Claiming the word ‘writer’ for yourself can be a big step. You may have been writing all your life but do you actually call yourself a writer?

Know Thyself was inscribed on the ancient Greek temple of Apollo at Delphi. People would go there to seek knowledge of the future or to find revelation about themselves. The words were a reminder that the first step to truth is to look inside.

Fundamentally, writers write, they put words onto a page or screen. But there are other aspects to writers. Do you recognize yourself in these traits?

1 We are loners

Writing is a solitary art. Even writers who collaborate create their pieces separately and knit them together later. We are not naturally team players. To be a happy writer is to enjoy solitude for creation. Writers are often introverts in the sense that they are energized by time alone with their minds. They may love being with people but it tires and drains them. I spent many years thinking I needed to be a team player, that it was essential to being a rounded person. Then I did the Myers Briggs test and found that introversion is just a natural state for some of us and certainly more dominant in writers.

2 We want recognition

Writers have egos and our desire to see our words in print or type stems from this need to be recognized. We want the six figure book deal. We want to be on Oprah or the New York Times bestseller list. We want to write words that change people’s lives. We want to be read. For all that to happen, our writing needs to be out there in the world.

3 We are scared and doubt ourselves

We want people to read our words but at the same time, we fear criticism and negative reaction. We compare ourselves to others and we often come up short. We doubt that we are original or that people will even want to read our words. We worry that we have opened ourselves up too much to the world, and then we fret because we haven’t been truthful enough.

4 We are deeply creative but sometimes forget this

When I was working as a corporate IT consultant, I found my creative side withering and dying from lack of exercise. I wanted to write a novel but I couldn’t imagine even starting one. I didn’t believe I could find that creativity in myself. So I started saying an affirmation on the daily commute. ‘I am creative, I am an author’. I said that over and over, and gradually I began to explore ideas and start to write. Four years later, I have two novels available on the biggest bookstore in the world. Although we may spend years in the wilderness, we can resurrect that creativity.

5 We know execution matters

Ideas are abundant. They swirl in the air about us and we pluck them down. We form them into finished works. People talk to us about the ideas they have, for this book or that story, but they don’t execute on the idea. We write, and we finish what we started.

6 We are always improving

Writers are readers. We learn from others by their words and we constantly try to improve our own ways of expression. We take courses on how to improve our writing. Sometimes we spend more time on reading books about writing than we spend actually getting white on black. We are obsessed with understanding why this works and why that is successful and we put what we learn into practice.

7 We know there are dark places within

Inside us are memories, emotions and an imagination that runs deep. We go there to tap into the experiences that make our writing resonate. Sometimes what emerges may be violent or horrific, resonant in truth and raw in emotion. We write with the knowledge that most people feel these things but they don’t admit to themselves that they exist. We have the ability and the strength to write those words without apology.

Do you agree that these are truths about writers? Are there any more?

Joanna Penn is the author of thriller novels Pentecost and Prophecy. Her site TheCreativePenn.com helps people write, publish and market their books and has been voted one of the Top 10 Blogs for writers 2 years running. Follow Joanna on Twitter @thecreativepenn

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Arouse your creativity

A guest post by Katie Tallo of Momentum Gathering.

Electric flesh-arrows … traversing the body. A rainbow of color strikes the eyelids. A foam of music falls over the ears. It is the gong of the orgasm. ~ Anais Nin

Creativity is like sex. You fumble your way through, you get lost in it, you fall in love. Both are passionate, rhythmic, pleasurable, and flowing. Both can bear fruit. And both can rack your soul with vulnerability, bliss, fear and awkwardness.

I know, I know. Last time I appeared on Write to Done, I was naked so you’re probably thinking, “Is this woman sex-crazed?” Well, I do like to bare my soul once in a while, but what I love even more is exposing other people’s secrets.

The people I speak of are writers. They lust writing. When you’re in lust, you can be desperate to keep that feeling alive. So when creativity goes limp, writers are the ones who know the secrets to keeping it interested. They know how to flirt with it, tease it and arouse it. In fact, they know hundreds of ways to get their creative freak on.

Below, I’ve exposed some of their secret tips, methods, and techniques. After all, they just left them strewn across the web. I lovingly picked them up, adapted and played with them. Some are contradictory and some are in harmony. Dig in. Use the ones that entice your creativity the most. If you want more, link to the source for the original juice.

Now, lie back, relax and take pleasure in these 201 provocative ways to arouse your creativity.

