20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High

Home
>
Creativity
>
20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High

20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High

When stressed or blocked it is wise to make a change so that
we don't stay in that place. Yet, many times we forget some
of the simple things that we can do for ourselves, quickly
and easily to bring our inspiration back and increase our
creativity.

1. If you usually type your first drafts, hand write them.
Nothing compares to the feeling the ink melting into the
paper and the surge of that creative flow.

2. If you spend too much time at the computer, take a break
every hour. Go for a walk or just sit outside in the sun.
Even five minutes in a winter sun does wonders for a mood
and creativity.

3. Flip through magazines or books. Their colors and ideas
will give you sparks and switch your attitude. Blue and
green can reduce your stress levels by 30% or more.

4. Add strong smells to the room. Light scented candles
around you, visit the fruit isle at the grocery store, or go
to a store that is heavily scented. Find an orange or
strawberries and smell it. Both will change a mood or
create inspiration. Smells awaken your creativity. Smells
trigger memories and are a great method to rekindle stories
from the past.

5. Go see or rent an inspirational movie. Relaxation time
is important. You can even take your notebook and record
inspirational phases. Afterwards free write that those
phrases bring up from your subconscious.

6. Read a book that stirs you or sparks your creativity.
If you prefer, read poetry.

7. Look at bold and bright colors for a few minutes. These
change your mood.

8. Talk with a friend about your topic to flesh out ideas
and creativity. Record the conversation, with their
permission of course, and play it back to hear the little
nuances that you might have missed.

9. Write an e-mail to a friend to tell him or her what you
want to accomplish. If you are stuck, say so and ask for
help.

10. Check in with your vibrational energy and do something
to switch it into high gear. Take a shower. Go for a walk.
Turn on some music and dance naked for a few minutes.

11. Hire a virtual assistant to do some typing so that you
can stay focused on writing. You can fax your writing or
dictate it into the computer and send her a voice file for
transcription.

12. Go to church for the noon service or whisper a prayer
or two. This reconnects your energy with the universe and
replenishes what might be missing.

13. Complete an appreciation exercise. Pick something
around you, like the telephone, lamp, or pen. Talk to it
and tell it how much you appreciate having the electricity
to turn it on, the opportunity to write with a tool that has
the ink inside, not like a quill, or the softness of the
paper you write on. Be grateful for that you have and not
what you are missing. Or make a list of "count your
blessing" items.

14. Write a personal note to friends or family and tell
them how much you love them, appreciate their
thoughtfulness, or kindness.

15. Authentic, flat-out, raw laughter frees the psyche and
opens the creativity process.

16. Find a setting with lots of trees and flowers and feel
nature. If the weather permits, take off your shoes and
socks and feel the grass between your toes. Nature has a
way of freeing our spirit and renewing our soul.

17. If guilt or a passed incident has captured your mind,
write a "Dear Me" letter and ask yourself for forgiveness to
loosen it's grip and expand your freedom.

18. Are you use to writing in a quiet place? Find a
noisy place to write, like McDonald's or the mall. When
your space is noisy you will have to focus harder in order
to write with clarity.

19. Go for a quiet leisurely drive, listen to a favorite
CD. You can sing out of tune and no one will notice
(laughter aloud).

20. Do something nice for someone else that you wouldn't
normally do and be a gracious receiver of a hug.

That was exciting, wasn't it? Post this list in a
conspicuous place so that it is readily available when you
need it, right next to your writing area is best. Do one or
two of these daily and keep on writing. Your readers are
waiting to read your words.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing &
Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet
writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and
articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Atty. Gen. Mukasey collapses during speech (AP)

AP - Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the no-nonsense ally in President Bush's war on terror, was hospitalized Thursday after he collapsed during a late-night speech and lost consciousness.

Aides: Obama plans to nominate Clinton (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama plans to nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state after Thanksgiving, a new milestone for a former first lady and a convergence of two political forces who contested mightily for the presidency.

