I'm really busy, tired, unwell, or exhausted from being too creative without a break, then I feel as though I've never been nor ever will be creative.

There are times when I'm writing, that I get deeply involved and hours go by, and sometimes that means many hours. I can start writing before breakfast and then realize it is dark! This happens when I'm writing novels or scripts. I get very involved with the characters and they keep giving me ideas and insights into their lives which keep me rolling along.

This article is the intellectual property of Hannah Quinn and is protected under International and Australian Copyright and Moral Rights Laws. Please contact the author for reprint permission.

Of course, some might say I'm avoiding the 'real' world, but when I'm writing, it is a real world. I've been known to laugh out loud, cry, converse, sing, growl at and otherwise show intense involvement in my work! If you ever get caught talking to yourself, just claim you are 'writing and developing character' - it works every time!

But enough about me. Here are ten tips on recharging or (re)finding your creativity.

  • You need energetic to be creative. So start by increasing your oxygen levels. Stretching, deep breathing, walking, flexing and stepping outside are good ways to give some immediate oxygen to your flagging creative energy. Of course, if you are inclined, a good aerobic workout is excellent. General fitness provides 'oodles' of creativity.

  • You need variety. Sitting in the one place doing the same thing over and over will deplete anyone. Your muscles are meant to move, not set in place. Even if what you are doing is something creative, you need to keep the blood flowing. As well as movement, changes of scenery help enormously. Working outside if the weather permits is wonderful. This is an easy one to accomplish for writers with either a laptop or a pad and pen. I often head off to the local cafe for a coffee. It's amazing how much writing or problem solving I can accomplish just be stepping out of my office for half an hour.

  • It's also important to have variety in what you do, where you go, who you mix with and what you take interest in. If you have a full and rounded experience of your own life, in whatever way you are inclined, it will recharge your creativity constantly and be a boon for ideas. If you spend most of your time with others, though, find some time to just be alone.

  • Rest your mind. We can get very clinical, practical, driven, logical, and factually overwhelmed most of the time, which douses creativity like water on a campfire. Meditation and visualization, or just some good old daydreaming will send your mind on a wonderful journey of scenes and situations and ideas.

  • Take time out. Do something you don't normally do, and especially don't have to do. A walk in the park, a game of tennis or golf, a swim, going to the pictures, curling up with a good book, looking through an old photo album are all good ways to take some time out from your everyday have-tos. So is spending time with your loved ones and friends.

  • Whatever your creative interest is, join a group of like minded people or take a class. The amount of positive creative energy you will get from this is terrific - plus you will make some good friends.

  • If you don't know what your creative interest is, or you just can't muster up any interest in an old interest, experiment and explore. The opportunities are endless. Don't sign up to something very expensive or buy a grand piano on a whim - obviously - but joining a club or looking for classes at a local center can be both cheap and rewarding.

  • Moving from one creative pursuit to another is often energizing. I like to write more than one thing at once, but not of the same type. I like to have a novel and a play on the go at once, or a poem and a short story, or an article and review, for example. When one starts to 'dry up', I switch to the other and suddenly ideas for the first one come flooding in. (Go figure!)

  • Loosen up. When we are tense, and focused on being a 'grown up', we can lose contact with our creativity, or it only goes to problem-solving daily doings not artistic or pleasurable ones.

  • And finally, stop telling yourself you aren't creative. Did you play as a child? Then you are creative!

    • If you've never played a musical instrument, learning one can be the best fun, both energizing and mind-clearing. You don't have to create the music itself, or the lyrics, or even have lyrics. Your interpretation and interaction with the music is what counts and it can be a wonderful source of creativity in other areas.

    Watch out for my coming article on How to Blast Through Writer's Block.

    © Hannah Quinn 2008

    Hannah Quinn is an Australian author with a variety of national awards, produced plays and public readings to her credit. Novels and plays are her main focus when writing, but she also loves writing articles, short stories, ebooks, poetry and ballads. She is currently working on her fifth novel 'Olivia's Breath'.

    Hannah co-owns Too-Write! an editing and professional writing service, specialising in resumes/CVs, including answering Selection Criteria, tertiary assignments and business writing. We also provide a quality service in logo and stationery design.

    Hannah's writing blog is full of tips and techniques plus samples of her books and plays. The link is http://hannahquinn.wordpress.com Hannah is also on Twitter @nannahannah and Facebook.