Great hacks from Merlin Mann of 43 Folders

1. Talk to a monkey. Explain what you’re really trying to say to a stuffed animal.
2. Do something important that’s very easy.
3. Try free writing.
4. Take a shower; change clothes. Give yourself a truly clean start.
5. Write from a persona. Lend your voice to a writing personality who isn’t you.
6. Get away from the computer. Take pen and notebook, and go somewhere new.
7. Quit beating yourself up. You can’t create when you feel ass-whipped.
8. Stop visualizing catastrophes, and focus on positive outcomes.
9. Stretch. Maybe try vacuuming your lungs.
10. Add one ritual behavior. Get a glass of water exactly every 20 minutes. Do push-ups. Eat a Tootsie Roll every paragraph. Add physical structure.
11. Listen to new music. Try something instrumental and rhythmic that you’ve never heard before.
12. Write crap.
13. Finish something.
14. Write the middle. Stop whining over a perfect lead, and write the next part or the part after that.
15. Do one chore. Sweep the floor or take out the recycling. Try something lightly physical to remind you that you know how to do things.
16. Make a pointless rule. You can’t end sentences with words that begin with a vowel. Limits create focus and change your perspective.
17. Work on the title. Quickly make up five distinctly different titles. Meditate on them. What bugs you about the one you like least?
18. Write five words. Literally. Put five completely random words on a piece of paper. Write five more. Try a sentence. Could be about anything. A block ends when you start making words on a page.
    

    Rejuvenating Tips from Joel at Lifehack

19. Surround yourself with creative people.
20. Develop a morning ritual.
21. Do an info-dump so your head is clear enough to create instead of worry.
22. If you’re a crime writer, read fantasy. If you’re a productivity writer, read something about slacking off.
23. Imitate the real world.
24. Drink too much coffee.
25. Play chess. Go outside. Sing in the shower.
26. Don’t be too precious about your work. If the doctor and the garbage man can do their jobs every day, then those in a creative line of work can too.
27. Consume information by the bucket load. The more you know, the more you can create from that knowledge.
28. Meet new people from different walks of life. Strike up a conversation on the bus.
29. Shut out the world. Instead of sucking in new information, sit quietly.
30. Creativity is a muscle. Exercise it daily.
31. Carry a notebook everywhere.
32. Write down a list of ideas and draw random arrows between them.
33. If you’re not on a tight deadline, walk away and do something completely unrelated.
34. Create a framework. Instead of trying to rely on pure inspiration, think within the box you create for yourself.
35. Remove obstacles to creativity. That friend who calls to complain about their life can wait until you can afford to get stressed about their problems.
36. Don’t judge your ideas until you have plenty to judge.
37. Keep a journal. It can get your mind working.
38. Stop telling yourself you’re not creative.
39. Don’t be a workaholic. Take breaks.
40. Experiment randomly.
41. If one thing isn’t working, try a new strategy.
42. Choose a topic and write about it as wonderfully or badly as you possibly can.
43. Trash what you’re working on. Start again.
44. Exercise every day, before you sit down to be creative.
45. Spend time with your children. Or someone else’s.
    

    Tips from Amy Ng of Pikaland

46. Experience sights, sounds and smells. Sitting still won’t bring new ideas in; experimenting and trying new things will.
47. Maintain a certain pattern to the day. A morning bath can start your work with a fresh mind and spirit.
48. Jot down notes every night before bed and actively place worries onto paper.
49. Keep a box labeled for each project. Toss everything in the box, and don’t worry about misplacing things or ideas.
50. Keep a different sketchbook for different topics and ideas.
51. Try and find the pattern between things, and connect the dots between random things just for fun.
52. Practice, practice, practice.
    

    Dan Goodwin’s Wakeful Ways at A Big Creative Yes

53. Let your mind wander and come up with whatever it wants to.
54. Wake up ten minutes early, then go back to sleep and dream.
55. Focusing entirely on one sense. Creative stimulation comes through our senses.
56. Imagine waking up somewhere distant and exotic.
57. Recall your creative triumphs. It means you can create something equally wonderful, if not more so, again. In fact you can go out and create it today.
58. Count your blessings. As well as feeling happier, it will inevitably help you be more creative too.
59. Choose just one creative aim for the day. What one creative project can you begin/continue/finish today?
     

    A few rules from Steve Pavlina

60. Define a clear purpose. Vague intentions don’t trigger the flow state.
61. Identify a compelling motive. You need a reason to be creative.
62. Architect a worthy challenge. If a task is too easy, you don’t need to be particularly creative, so your creative self will simply say, “You can manage this one without me.”
63. Provide a conducive environment. The optimal environment varies from person to person, so you’ll need to experiment to find what works best for you.
64. Allocate a committed block of time.
65. Prevent interruptions and distractions.
66. Master your tools. Creating a tangible piece of creative work requires tools such as a computer, guitar, or pencil. You must achieve basic competency.
    

