You don’t have to wait for your creative muse to strike

Inspiration and creativity can strike when you least expect it. The important thing is to strike back when it hits you. This means getting ready to take note of what your mind is telling you. Cirilo Bautista, a Filipino poet, claimed that on most occasions, he would just wake in the middle of the night as an idea materialized, telling him to get up and write. But not all of us have that kind of intrusive muse. Most of us are having trouble crafting a story or how to provide continuity to what we have written. Some call it writer’s block. To prevent this, condition your imagination to rearrange or improve anything that you see. Imagine a faster jet, a cleaner city, or a more efficient Department of Motor Vehicles. An active imagination can stimulate inspiration.

Now don’t go around thinking that you only need creative imagination to become a better creative writer or to solve your writer’s block. Theory and practice must go together. That’s the rule. Throw in these three tips to help you further:

1) Think from someone else’s point of view. I saw an episode of Conan where a young girl lamented that she couldn’t get the idea of softball. She asked Conan why they call it softball when it hurts during a game of dodge ball. Fascinated by the girl’s observation, Conan says that it was a classic Seinfeld routine and jokingly offered the girl a ten-minute stand-up comedy appearance on his show.

Looking at the world from the way others see it gives you a wider perspective. An elderly person, as another example, who has lived a fruitful life would have plenty of wisdom to impart to the young when it comes to dealing with life. As a writer, you can learn from different perspectives.

2) Ask “what if” questions in your head. What if the top general of Iran wasn’t assassinated? What if Kurt Cobain didn’t commit suicide? What if the Internet was never invented? Answers to these questions can create different avenues of alternative possibilities that you can use to fine-tune new ideas that no one has thought of before. You can choose to practice with “Do I have to?” questions as well: Do I have to eat vegetables? Do I have to make friends with my ex?

3) Do random storytelling. Remember how Dale Carnegie came up with the idea of thinking on your feet? It’s the same with random storytelling. In some creative writing workshops, the facilitator will ask participants to look for five objects and to make a story that involves connecting those objects. You can do this at home or anywhere. Pick random objects and use them for a story.

These techniques may seem challenging for most, but if they become habitual, it becomes part of your routine as a creative writer. Of course, other creative imagination exercises are available and they don’t cost anything. These brain exercises help to keep your neurons active. Now that’s another benefit.