2 Things I Do That Increase My Creative Output

I believe creative work is a dance. I think you have to show up with regular discipline, but I think something else has to show up too. Creativity, despite what so many motivational writers say, can’t be forced.

When we create we dance with something mysterious, perhaps subconscious and perhaps spiritual, but regardless, we are only one person dancing in a two-entity concoction.

So, how do we control the other entity? How do we make the words or the images of the sermon or the music show up? We don’t.

But here are two tricks I’ve learned that greatly increase my chances of being in the same place at the same time with an idea that wants to dance.

First: I write where the wind is blowing.

What this means is when I sit down to write, I work on what wants to be written rather than what I’m supposed to be writing. Your subconscious doesn’t want to be controlled; it wants to play. And when you guide that play, you end up looking like a genius.

I may be halfway through chapter 5, but if I’m not feeling it, I don’t force it. But I write all the same.

I sit and think about what I want to write, and often it’s another chapter. I start chapter 17, the one about my friend’s new car … or whatever. And that usually flows. I know sooner or later I’ll come back to chapter 5 and the book will fall into place.

So if you’re a pastor, maybe you’ll sit down to work on your sermon and end up writing your weekly newsletter article. The sermon may strike you after lunch or something, but the newsletter article is where the wind is blowing.

I promise, go with the wind.

The work will be inspired.

You may say, “Wait, I have to get my sermon done,” and that really stinks. If you force it, it’ll likely be a boring sermon but that’s true, you have to get it done. Still, your subconscious has this strange way of knowing what really needs to get done and what can wait or even be skipped. If you never really want to write your sermon, you might consider a career change. No kidding. Your creative side is guiding you somewhere. Go with it.

Regardless, what you find when you write where the wind is blowing is you tend to do your best work because the words are organic and real and inspired.

Second: I write in the morning.

Creativity plays best, for most of us, in the morning. The longer I wait in the day, the less of a chance the words will be their best.

I don’t always make it happen. But when my writing session starts getting later and later in the day, my days get more stressful. I can’t feel good about the day until I’ve written. So why not write first thing? It only makes sense.

Also, scientists have now proven our mental capacity decreases as the day goes on. Get your creative work done in the morning and you’ll have much more success and not have to feel guilty for hours and hours while you’re putting off your important work.

Those two tips alone get me thousands of stress-free words each week. They’re two of the best tips I know.

2 Things I Do That Increase My Creative Output is a post from: Storyline Blog