How do you inspire creativity?

[Ambergold]

At the moment I'm trying to write a book, I say trying because I've gotten three quarters of the way through and reached a blank. To resolve this I've taken time out, written a schedule to help motivate, gone for walks for a change in scenery, cried in front of computer (I know I was miscreating, but I was at my wits end) I've done as much as I can to get my creative juices flowing, but nada – zip. I know my problem isn't unusual and I have experienced it before, but never as bad as this. I think I can trace it back to when I went on a writers forum. I put some of my work up for analysis and some FM's who weren't exactly kind about it. Now afterwards the logical side of me said 'so what, its their opinion' but I guess part of me must have held onto the criticism because I couldn't get my fingers to move. Yet my work has been criticised and praised before so why it affected me that time I've no idea. Hey, maybe its nothing to do with that, maybe its fear based. Anyway, I digress, anyone with ideas on how to get creativity flowing again. Thanks in advance.

[Christian223]

This link goes to another forum, but im sure it will help you as it helped me, good luck.

How to create with passion and high motivation?

[Ambergold]

Thank you Christian, I'll look into it.

[Carl Carlson IV]

A lot of people trying to be creative turn to drugs for their mind power.

[YazKMan]

My advice would be to take a few days off to recharge your mind. Don't think about writing at all for those days and just go out and experience something new that you've never done before. The more it gets you out of your comfort zone the better.

That's my advice at least

[Brutha]

Do you write Fiction or non-Fiction?

[Danyelle]

I just wanted to chime in with KUDOS to you for being 3/4ths through a book!
Sorry I have no helpful tips.

[Mitalp]

Write about something else. Don't force it, the more you try to write the harder it will be. Just except that your having writers block and wait for it to come back. Put your mind somewhere else. Smoke some pot.

[Old Soul]

ok here is what works for me

1) if there is no inspiration at all....... go back and read and re read somethings that you have wrote, ask yourself what you were thinking at the time of writing what you have written

ask yourself what you could have written instead and why ? what would have made it better


If this fails to get your brain kicked into overdrive........ still the mind entirely and do a puzzle , you will be still and free flowing thoughts can come through

good luck!

[Ambergold]

Thank you all for your advice and input, it's greatly appreciated.
I'm writing fiction; its something I've wanted to do for a while now and a year ago I decided to just go for it. I have to admit I fluctuate between thinking 'what am I doing?' and 'this is all I want to do' so it hasn't been easy.

I do think old souls is onto something. That if I re-read the parts of my book where I felt inspired, I could reconnect to those feeling again. Even thinking about how it was when I first started writing, makes me feel more uplifted. Oh and Mitlap, your right the harder I try the less it happens so I do seriously need to chill out.

[jamestl2]

I also received some advice on this thread, which could pertain to writing a book:
What inspires you to write?

[Tayrak]

Hey, I've been exactly where you are now. I finished two books. 125 000 words! I couldn't believe it. I was so hyped-and I liked it what I wrote. I followed all the guidelines the publisher asked for and pushed it just like she said. I fired that puppy off and she turned me down-and told me very nicely that I wasn't cut out for that genre. Slump.
But I realize that she is absolutely right, it wasn't the right genre for me. It was still a blast and I think maybe she wasn't the right publisher for my book. (ya, you have to be a bit conceited) So, I'm off again. I find writing very hard, I am soo slow. But after I finish a scene that I like nothing feels better. As for crit groups, I don't deal with those anymore. It was great when I started and didn't know what plotting was but after that I got so much grief I quit group after group. Crit groups are only as good as the good they do you.
Go back to writing because it excites you, just you. Worry about getting pubbed later. Yes you're scared, say it. Then forget it. Start writing any little thing just for fun. Before you know it it will turn into a story.
Oh and by the way NaNo WriMo starts soon!. If you haven't tried this it's insanity. Starts Nov 1. Has to be a fresh start. I'm joining, we can be buddies.

