Creativity Tips: Learning from the Mundane

During the course of a day, you will encounter thousands of different objects that you typically ignore because they are simple and mundane.  Try taking the time to study some of those objects.  Everything, whether man made or natural contains fruits of creativity.  Take loose change for example.  You use it often and probably have some in your car's console in case you need it.  You don't really think about it until you want to spend it on something, but if you study it closely, you will notice that a lot of creativity of thought went into making it.  Someone had to decide who's likeness would appear on the coin and what artwork would go on the back.  In the case of quarters, you'll find many different works of art on the back... one for each state.  And many different artists likely submitted ideas, of which only one was chosen.  Then someone had to decide mix of metals to use for the coin and what size to make it.  And even more amazing, someone had to make a machine that produced the quarters on a massive scale.

You can literally go through this exercise with anything you see, and by doing so, it helps you see applied creativity.  This, in turn, will help you think more creatively about your next work of art, book, term paper, new product... anything.

One last thing to note:  If you have kids, make sure you do this with them often,  As they get older, they will learn to see creativity in the simplest of objects, and quite often, they will ask questions that you might not think of.

Creative Writing Tip: Brainstorming

Never be afraid to share your ideas with those around you. And not just with other writers... anyone who's old enough to understand what you're talking about. Sometimes they will utter one word that sends you down a path to a great idea. In fact, my 12-year-old son just did that today, and now I have a great ending for the 2nd Bruten & Tommy book. 

And never limit brainstorming to a set amount of time.  Often times, good ideas come after a brainstorming session.  That's primarily because your subconscious is still hard at work trying to come up with a solution.  The power of your subconscious mind is not to be underestimated.  "Let's sleep on it" really works!

And one last thought about brainstorming:  Follow all ideas down a path before you rule them out.  Sometimes a seemingly mundane idea can lead you to a fantastic idea.  It's as if you've found one piece of a puzzle, and your mind pulls together the other pieces to see what the true picture will be.

Creative Writing Tip - Character Development

When you create a character for a story, be sure to think about their role in the story when you start, but don't get caught up trying to explain everything about them at the beginning of the story. 

Let your reader discover new things about your character as they move through the book. Especially the antagonist. To maintain some suspense, tt's best to drop hints about them as the book unfolds, then reveal them when the time is right.

Unique characters with personality can bring life to your story.  Pretend each character is like a friend you've just met.  The longer you know them, the more you learn about them.  Sometimes it's good.  Sometimes it's not.

Know when it's right

As a new author, I try hard to make sure my written words convey the story in a clear and compelling way.  That can often make the process longer due to rewrite after rewrite, but I've learned from my marketing and graphic design background, that I will know when it's right.  Developing an ability to see/hear/feel when it's right is important for the creation of a great story, a great song, or a great painting... and it allows you to keep your sanity.

The lesson:  Trust your intuition as a writer.  Don't hold yourself back.  You'll know when it's right.

I love the creative process!

Creative ideas come from anywhere. Riding home with my 12yo, he mentions that he has been predicting things correctly lately. Thought it was strange that he kept getting things right.

A great book idea is born. Kid learns he has unique ability and ultimately predicts something that will profoundly change his life... If he lives through it.

I promise to write this one in 2013 after the Bruten & Tommy series. :)