As the internet proves, many of us are far more creative than we realise. Targeted creativity is hugely enjoyable and transformative.
Just imagine the world without electricity, ships, aircraft, trains, cars, telescopes or great Art. Without creative geniuses like Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Edison and Newton, the world would be a barren, cold and soulless place.
Aside from playwriting and journalism, my own creativity is currently focused on originating one-liners like: ‘Leaves are blown away by the wind; men, by ideas‘ or: ‘Life is a blank cheque, made out to ourselves‘.
I get enormous pleasure from condensing an often complex thought into a single pithy and witty line. If I get a Eureka moment from every line I write, the novelist probably has to write a whole paragraph or page to get the same gust of pleasure. I’ve so honed my craft over the past twenty years that I can almost date an aphorism by its quality; if the early ones need a lot of work, most of the later ones just need the odd tweak.
Creativity is best nurtured by starting small and building to greater things, often by arguing the toss with similarly creative friends. Writers and artists have an intriguing relationship with time. Some journalists, for instance, find deadlines a real spur to their work, and can’t get anything written without a deadline. Yet others like to take their eye off the clock and simply go with the flow. This helps them minimise stress – the main cause of writer’s block. Either way, we all need to be the master of time and not let it master us.
To produce our best work, we must learn to further reduce stress by taking tea with our subconscious. Like gold, it’s hard to access, but brings huge rewards when found. The more we utilise its riches, the more we reduce writer’s block and the more productive we become.
May you further expand your creativity and have fun along the way. Enjoy!
© Robert Eddison 2022