5 Ways to Unlock Your Creativity
And how it makes you a better writer.
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Saturday Night Live writers spend hours of sleepless nights coming up with new ideas every week.
They write it. Submit it. And hope that audiences think it’s funny.
That’s how creativity works. We give ourselves constraints so we can do our best work. We put pressure on ourselves. We’re trying to capture creativity.
Unlocking your creativity is about unlocking your process for finding your creativity. It helps you tell better stories.
When you master the creative process, you’ll master finding creative ideas.
1. Take Things Away
If you want to be more creative, try taking things away. Force yourself to write in a room with minimal distractions. Put your phone in another room.
Give yourself a timer. Sit at the same desk. Make it a ritual and make it minimal. See what ideas you force yourself to come up with.
2. Revisit Your Inspiration
One of my favorite things to do as a writer is to revisit what inspires me.
I enjoy reading my favorite articles and watching my favorite movies and shows. It reminds me of what I love. I have to remind myself why I love what I do.
We all need reminders to help us refocus. Remind yourselves of your “why.”
3. Evaluate Your Material
Creativity is about connecting ideas.
Evaluating your materials over and over again helps you see something new. Look at unique angles. Look at the facts. Look at what ideas you haven’t connected.
This is part of James Webbs’ technique for producing new creative ideas.
4. Avoid Overworking the Problem
As you review the material, it’s important that you don’t exhaust yourself.
Your brain needs a break. Take a walk. Watch a movie. Do something that helps your mind escape.
You’ll feel re-energized when you come back to the problem,