Tayrak

[Ambergold]

Originally Posted by Tayrak

Hey, I've been exactly where you are now. I finished two books. 125 000 words! I couldn't believe it. I was so hyped-and I liked it what I wrote. I followed all the guidelines the publisher asked for and pushed it just like she said. I fired that puppy off and she turned me down-and told me very nicely that I wasn't cut out for that genre. Slump.
But I realize that she is absolutely right, it wasn't the right genre for me. It was still a blast and I think maybe she wasn't the right publisher for my book. (ya, you have to be a bit conceited) So, I'm off again. I find writing very hard, I am soo slow. But after I finish a scene that I like nothing feels better. As for crit groups, I don't deal with those anymore. It was great when I started and didn't know what plotting was but after that I got so much grief I quit group after group. Crit groups are only as good as the good they do you.
Go back to writing because it excites you, just you. Worry about getting pubbed later. Yes you're scared, say it. Then forget it. Start writing any little thing just for fun. Before you know it it will turn into a story.

Tayrak

Your right, sometimes those crit groups can do more harm than good. They had me second guessing myself at every word and that definitly kills creativity. I guess they can be useful at times, but I have to remember they're just giving opinion its not the gospel truth. And in regards to being conceited (or confident about your own abilities) I think that's essential in the writing gig, I could do with being a bit more like that. I am curious about this NaNo WriMo and when I look into it we can defintly be buddy's.
And James12 thanks for the link.

[justkira]

In the book A whole new mind, by Dan Pink will
a. motivate you to keep on writing.
b. give you a variety of exercises to unleash creativity.

and if you're interested it also explains a) and b)
good luck!

kira

PS Are you posting pieces of your book on a blog so people can comment on it? this might inspire you too and help you to write a better book...

[Tayrak]

Ambergold I am definetely in. See you there.

[Kaspian]

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is a great book for helping you get unstuck and be creative.

[coberst]

I think that the road to creativity is to have studied many domains of knowledge. This is not a fast solution but I think it will pay off in the long run.

How to do this? I would say that you need to become a self-actualizing self-learner of disinterested knowledge.

I suspect journalists make good book authors because a journalist is constantly learning new stuff.

Disinterested knowledge is an intrinsic value. Disinterested knowledge is not a means but an end. It is knowledge I seek because I desire to know it. I mean the term ‘disinterested knowledge’ as similar to ‘pure research’, as compared to ‘applied research’. Pure research seeks to know truth unconnected to any specific application.

I think of the self-learner of disinterested knowledge as driven by curiosity and imagination to understand. The September Scholar seeks to ‘see’ and then to ‘grasp’ through intellection directed at understanding the self as well as the world. The knowledge and understanding that is sought by the September Scholar are determined only by personal motivations. It is noteworthy that disinterested knowledge is knowledge I am driven to acquire because it is of dominating interest to me. Because I have such an interest in this disinterested knowledge my adrenaline level rises in anticipation of my voyage of discovery.

We often use the metaphors of ‘seeing’ for knowing and ‘grasping’ for understanding. I think these metaphors significantly illuminate the difference between these two forms of intellection. We see much but grasp little. It takes great force to impel us to go beyond seeing to the point of grasping. The force driving us is the strong personal involvement we have to the question that guides our quest. I think it is this inclusion of self-fulfillment, as associated with the question, that makes self-learning so important.

The self-learner of disinterested knowledge is engaged in a single-minded search for understanding. The goal, grasping the ‘truth’, is generally of insignificant consequence in comparison to the single-minded search. Others must judge the value of the ‘truth’ discovered by the autodidactic. I suggest that truth, should it be of any universal value, will evolve in a biological fashion when a significant number of pursuers of disinterested knowledge engage in dialogue.

[rockycha]

When I'm stuck I do a couple of things. First, I eat a little chocolate or put cocoa in my coffee, it stimulates my neurotransmitters and buzzes my creative zone.

Another kind of odd thing that I do, is pull out a book that I have that is a collection of color graphic patterns - used in textiles, wallpapers, art, etc. Moving into the visual realm somehow helps me transpose more complexity into the written. (book: 361 Full-Color Allover Patterns for Artists and Craftspeople).

Then, I take a walk and talk to myself, carrying a notepad with me for when inspiration strikes. Glad to hear you're nearly done on your book! good work!