Time to Get a Lit-tle Crazy!

 

Don’t you love those days when your brain is firing and your creative juices are flowing? You can accomplish in 20 minutes what would take you all day.

 

And don’t you hate those days when you’re suffering from brain freeze? It takes you all day to accomplish what would normally take 20 minutes. But you brain just won’t cooperate.

 

Today I’m going to share ten ideas that will invigorate your creative juices.

 

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When discussing how to stir those creative juices, most people assume I’m talking about the dreaded writers’ block. I am, but wouldn’t you also like to open your creativity spigot just a little bit more?

 

Not only will this save you time, but your ideas will be better. A LOT better.

 

Okay, let’s dive in.

 

Idea #1. Tell yourself, “I’m creative”

I can’t tell you how many writers tell me, “I’m not creative.” Or they wax on and on about their writers’ block.

 

Stop it! Just…stop.

 

All that negative talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I mean, what good does it do you to proclaim to the world that you aren’t creative?

 

I can’t cite the study, but I’ve read that people who practice positive thinking actually experience more positive results than the average person. At a minimum, it changes your perspective on reality. It also rewires your brain.

 

Nothing turns off the creative spigot more effectively than a lack of sleep. When I’m sleepy, I can surf Facebook stare at the monitor for hours. A total waste of time.

 

Your Monday morning begins on Sunday night. In other words, if you tend to go to bed late, and wake up sleepy, just expect that you probably won’t have a good morning of writing.

 

Throughout my life, I’ve been gifted with the ability to take power naps. Sometimes, I only need a five minute snooze in order to energize those creative superpowers. I even keep a sleep mask at my office so I can doze in darkness.

 

Liquid sunshine in a cup! I probably wouldn’t be a writer if I didn’t have coffee. Some people prefer tea. Some prefer a diet Coke or a Red Bull. Study after study has proven that caffeine stimulates brain function.

 

At the same time, I’m careful not to drink caffeine in the afternoon because it will keep me awake at night.

 

This kind of goes with #2. Monitor your bodily rhythms. When are you most awake? When do you feel sleepy?

 

When I was working as a full-time ghostwriter, I discovered that my best writing occurred between 5:00 and 10:00 in the morning. So what did I do? I went to bed at a reasonable time (#2), drank a strong cup of coffee (#3) right when I woke up, and then wrote until 10:00 or 11:00.

 

I also noticed that my brain slowed down between 11:00 and 3:00, so I used that time for meetings, emails, and a short nap (#2 again) before I returned to writing. Then I worked until 5:00 or 6:00.

 

You need to work to your strengths, not weaknesses. So follow your natural rhythms.

 

Sometimes constant brain stimulation can stem our creative flow. The solution? A walk outside sans earbuds or cellphone. Listen to the birds sing. Think about your manuscript.  Let the outdoors bring your brain back to life.

 

If you’re fighting the doldrums, get up and do something. Break out of your routine. Go grocery shopping. Take a hike. Just do something.

 

Our brains are hardwired for status quo and ritual. By breaking your routine, you force your brain circuits to rewire and recalibrate.

 

Sometimes, our brains can be our biggest enemies. We overthink and we over-evaluate every idea, word, or sentence. Too much of this will paralyze you.

 

Years ago, I was contracted to contribute to a book that would compete with Jesus Calling (which, by the way, has sold over 40 million copies). If you aren’t acquainted with the book, it’s as written if Jesus were talking to you. Three hundred sixty-five entries.

 

When I sat down to begin, my brain went crazy. How am I supposed speak for God? Who am I to speak for God?

 

For two days, my brain paralyzed me.

 

Then I realized all that overthinking wasn’t helping me get anything done. So I flipped the logic switch and just started writing. I didn’t stop to evaluate it, I just needed to write. And soon, I was off and running.

 

Give yourself 10 minutes and go crazy. Write whatever comes to mind without evaluating it.

 

Just. Stop. Thinking.

 

Have you ever noticed that listening to music from your younger, happier days makes you feel all good inside? When I’m fighting discouragement or anxiety, I like to listen to my favorite tunes from my teenage years.

 

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I’m a musician at heart and still play the violin on occasion. When I get ready for the day, I like to listen to classical music—especially the symphonies I played when I was in college.

 

Nothing helps me focus and get in my writing grove like listening to Dvorak's New World Symphony, Respighi's Pines of Rome, or Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol. 

 

[shivers]

 

For you, your jive might be Sweet Caroline, Eye of the Tiger, or (hopefully not) Everybody Have Fun Tonight.

 

Some people just ooze creativity. They make me so jealous. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

 

Karen Bouchard, our Master Book Coach, is one of those people. Sometimes, I’ll schedule a Zoom meeting with her, in hopes that her immense creativity will rub off on me.

 

And it does!

 

In my experience, I have discovered that laughter is like an idea generator. For some reason, a funny movie makes my brain go crazy.

 

My favorite comedy? Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (“Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?”). Or Nacho Libre (“Did you tell him they were the Lord’s chips??”). Or Elf (“You smell like beef and cheese. You don't smell like Santa”).

 

You don’t need to watch the whole movie. Just watch enough to get you laughing.

 

In the Denver area, we have a comedy radio station. Sometimes I listen to it on the way to work just to wake up my brain.

 

You know what isn't funny???

 

Talking about your book but doing nothing about it...

 

Fiddling with your manuscript without making any progress...

 

Convincing yourself that you're too busy to finish your masterpiece...

 

Isn't it time you transformed your dream into reality?

 

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