    Old Fashioned Advice from Mirko of Designer Daily

67. Clean up your working space. Even if you are not a cleaning addict, a tidy desk helps to create a fresh start.
68. Go jogging. Running is a great way to refresh your brain. The effort will also bring satisfaction. Self-esteem is good for creativity.
69. Drink a beer with your buddies. Being happy will make you more productive. It will also give you greater enthusiasm.
    

    Creative encouragement from Jacob Cass at Just Creative Design

70. Mindmap. Whether you use key words, images, colours, a hierarchy system, numbers, outlines, circles or random words, mindmapping gets your creative juices flowing.
71. Finding inspiration in what other people have done and what has succeeded (or failed) is a great way to get your feet off the ground again.
72. Take a moment to do something that makes you happy; that brings you joy; that you love; that centers you.
73. Give gratitude. Thinking about all the things you are grateful for produces a positive energy flow and vibration.
74. Be in the moment. Athletes call this ‘being in the zone‘. Give full attention to whatever you are doing: eating, washing dishes, making your bed.
75. Flip through a book containing thought provoking images.
76. Go to an art gallery.
77. Practice asking yourself how to do something differently.
78. Be Open. Never shut down or judge any idea that comes your way.
79. Think on Paper. With a bunch of loose paper, start jotting ideas down.
    

    Artistic techniques from Karen Daniels at Write to Done

80. Get some crayons and warm-up your creativity. Get a piece of paper and draw a totally useless picture of nothing at all.
81. When you feel done, use a crayon to proudly sign the picture. Now, put your picture in a special frame and hang it on the wall.
82. Name the colors in a box of crayons. Name them with abandon, using words like squashed-pea-green, severed-arm-blood-red, or dancing-fairy-silver.
83. Next time your writing gets stuck, pull out your crayons and look at the colors. Remember the names. Write a few silly sentences. Then keep going.
    

    Inspiration from Jennifer Moline on Fuel Your Creativity

84. Take it outdoors. The best inspiration is often free. Go for a hike. Take your laptop to a park. Look all around you. Soak up your surroundings.
85. Head to a café. There’s a reason home-office folks don’t always work from home; they crave other humans. A change in surroundings can recharge your brain.
86. Get some training. Not only could you learn something new, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to network.
87. Volunteer. Getting your hands dirty for a good cause can be the source of more inspiration than you’d ever imagine.
    

    Guidance from Alison Motluk on New Scientist

88. Embrace your inner grouch. Discontent may just be a vast, untapped source of creativity.
89. Let your mind wander. A wandering mind may allow your brain to search more widely for connections that could trigger a “eureka” moment.
90. Play an instrument. It may help you to think with both sides of your brain at once.
91. Colour your world blue. It may be nothing more than an association with big skies and the open seas, but beholding the colour blue makes you more creative.
92. Seek out creative company. The best ideas are forged not in moments of solitary genius, but during exchanges with trusted colleagues.
93. Be more playful. Horsing around may be better in the long run than hunkering down.
94. Raise a glass. Many of the most creative pursuits – jazz, for instance, and poetry – are associated with heavy boozing, but can a dram or two really help?
    

    The dirt from Joel Reyes on Design Revive

95. Aim at being unique, not ordinary. Go right past the dull.
96. Cataloging your ideas is productive because it allows you to go back and take a second gander while viewing your ideas on much larger scale.
97. Use visual structuring. Getting your paper and pencil out not only lets you see your ideas on a physical level, but it will make you feel like a kid again.
98. If all else fails, keep working. Some individuals work better as they reach their breaking point, they excel and take flight in the hardest of times.
    

    Perfect insights from Diggy on Goodlife Zen

99. Stop being (other people’s) perfect. The expectation of making something perfect uses up emotional energy that you could put to much better use being creative and artistic.
100. Ask yourself if you’re doing it for the right reasons. Even if you are not the best in the world at something, if you are really passionate about it, your passion can be an inspiration and motivation for others.
     

     How-to’s from Mark McGuinness of Lateral Action

101. Don’t plan. Plans are good for buildings, savings, exercise. But there comes a point when it’s time to face the stage, the page, the canvas or the blank screen.
102. Let go. You heard me. Let go!
103. Start fooling around. Splash the paint on. Scribble the words down. Sing.
104. Notice when you surprise yourself. Keep playing around with that one good riff until you find the next one growing out of it.
105. Get good amazing feedback. Don’t settle for everyday compliments.
106. Enjoy not knowing. Isn’t it nice to have one small corner of your life where you don’t know what you’re going to do, or what’s going to happen?
     

