HOW TO SET LOOSE YOUR CREATIVE JUICE
It happens to everyone who creates anything. You sit down to do your thing and – nothing! Not a word. Not a note. Not a single line to draw or paint.
Or even worse, you don’t sit down. You visit friends. You shop – if you have money. But if you’re a creative type who isn’t doing your thing, this one’s probably not an option. Or, you watch TV or movies – my personal favorite. I distract myself by renting ridiculous movies. I do this with money I should be spending on – maybe - ink cartridges for my printer so I can print what I’m not writing.
I am a performing, singer/songwriter. I like to perform my original songs and arrangements. Soooo, when I’m stuck and I’ve got to get myself going, because I really do need to pay my landlord, and credit card bill(s) and car insurance, etc., etc., here’s what I do: (I should probably say that none of what follows is scientific in any way. Scientific types call it “anecdotal data”. But it works for me and could work for you too.)
HONOR YOUR STUCKNESS..
If I really cannot make myself go to my piano or computer to write, I indulge my inclination to watch movies (it being my favorite distraction). I tell myself that maybe my insides need something that I’ll find in the movies I choose. So I give my insides what they want hoping we can get on with my song writing career.
Here’s the funny thing. I’ve found that I do hear or see things that either stimulate my creativity or answer questions that are blocking it. This could happen to you too.
OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO...
• Listen to great music
• Visit creative buddies at home, their studios or their gigs. If they’re really rockin’ & rollin’ I get jealous and come home and get to work – sometimes.
• Read trade magazines to learn what other creatives are doing. The library and the internet have bunches of jealousy-producing info available.
• Read or watch biographies of creative types – and let me say they don’t have to do the same kind of creative work you do. Anybody creating something can be a source of inspiration.
• Get into nature. I live 10 minutes away from a wonderful beach. When I’m stuck I go there and soak up that energy. Find whatever you can – a park, a lake, a wood, a nature center, a scenic outlook, the roof of your apartment building – wherever you can go to change the way you feel will work. The places available to you are perfect for you.
• Attend cultural events, dance performances, gallery openings, concerts, etc.
You’ll find other things to do too. You may need to do different things at different times. You may want to do the same thing over and over. It doesn’t matter.
Just find something that works for you and get those juices going!
Jan Spencer - SheSings4U@JanSpencerSings.Com