Cronos Blog: presented on Conductus Productions

Ideas for creative acts, such as writing stories, making pictures, composing music, and such are often difficult for many creators to come up. At least, that’s the case until they’ve figured it all out. Like many things, the skill comes with practice. Yet, you have to take small steps to begin. How do you begin? (Warning: This is all speculative, based on my own experience. Use this as just one how-to source only.)

How to begin the process of getting creative ideas:
• Just pick a time to get creative, and do this regularly. Pick a period of time, a time that doesn’t occur too often or to little. Discipline yourself to just sit (or stand, or whatever), and get busy. I have personally found that ideas do indeed come when you commit yourself this way. This is the Confucian way, in that it is orderly and active. It means you sometimes have to go against the grains of laziness and things getting in the way. Have some coffee handy too (though don’t drink too much). Or gum. Or something that isn’t too unhealthy, so that you can get basic, immediate satisfaction.
• Have paper and pen(cil), or a PDA, with you always (except in the shower) for those times you’re just thinking of stuff and a good idea hits. It’s true that some of the best ideas come when were not trying. However, don’t rely on this method. Not all terrific ideas come via this route. Also, it’s sometimes so inconvenient to take the time to write the idea down (whether this is just due to your inertia, which you should try to fight, or circumstances you can do nothing about) that you don’t. I, and many others, forget those great ideas later, and they never return. Oh well. This route is too chancy to rely on if you need ideas regularly. Yet, it is good enough to consider taking. Highly recommended. This is the Taoist way–taking the path of least resistance, or not forcing things. Going with the flow. Chancy but relaxing.
• Get a variety of experiences. The good news is that creativity means that you live a full life, not a veal-pen existence, because that’s how you get new ideas. Travel. Talk to weirdos. Do odd stuff. Learn a new language. Don’t get stuck in a rut. One caution is that you must not let this interfere with your creative work. As Solomon said, there’s a time and place for everything. Also, make sure you check into how to safely practice new undertakings. You can’t create anything when you’re dead.
• Give up because you suck, and you’re a loser. This is the middle-school-kid approach to things you haven’t mastered. Not recommended. You get better at whatever through practice. Maybe there is a time to give up, but if whatever you’re trying to do is important, only give up after giving it an honest try, and every once and a while, entertain the notion of trying it again. Maybe the time was just not right two years ago to do your thing, but now you are in a good position to give it a go.
• Take classes in, read books and do Web research about, and talk to people concerning your craft. I’m not sure there is a right combination of ways to do this. Yet, I think your abilities are a function of your effort and how well diversified it is. Be open to new ideas that go against your preconceptions, so that you can improve and have options. Have the attitude that you don’t know best, and that you can always learn from others and new trials, and be grateful for your new discoveries.
• Work on ideas far enough ahead to meet deadlines. Life in general is chaotic. To instill a sense of orderliness, and to be consistent, you need time on your side. Don’t do things at the last minute. If you make, say, cartoons that must be published regularly, make them months ahead of when you need them. This gives you time to deal with being sick, to have a period of time when you lack good ideas without suffering consequences, and to have other things to do. It seems that things are less chaotic over the long term than the short term. So, deal with things long term.
• Don’t worry about what your mother thinks. She’s your mother, not your critic. Her job was to raise you so that you could be in a position to chose your career, not to pick your career or mess with your ideas. Now, this doesn’t mean that you be rude about it. It just means that if you know you’re on the right path, follow it. (This isn’t meant to be specific to mothers. This goes for anyone. You are you. They are them. Be you, not what they think you should be.)

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