     A little advice from Julia M. Lindsay of Our Little Books

107. Have clearly defined goals. This will help direct your attention to a purposeful outcome.
108. Have balance between your skills and challenges. Too easy, you’ll be bored. Too hard, you may feel frustrated.
109. Avoid multi-tasking. It is impossible to get immersed in an activity if you are not totally focused on it.
110. Set aside a time to do non-productive tasks. Activities such as reading your e-mail, tweeting and making phone calls should be done at a defined time.
111. Before you start, clean your desk, make sure you have the equipment you need, adjust the temperature and make sure the noise level is optimal.
112. Adjust your goals as your skills increase.
113. Avoid engaging in mindless tasks such as TV. Mindless activities are usually passive and decrease flow experiences.
     

     One trick from James Chartrand of Men with Pens

114. Just say screw it. What I do know is that everyone gets jammed sometimes, even the pro writers you look up to. And when that jam happens, it’s important to remember that no one forgets how to write well. It doesn’t disappear. It’ll always be there. And maybe… maybe you just have to say screw it and stop looking for it so hard.
     

     Unblockers from Brian Clark of Copyblogger

115. Avoid logical thinking. It’s often the enemy of truly innovative thoughts.
116. Break the rules. Look at creative thinking as a destructive force. You’re tearing away the often arbitrary rules that others have set for you.
117. Stop being practical. Practicality stifles innovative ideas before they can properly blossom.
118. Allow your mind to be at play. You’ve heard the expression “work hard and play hard.” They’re the same thing to a creative thinker.
119. View yourself as an explorer. In an era of hyper-specialization, it’s those who happily explore completely unrelated areas of life and knowledge who best see that everything is related.
120. Give yourself permission to turn everything that’s accepted upside down and shake out the illusions.
121. Give yourself permission to be a fool and see things for what they really are.
122. Reject the false comfort of clarity. Ambiguity is your friend if you’re looking to innovate.
123. Free yourself to make mistakes. Just try out your ideas. Ask yourself, what’s the worst that can happen if I’m wrong?
124. Strip away all of your delusions and acknowledge that you’re inherently creative, and then start tearing down the other barriers you’ve allowed to be created in your mind.
     

     Motherly advice from Michelle Mitton of Scribbit

125. Practice thinking. Think about things and formulate some opinions. They may be right, they may be wrong, but I bet they’ll be interesting.
126. Use life markers for ideas. Old photos, family stories, a journal entry, a souvenir from a trip, a collection you love or a piece of clothing–if you’ve saved it for a reason there is most likely a story there.
127. Look at your life as if you’re a stranger. Good writing is made up of details so learn to see the details of your own life.
128. Look at what inspires other people’s creativity and then put your own personal spin on it. But whatever you do make it your own and bring your own life and talents to the task.
129. Make lists. What are your favorites? Foods, colors, flowers, cars, games, habits? What are your pet peeves, your thrills or your favorite vacation spots? Use lists to spark an idea and run with it.
     

     Dos and Don’ts from Paul Indigo of Beyond the Obvious

130. Don’t sit and write lists of ideas. All you’re doing is intellectual foreplay and pussyfooting around the problem. You’re not dealing with it head on.
131. Don’t give up and sit sulking in the corner. Sooner or later you’re going to have to come out. You’re just prolonging the pain.
132. Don’t compare your work to other peoples’. Everyone is unique. You have to find your own creative voice.
133. Don’t choose the company of doubters and negative people. They will just pull you down.
134. Do pick up your camera (or you pen) and start taking pictures (or writing) of anything and everything. One idea will lead to another.
135. Do set yourself an achievable target.
136. Do challenge conventions and the norm. Challenge everything you’ve learnt.
137. Do think in terms of opposites, conflicts and interesting juxtapositions.
138. Do realize and remember that all creatives feel the same as you do from time to time and some of the most successful are driven forward by tremendous self doubt. Turn the negative feelings into positive self motivation.
139. Do surround yourself with people that believe in you and want you to succeed. This kind of support makes a world of difference.
     

