How To Get Those Creative Juices Flowing
In the creative world that it is today, the freelance world is only going to get bigger and I have recently joined in. I have been addicted to words since 1988 but I have tried to push back such desires for fear of failure and/or rejection. I have always been the shy girl at the back of the class, (okay maybe not back maybe middle). My mind was always wandering elsewhere and I was never focused on one single thing. I’ve always felt judged or misrepresented and this is the reason why my self esteem levels are just non-existent. Anyway.. back to topic.
I have been working as a freelance writer and as I was doing an assignment I completely froze to the task. I got frustrated and my thoughts were all over the place. I was rendered speechless as I was staring into a word document that was absolutely empty. I was in a creative rut and I couldn’t get out. Of course basking in its presence is never the solution so I really needed to get out and give other things (other than thinking) a try.
When you’re a writer you need a topic. Of course this is where you begin but no topic could kick rut’s ass I was still held captive. So what did I do?
I went wireless. – Of course it’s possible. For 3 hours I shut everything down. Phone, iPad, Laptop, TV, radio. Whatever. I shut it down. I spent the afternoon in the park and only brought a pen and a paper. In a world where technology is changing every second, we forget that these are merely material things that these things shouldn’t be our lifelines. Anyway, I just took the silence in (or the noise) and just tried to look past the deadlines and the words that were afraid to take a step forward. Anyway the “going wireless” thing did kind of seem like a breath of fresh air.
Map your ideas. – I had no ideas but I knew the topic and I had words in my head. Well, I do have a brain and my brain had a ton of words I just didn’t know how to construct the words I had and form them into sentences. *duuud* I was at a complete loss. You know those concept maps teachers assign to their students?? Turns out, it actually helps. It gets your mind organized and it places you in a position of progress.
Sing. Dance. Listen. – Whatever it is you wanna do. I mean I’m all for singing in the room and going crazy with your hairbrush but if its not your thing, then its not. I for one try to find good music I can listen to. I don’t usually succeed I end up listening to these hard core metal freaks that go insane on video but once in awhile (and i mean ONCE IN A WHILE) I find bands that make all the crazy okay and worth it so it kinda is refreshing and I feel like somehow I’ve accomplished something completely unreal.
After that I actually came out of it. I opened a word document and started typing away. Of course one swooosh of words formed is not the pathway to success that best way to be truly aware of your words is re-writing and re-writing and re-writing.
The thing is we all have different things that make our minds go “boom”. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t find the right words instantly or the right amount of light doesn’t come through that it f**ks the photo up. Remember, you have 15,0000000 bajillionnn chances to screw it all up which means you also have as many chances to make it sing. An article, a novel, a story is composed of a lot of sentences and each one can’t be all “hallelujah-poetry”. Know how to create the right kind of creation that suits you to your very bone and that is completely you.
We live in a world that fuels on creativity. Create what you can, create what you love and believe in it. At the end of the day if you don’t believe in the work you yourself made, its not even worth it.
You can read more from Madon Padilla on her blog.