10 WAYS TO GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

Grace Olumayowa Aideloje 
Sometimes I can’t just light up my writing fire. The deadlines are deadly close. Yet the ideas swim lazily in my muddled mind. I strike the match. Put it to the wick. They touch. I expect the flame to kindle. It doesn’t. I rack and delve, but can’t get through the first sentence. I squeeze my eyes in frustration. It’s like getting juice out of a dry orange. If you are a writer, you know what I’m talking about.

One of our struggles is getting the creative juices flowing especially when we need them most. Here are ten proven ways to break the block, light the candle and keep the creative juices gushing most of the time, if not all the time.

1.        Keep an Idea Diary or Journal.

Almost anything can trigger creative ideas anywhere, anytime. You must write down all ideas that come to you. You never can tell when you will need them.

2.      Write about the familiar.

It is easy to write about things you know, things you enjoy and things that come naturally to you.

3.      Take time out every day.

Every writer needs brief solitary periods of rest and quiet to unclutter the mind, relax and think.

4.      Consider your experiences.

Writers write out of the abundance of their daily experiences. Bring your past and present encounters to mind. Relive them. Evaluate them. Analyze them. It won’t be long before you start writing pages.

5.      Discover what inspires you.

Knowing yourself and what works for you is essential. Some writers are fired up by reading other people’s works, some by watching a movie or taking a walk. What inspires you? Do it always.

6.      Create your own workspace.

Apart from setting up a place conducive to writing, you should identify things that aid you and make them part of your workplace. A painting, soft music, white wall, nature; whatever makes you feel like writing. I like to write sitting at my office desk. What’s your best writing spot? Your garden, a library or the old chair by the window?

7.      Break away from routine.

Do something unusual from your daily schedule. Take a trip or an adventure. Visit an orphanage or a farm market. The unusual gingers up creativity.

8.      Take on some writing challenge.

It makes a demand on your intellect and creativity. Get involved in a writing competition or take on a job with a tight deadline.

9.      Join a writers’ group.

Nothing stimulates creativity in a writer better than rubbing minds with like-minded writers. Get into a critique group or just a chat over coffee and cookies can set the juices flowing. The Christian WAR Forum is a good one to join.

10.   Attend a writers’ conference.

That’s one of the best places to go for a rich dose of creativity apart from honing your writing skills and networking.

Creativity is the fuel that keeps your writing going. It is a risk to run low on it. Keep your creative tank full of juices and write on!

©2012 PenParables

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