Five ideas to spark creativity
Posted on February 5, 2007, by dazzer67, under creative exercises, inspiration, quick tips.
Many of us don’t sit around with paper and pad on the arm of our comfy chair waiting for a light bulb to appear above our heads, bringing the most amazing creative thought into being. Many of us, okay me, (but feel free to join in as I go along) often get frustrated that creative ideas, of any shape or form, never materialise or even threaten to appear.
With this in mind here are a few simple ideas to provoke an imaginative spark in your life that can be fanned into creative flames.
- Think in metaphor: Just like I did above, by describing the creative process as a fire. Thinking in metaphor allows the brain to make connections it doesn’t normally make, and new connections mean new ideas.
- Describe in another sense: We normally describe something we see by describing what it looks like. However, why not try describing an image by the sense of sound. Or a sound by the sense of smell. Again this will provoke your brain to go against its normal programming.
- Excessive use of adjectives and adverbs: This could well annoy those you are near very quickly, so perhaps put a time limit on it. Use adjectives and adverbs to ‘colour’ your language everytime you speak. You’ll notice how often you use the same few words, so try to think before you speak. This in itself will stop any automatic phrases being spoken.
- Imagine you are a famous artist: Take a few moments to imagine you are a famous creator. This could be any type: artist, author or musician. Now what are you going to create today as them? This can help you think in a different way to how you normally approach the creative process.
- Doodle design: Take a piece of paper and doodle on it, preferably without looking at what you are doing and definitely without thinking of what you are drawing. After a few seconds or minutes, look at what you have done and use it as the basis for creating something, perhaps a picture or piece of prose or even a song. This will force you to think about being creative and open up new creative connections.
Have fun, and may your days be creative.
2 Replies to "Five ideas to spark creativity"
Darren on March 18, 2007
Thanks for the ideas, wonderful and useful additions. I find the internet and blogging a great platform to explore creativity and personalities - hopefully mine isn’t too split 
And there is more of me out there too.
Found you via MyBlogLog whilst searching for creativity - very interesting.
Camille Crawford on March 17, 2007
I want to add to your list. I think this list is a great idea.
-don’t think…in fact stop thinking altogether.
-give up on trying to be creative altogether. just be yourself…don’t edit your impulses.
-be prepared to not make sense. accept it. don’t try to explain it.
-enjoy being foolish. the more foolish the better. this is the root of creativity.
-do something crazy. if it seems crazy to you, then it’s probably creative.
-don’t judge; yourself or others
-hang around creative people, on the internet, or in person. if you think they are creative, then those are the ones you want to be around. act like them, but be yourself.
-take chances. the bigger the risk involved, the more creative it’s likely to turn out. creativity is risk.
I’ve read three of your blogs. You have the most subtle sense of humour. Dry, leaning towards intelligence, but not quite committing to it. It’s like you have three caricatures that you are experimenting with, as you. All with your tone bleeding through, but addressed with different voices. They seem like experiments in reality tv, but instead, reality blogging, yet fabricated. Well possibly fabricated. I get a sense that there is some fabrication, but I’m not sure where. Interesting choices you’ve made in this mini theatre of life you have going.
Why did you end up reading my blog I wonder. How interesting….
Camille NOW