10 Ways I Nourish My Creativity

Creativity can be a fickle beast. Sometimes it demands, overtaking your mind with wave after wave of ideas until you get them out. It avoids, sometimes lying dormant for too long. If you have a creative occupation, it can be challenging to maintain consistency in your creative output.

Of course, maintaining a steady creative flow isn’t always easy. To overcome this, here are ten ways I nourish myself as an author:

1. Read

   This one is a no-brainer if you’re an author. I love to read. It fills my cup. Sometimes, a five-star read will come along, and a book’s phrase, atmosphere, or theme will inspire me.

   

2. Listen to Music

   I love making a playlist inspired by my work-in-progress. Other times, songs will give me a solution to a scene or a plot hole. Either way, listening to music is a surefire way to check my brain into writing mode.

3. Go for a Drive

   There’s something about letting your mind wander as you drive a familiar route that allows it to expand. Ideas, scenes, and characterization fall into place when I’m on the road.

4. Go on a Walk

   When I’m stuck, movement helps. The bilateral cadence of walking my dog, plus the extended period of twenty to sixty minutes of uninhibited thinking, allows for ideas to grow.

5. Make use of Candles, Tea, and Soft Blankets.

   Set the mood. Treat your writing like it’s a date. Yummy scents, low sounds, and a warm beverage can fill your writing spirit.

   

6. Sleep is Important

   Sometimes I need more sleep. I’ll admit, this is harder to come by. When I’m run down, my brain doesn’t work as well, especially when calling on creativity. Take a nap or go to bed earlier so you can feel refreshed when you write again.

7. Try Something Else

   Do something completely different than what you’re working on. Exercise, play with your kids, hang out with a friend, do some administrative work, color, cook a nice meal, do some laundry, or do yard work. This allows your brain to switch into “standby mode,” which can promote creativity.

8. Tough It Out

   This one may be unpopular, but sometimes I just have to sit down and do the thing. Often, if I’m feeling blocked, I don’t want to force myself to write, but discipline can help your muse. Even if you only write for five minutes, it’s five more minutes’ worth of writing than you had before. Sometimes momentum is key.

9. Know your Peak Writing Time

   Sometimes you have to know yourself. Are you more productive in the early morning before work? On your lunch hour? In the evenings? Perhaps a big chunk of time on the weekends? Notice when you are getting most of your ideas, when your fingers itch to write a chapter, and try your best to write at that time of day.

10. Take in Other Art

    Visiting a museum or art gallery, attending a concert, or watching a play can invoke the creative spirit. Being surrounded by others taking in the same event can be a moving experience. It can flood you with the desire to create something equally as moving.

Let me know in the comments if you have any more suggestions!