As a freelance writer, public relations specialist and a myriad other little jobs–I depend on myself to constantly come up with article ideas, fresh approaches, marketing angles and new approaches. Sometimes, the ideas flow like water and other times, my creativity and idea well is definitely approaching dried up. I know I’m not alone and many other individuals depend on the creative juices in order to keep the paychecks rolling in (or dribbling in, as they sometimes do). Part of my work is to keep myself out of a rut and find ways to generate new ideas.
For me, ideas come from every place–the morning newspaper, a song I hear on the radio, something my kids say, a book I happen to be reading. But I’ve found that environment is definitely a factor for me. If I spend too much time at my desk, or at my house, my brain gets dull. I have to actually get out in the world to regenerate my creativity. Although I know it sounds a bit stereotypical–bookstores and coffee shops are the places where I find some of my best ideas. Being around all those words and conversations seems to help me invent some of my own.
I also find that keeping my social life going keeps the ideas fresh–having the occasional lunches, or meeting friends after work hours gives me additional fuel. It’s good to bounce ideas around, find out what issues other people are dealing with, talk a little pop culture and everyday details–and then I find I’ve got a dozen more story or article ideas bouncing around in my brain.
I’ve known people who get their best ideas while riding on a bus or train or driving in the car, or going for a walk, or even during a midday workout. The important thing, I think, is not getting bogged down in the details of every day work and shaking things up to keep a fresh approach. Taking a break, getting a different perspective or talking things over with another human all help to keep a person out of an idea rut. I’m interested in hearing what other people do to keep the juices flowing and the creative motivation for their work. What do you do when you feel your brain start to get fuzzy?