Staying Creative

My mind is a bit cloudy today because I overslept. At least I can't spend money while asleep. I am not broke but I am trying to hold off paying a bill until the end of the month. If only I got paid for weird ideas – like the last two entries – then I would break even each month.

Creativity comes in many forms and sometimes it has to be coaxed to manifest when you want it to. Sometimes my ideas come in like a herd of stampeding bison. Sometimes I have to poke and pry and search for the right idea.

I check out Pieces Of You when I need an idea. Sometimes I find something to write about and if I do my journal gets listed on the site. The main benefit for using a meme site like P-O-Y is that I produce some writing and it adds to my journal. Other sites, such as Quizilla, are fun and provide something to put in your journal, but they don't encourage creativity.

Here are some of my methods to stay creative:

1. Look at a situation and ask: who, what, where, why, how, and if.

2. Write down what you did today and then get creative with words. For example:

I went down to the mall yesterday and bought a hamburger. As I was eating, a panhandler asked for a bite. I said no and he left.

I went down to the spaceport yesterday and bought a Venusian Slime Salad. As I was eating a Martian came up to me and asked for a bite. I said yes (because the salad is so large) and he took one – out of me! After the security guards took the little green bastard away I had to wait for a decontamination robot to finish healing me.

3. Write a letter to a famous historical or literary figure that you admire. I wrote a letter to James White that was also a review of one of his books.

Staying creative is a process. When I can't find something to write about I write about writing. My mind gets exercised and my ideas get flowing.