10 Things to inspire creativity
Hello there,
As I’m away this week I thought I’d make this a quickie newsletter but it seems compiling ten things takes a lot longer than you’d expect. Probably because getting 10 ideas together makes the brain work.
Anyway, I hope there are some things in this list that you’ve tried and I hope there are some that you’ve not and will give a go.
10 Things to inspire creativity
1. Doodling
Liz Pichon, author of Tom Gates, gave one of the best Hay Festival talks. She had everyone - adults included - doodling throughout. And then talked about how she ended up writing the book and getting it published. It all started with a scrapbook that she built for her idea of the story. Doodles turned to characters, turned to words. She also creates a book a year, which is an impressive creative output.
It’s thought that doodling is a way to unlock our creativity as it can come from our subconscious. Go get some doodling inspo from Amy Nolan and pick up your pens.
2. People watching
There is nothing quite like having no tech, no pen and no paper near you to come up with a good idea. And there is definitely nothing quite like people watching or listening in to a stranger’s conversations to find some little gems of creativity.
While it’s not fully understood, it’s thought that letting your mind purposefully wander over to what others are doing is a great boost to your own creativity.
Plonk yourself down in a busy cafe, shopping centre or take some public transport and pick up on what others are saying and doing. It’ll definitely give you a chuckle and will help you feel creative.
3. Get properly outdoors
Nature has inspired artists for centuries. I went on a family trip to Brimham Rocks at the weekend and was impressed by how these ancient rock formations inspired the works of both Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.
You don’t need to go and tree-bathe to feel inspired. Simply head to your nearest woodland for a walk. And it’ll be a bonus if you go off the beaten track to where you’re not likely to bump into loads of other people unless you want to double up and do people-watching in nature. Although seeing the face of someone get up a massive hill when they’re not used to it is always worth a trip out.
4. Check out your library
Librarians are brilliant people who curate the right choice of books for people in their area. I’m lucky that my local library has a feminist librarian who makes book displays of pretty much everything I want to read right near the kid’s section.
But wandering around the library and seeing the wealth of knowledge and the array of topics that get published is hugely inspiring. Bonus points if you go visit a library in a beautiful listed building. Both Muswell Hill and Highgate libraries in London are housed in stunning buildings.
Of course, a trip to the British Library is always a kick-start for creativity and they usually have free displays available to look around.
You can also visit a pretty bookshop but you’re freer to roam at length in a library and if you do feel taken with an idea, there is space to sit and write.
5. Get creative buddies
I touched on this a couple of weeks ago. Having a network of creative people around you can help bounce ideas. It doesn’t have to be people in your local area (although my co-working space is brilliant for this) but can also be folks you meet online.
Conversations with these people will help inspire you but you can also go to them to check if your idea is worth your time or not.
6. Do a different activity
Our lives can be pretty routine. We do the same things, have long-term hobbies and go to the same places. Taking yourself out of this routine can spark curiosity with something shiny and new. Like taking a little brain holiday.
Find something that you’ve not tried before and will challenge you. While you’re busy using your brain to learn a new skill, you’ll feel a burst of creativity.
Take that screen-printing class, do that rock-climbing taster, or go sample that wine. When you take yourself out of your normal routine, you’ll find more sparks of creativity as a result.
7. Break the rules
I can still remember the moment I found out that a piece of writing didn’t need to start at the beginning and end at the end. That, instead, you could write any part of it first. Or cut the whole lot up and rearrange it.
The same is true for any medium. I was looking at a workshop on watercoolers and the description said the artist draws with the paints rather than paints them. That had never occurred to me before.
So if you’ve always approached creativity a certain way, try doing it differently. Last week, I wrote this newsletter on a different writing app. It made me spot more things in it that I needed to add and change.
If you struggle to write social copy, blog or video script, make a list instead. Make that list a funny one. Turn it on its head and then see what happens.
8. Art galleries and museums
This is a pretty obvious one but if you can spare an afternoon or even a day to yourself (yes, I know this might be pretty impossible for you depending on your commitments), then mooching about a gallery or museum is always a valuable use of time.
On the rare occasions that I find myself with some glorious alone time in a city, then I’ll gravitate to the nearest art gallery, wander around and wonder at how people found the courage and inspiration to create such work.
9. Read
You can’t go far wrong than picking up a copy of either The Right to Write or The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I also found Sian Meades-Williams The Pyjama Myth helpful (FYI this is targeted at freelance writers but is packed full of how to turn ideas into something).
If you’re prowling about at your local library for creative inspiration (see point 4), head to the business section and see what other books they have. Plus, libraries also have audiobooks for hire.
If anyone wants a list of great books to make their way through, let me know and I’ll send you some. It’s hard to recommend here in case you’re not interested in a load of books about writing.
10. Stick on your headphones
There is nothing quite like getting lost in the soundtrack of your day. Or doing some mundane task, like nipping to the shops and discovering everyone is moving to the beat of your music.
It’s like getting a little creative top-up in the gaps of your day. Personally, I do all the cleaning with headphones in. Drives the rest of the family mad as I can’t hear them ask questions but doing those boring jobs can take you out of yourself and help you create new worlds.
It doesn’t always need to be music, either. I have a set of podcasts that I listen to on my walk to the office once a week. And when I arrive, I’m ready for the day.
Submersing yourself into a different sound takes you out of yourself for a moment in the day. And this is something you can do no matter how busy you are with work or other pulls on your time.
Ready to get creative?
What you’ll not find on this list is having an internet pootle because it can risk wasting time with doom scrolling, or journalling. Journalling is great for creative inspiration but I’ve talked about this a lot and I wanted to give you some new ideas.
I should also add that not everything on this list will appeal to you. You might have even eye-rolled a couple and that’s okay. Creativity is personal. And pulling it out of yourself can sometimes be a struggle. What I hope is that you can see there are opportunities for creativity even when you have very little time in the day, just as having too much time can stifle that inspiration.
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As you read this, I’m stood in a field in the Brecon Beacons possibly watching a band but more likely in the kids' area inside the arts and crafts tent.
Have a great weekend, whatever you’re doing and I’ll see you next Thursday.
Fiona