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    Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)
    » left by Susan Thom
     4 years 28 days ago.
    179 fans.
    hi hannah, this was a very interesting, well written article with great tips that i think we all could use at one time or another. thanks for providing them, best regards, sue thom
    » left by 4 years 28 days ago.
    Sue, Thanks for taking the time to read my article. I always appreciate your comments. I think we sometimes lose touch with 'wonder' and 'imagination' as we get further from childhood - but they lead to creativity and are what makes life 'wonderful' and can help soothe much of the rest. Hmm, think I feel another article coming on! Cheers, Hannah ps: Is there anything as satisfying as something you've created? Well, probably, but creativity is way up there! :)
    » left by Teresa Ortiz
     4 years 28 days ago.
    188 fans.
    Hi Hannah, thank you for all the helpful tips. I will use them. This was well written. Thanks again. Blessings to you! Teresa
    » left by 4 years 28 days ago.
    Teresa, Thank you for taking the time to read my article. I appreciate your comments. As writers, we are creative no matter what we are writing but when I teach writing, some students, especially the older women, know they have things to write about but don't think they are creative. That's usually where the first lesson starts! Cheers, Hannah
    » left by Jennifer Cuddy
     4 years 28 days ago.
    41 fans.
    well done! you know, i often write at night when there are no distractions. i'm so meticulous when it comes to my novel, though. for example, i'm stuck on chapter 12 with so many avenues to choose from. of course, it has to be the right one. most of my writing is done very quickly, as it is inspired. not that my novel is not. it's just that i want it to be excellent, and there is so much work involved in novel writing; i.e, character development, dialogue, themes, insights, descriptions, and even poetry. and there's the editing, and rewrites.. finally, i have found your name to add you on in my fan club. before, you must have responded, but your name was not highlighted. good to know where i may find you now! :)
    » left by 4 years 27 days ago.
    Jennifer, I love writing at night - as well as no distractions, it has the right 'mood' about it, writing into the wee hours. My advice about being 'stuck' at chapter 12 is forget about your novel being 'right' and just write it. Go with your gut instinct down one of those avenues. They will all be right in their own way and the plot will develop accordingly. You can change things after the writing is done. Another way to overcome being stuck is to jump ahead and write another chapter altogether, maybe even the final chapter. I know a number of writers who write their book and only when it is finished do they write the first chapter, and of them, quite a few write the last chapter first. It doesn't matter how you write it, as long as you write it. I'm in the middle of an article on overcoming 'block' so I'll have quite a few other suggestions there. It should be ready in the next couple of days - provided I don't get 'stuck' of course. Cheers, Hannah
    » left by Sandra E. Graham
    from Paragould, Arkansas, USA     4 years 27 days ago.
    247 fans.
    Hear, hear! Great article, Hannah. Some great ideas. I too spend a lot of time either writing or reading---I love both. But sometimes I just have to get up and walk away from it for awhile. Usually I just take a walk outside and walk around the yard looking at the trees and grass and birds (now that it's spring and much warmer). It gives my brain a chance to re-charge. Wonderful article. SEG
    » left by Hannah Quinn 4 years 25 days ago.
    45 fans.
    Sandra, Thank you very much for reading my article and leaving some great feedback. I think getting outside is one of the most refreshing things to do no matter what we are doing, but especially for being creative. I love to read and write outside, but sometimes my dogs have to go inside or I don't get any peace! lol Thanks, too, for joining my fan club! Cheers, Hannah
    » left by e
     4 years 26 days ago.
    132 fans.
    Great article to raise consciousness, Hannah. Of course, creativity is, when thought is absent, and the one trying to be creative is but a myriad of thought and memeory constructions. The ultimate creativity is "no-self" awareness. This is what meditation is all about, watching thought, letting go of thought. Best...........e
    » left by Hannah Quinn 4 years 25 days ago.
    45 fans.
    e, Thanks for taking the time to read my article and leave a comment. I think the more we can 'leave' the day behind - for a time - the healthier and more lively is our creativity. I'm still practicing my walking meditation, btw. I still seem to automatically include qigong breathing in it. I have a wonderful cd for tai chi exercises but unfortunately it's in another state at the moment - or I am - but once I get home, I will use that too because it helps me focus on what I'm doing instead of having to 'bring my mind back'. And I'm going to upload it onto my notebook so I have it with me when I travel interstate on business! cheers, Hannah
    » left by Anonymous 1 year 78 days ago.
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