For me, there seems to be a direct correlation between how far I am from my computer and how quickly great ideas come. If I’m sitting in front of it, with nothing to do but write, ideas sort of dribble in at best. If I’m out somewhere, sans computer, without even a pen and a piece of paper, my thoughts are so brilliant they would put Lady Agatha to shame. Alas, keeping things in my head for long periods has gone the way of reading without glasses. When I return to the computer, the dazzling ideas are gone. There is, of course, always the possibility they weren’t that brilliant, but believing they were, encourages more.
The other time I find that ideas come easily is right after I crawl under the covers. When that happens, I have a dialogue with myself. “Come on, Jean, is the idea worth dragging yourself out of bed, finding your glasses, avoiding stepping on the cat, turning on a light and writing it down? Think about this. Is it going to sound as good in the morning?”
I figure the chances are fifty-fifty, so I drag myself out of bed, find my glasses, avoid the cat, and manage to write it down. Along with the possibility that the idea won’t sound as good in the morning, is the chance it will be impossible to read. Many mornings I’ve looked at my scribbles and didn’t have a clue what I wrote. Then I can say, “Damn, I know that was a really great idea.”
The thing about creativity is that we all have it. I know people deny that. “I haven’t got a creative bone in my body!” they argue. Well, your bones aren’t supposed to be creative. It’s your mind producing those wonderful ideas. Allow yourself the luxury of silence. The peace that comes with quiet breeds creative thinking.
If you live in a large city, the chances are good that silence is at a premium. You need to find a quiet place and if that’s not possible, you need to create it. Put those headphones to good use and block out the noise instead of inviting it in. Libraries are still good places to find quiet if you can get far enough away from the cache of always busy computers.
Don’t get caught up in thinking. Our thoughts are not unique. As humans, we have basic needs and desires that form most of our thoughts. It’s where we go with those thoughts and the great thing is that there is no limit to where we can go. Start writing. Don’t pay attention to grammar, or structure. Don’t think about writing a great novel or poem. Let the thoughts out so you can work with them. I’ve spent my entire life wading through scraps of paper that hold little snippets of ideas yearning to grow and change.
The answer to when are you creative is easy-when you allow yourself to create.