Most Asian markets rebound after Wall Street rout (AP)

AP - Most Asian markets rebounded Friday after days of sharp declines in stocks around the world as investors scooped up battered financial and technology shares.

Dems delay auto bailout vote, seek plan from Big 3 (AP)

AP - The $25 billion rescue plan for the auto industry, desperately sought by Detroit's beleaguered Big Three, collapsed Thursday as Congress drew the line at one more bailout and Democrats said they wouldn't even consider it until the companies produced a convincing plan for rebuilding their once-mighty industry.

China says 19,000 students died in May earthquake (AP)

AP - China acknowledged Friday for the first time that more than 19,000 schoolchildren were among the dead in the massive earthquake that struck Sichuan province in May.

Judge orders release of five terror suspects at Guantanamo (AP)

AP - A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release of five Algerians held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the continued detention of a sixth in a major blow to the Bush administration's strategy to keep terror suspects locked up without charges.

Report: Records search on Joe the Plumber improper (AP)

AP - An agency director improperly used state computers to find personal information on "Joe the Plumber," a government watchdog said in a report released Thursday.

Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise (AP)

AP - Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.

Cell phone in man's chest pocket stops bullet (AP)

AP - A man says his cell phone saved his life. A stray .45-caliber bullet hit R.J. Richard's chest while he was mowing the lawn hitting so hard he thought it was a stone kicked out by his tractor. He pulled out the phone. It fell apart.

Steelers defense controls Bengals in 27-10 win (AP)

AP - Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers know exactly how to beat the Cincinnati Bengals with or without Chad Ocho Cinco.

Recovery from crisis seen slow (Reuters)

Reuters - Signs of distress in the global economy mounted, with shares in U.S. bank Citigroup Inc plunging on fears about its future, oil prices falling and the future of U.S. automakers hanging in the balance.

Obama on track to name Clinton as top diplomat (Reuters)

Reuters - Retired Marine Gen. James Jones emerged as a leading contender for White House national security adviser as President-elect Barack Obama worked on Thursday to assemble his foreign policy team.

Democrats demand Big 3 offer survival plan (Reuters)

Reuters - Democratic congressional leaders, seeking to salvage a bailout of the Big Three automakers, demanded executives provide a business survival plan in exchange for their support of up to $25 billion in loans.

Baghdad locked down for U.S. troop pact protest (Reuters)

Reuters - Iraqi forces shut streets in Baghdad and placed snipers on rooftops on Friday before a protest by followers of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr against a pact allowing U.S. troops to remain for three more years.

Citigroup eyes options including merger (Reuters)

Reuters - Citigroup Inc lost more than one-quarter of its market value on growing worries over whether it has enough capital to withstand billions of dollars of potential losses and despite new support from its largest individual investor.

Verizon staff had unauthorized access to Obama's cell (Reuters)

Reuters - Verizon Wireless said on Thursday that some employees had gained unauthorized access and viewed a personal cell phone account held by President-elect Barack Obama that is now inactive.

Attorney General Mukasey vital signs strong after collapse (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey was "conscious, conversant and alert" at a local Washington hospital after collapsing while delivering a national security speech at a hotel, the U.S. Justice Department said late on Thursday.

Bush takes financial reform agenda to APEC forum (Reuters)

Reuters - George W. Bush makes his last scheduled trip abroad as U.S. president on Friday, heading to an Asia-Pacific summit where he will seek support for global financial reform and hold talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program.

UN raises DR Congo troop numbers to 20,000 (AFP)

AFP - The UN Security Council approved an extra 3,000 peacekeeping troops to help end conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where fresh fighting erupted earlier in the day.

Military 'only solution' to piracy, says tanker firm (AFP)

AFP - A more aggressive military approach is the only answer to an escalation of piracy off Somalia, the world's biggest oil tanker company said Friday.

20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High

Creativity Creativity