Have you ever started a creative writing project with great excitement, only to have your interest dwindle as the process, itself, interfere with your creativity? How do you keep the momentum going and continue to enjoy the creative process? Follow these tips for high creativity, fun and success!
1. Create a writing environment that inspires you.
Create a place in your home or outdoors that calls you to write. Consider light, color, sound, scent, taste, writing materials.
2. Follow The Artists Way, by Julia Cameron.
I highly recommend this book. It keeps you focused, observant, playful, and creative - and it keeps you believing in yourself as a writer!
3. Choose your writing project in a joyful way.
When choosing a writing project, come from your heart - not your head. Be playful. Be creative about how you choose your project.
4. Make a creative representation of the projects ideal end.
Draw, paint - use a creative medium other than writing to represent the completed project. Consider, especially, how you will feel when its done. Put your model in a prominent place. Use this to trigger the desired feeling, before the completion - every day!
5. Make a timeline with celebration points.
Make it visually appealing. Have a step-by-step outline and celebrate creatively as you complete each step.
6. Create an R&D Team for your project.
Contact a number of your friends, colleagues, and readers. Invite them to join your R&D Team. Send them snippets of what you write, questions you have about the process, or anything else you want input on - on a regular basis. Their input will keep you going.
7. Keep Creating & Editing times separate.
If you edit while you write, the process can become boring. Clearly block a specific amount of time for editing into your schedule. Dont let it interfere with your creative writing time!
8. If blocked, shake things up!
Do something fun, unusual, active! Get your mind somewhere else and move your body. Your creative side will work in your subconscious while youre at play. Read the tips in The Artists Way. There are also many resources on the internet for handling writers block. Check some of these links: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_block.html
http://www.sff.net/people/LisaRC/
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/block.html
9. Have a Fan Club.
Critics and editors are fine, but have a few friends or family members who you can ask to cheer you on or cheer you up, no matter what you write. Hire a Creativity Coach to keep you focused and to be an unbiased supporter of your creative success!
10. Celebrate in a big way!
When you reach the big finish, give it a big finish! Do something youve always wanted to do, but have never done before. Make the finish so memorable that youll be eager to begin your next creative writing project!
About The Author
Ginger Blanchette is a Life and Business Coach who supports her clients to share their creativity. She works with professionals and business people who are ready to complete big projects involving writing and/or public speaking and to be recognized for what they do! Contact her at www.lanterncoach.com or by email to ginger@lanterncoach.com for a free sample coaching session.
This article was posted on March 22, 2004