     An abundance of ways from Marelisa Fábrega of Abundance Blog

140. Stop second-guessing yourself.
141. Experiment with different media: music, photography, writing or drawing.
142. Read one page of the dictionary every day and write down any words that catch your attention.
143. Show up even if you’re not feeling creative.
144. Immerse yourself in the task at hand: do your research, read everything you can about your subject, attend seminars, ask experts for their input, and so on.
145. Be curious about everything.
146. Exercise during your lunch break.
147. Go to the playground. Play hopscotch, jump rope, climb on the swings, and climb on the jungle gyms.
148. Awaken your sense of wonder. Take yourself on some small festive adventure.
149. Think of something routine you do on a daily basis and find a way to give it a little more pizzazz.
150. Let your body contribute to your creative process by blaring the music and dancing around the room.
151. Surround yourself with inspirational props, whether it’s books on creativity, images you find inspiring, or creativity quotes.
     

     Food for thought from Kristen Fischer on Freelance Switch

152. Set aside a day. By making time to devote one day to your project of choice, you may be able to unblock everything by focusing on just one task.
153. Alter your atmosphere. Try putting up some new art, rearranging the furniture or clearing out some clutter.
154. Battle the blabber. Examining the psychology of feeling blocked may help you to unblock, and yes, writing about it can help you to untangle some knots inside and be able to finally, finally create.
     

     Some juicy tips from Tom Walker on RobsWebTips

155. Hypnosis. Although some people may be skeptics, hypnosis and other forms of meditation can be perfect for relaxing the mind and body and getting your creative juices to running freely.
156. Timer challenge. It might be useful to time yourself when you are working using an online timer. This will show you how productive you are being, and often when we are timed, we simply keep going and going.
157. Identify your creative times. Choose those times when you know you will be the most creative.
158. Don’t Force It. Stop. Do something else. When you get back you will feel far more refreshed and ready to get started.
     

     Positive thoughts from Henrik Edberg of The Positivity Blog

159. Generate a boatload of ideas.
160. Take a trip outside your personal bubble.
161. Criticize later, or some part of your mind may feel threatened and shut up and withdraw.
162. Build it. Like so many things in life creativity is a bit like lifting weights. If you train, over time you’ll build your creative muscles.
163. Sleep less. When I feel a little groggy and sleepy, the words start flowing out of my fingers when I sit down to write.
      

     Black and white tips from Jody Cleghorn at Write Anything

164. Arrive late and leave early. Get straight to the heart of the narrative.
165. Learn to say no/no way/go f*ck yourself because no one else will stand up for your work.
166. Go out and live your life. Do not allow yourself to become stuck in a hole of your own creativity.
167. Make up the rules for what you want to produce.
168. Work on several projects. This keeps you energized and working creatively even when one project isn’t firing.
169. Try to write every day, even if just for a few minutes.
170. Write simply and vividly.
171. Don’t hold back and don’t protect yourself. Say things no one else has said before.
172. Collaborate with new people.
173. Cultivate a community of writers. Writing can be a lonely enterprise, but it doesn’t need to be – other writers understand where you are, what you’re thinking and feeling.
     

     Simple advice from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits

174. Play.
175. Don’t consume and create at the same time — separate the processes.
176. Shut out the outside world.
177. Reflect on your life and work daily.
178. Look for inspiration all around you, in the smallest places.
179. Start small.
180. Just get it out, no matter how crappy that first draft.
181. Don’t try for perfect. Just get it out there, asap, and get feedback.
182. Constantly make it better.
183. Ignore the naysayers.
184. But let criticism help you grow.
185. Teach and you’ll learn.
186. Shake things up, see things in new ways.
187. Apply things in other fields to your field, in ways not done before.
188. Drink ridiculous amounts of coffee.
189. Write all ideas down immediately.
190. Read wildly different things. Especially stuff you disagree with.
191. Get lots of rest. Overwork kills creativity.
192. Don’t force it. Relax, play, it will start to flow.
193. Allow your mind to wander. Allow distractions, when you’re looking for inspiration.
194. Then shut them off when you’re going to create.
195. Do it when you’re excited.
196. When you’re not, find something else to be excited about.
197. Don’t be afraid to be stupid and silly.
198. Small ideas are good. You don’t need to change the world — just change one thing.
199. When something is killing your creativity, kill it.
200. Stop reading creativity advice, clear away everything, and just create.
201. Most of all, have fun doing it.

Enough said.

Katie Tallo is a Contributing Writer for Write to Done, as well as a  director, motivator, runner, vegetarian and mother who writes a blog called Momentum Gathering where she encourages simple, positive actions for joyful and vibrant life change.

Read Katie Tallo’s ‘bestselling’ post on WTD: Adventures of a Naked Blogger

The A-List Blogger Club has changed my life. When I started blogging, I didn’t know a tweet from a widget. Now I write a successful blog that has gone from zero to over 3000 subscribers in seven months. Mary and Leo have created a community that is a total reflection of who they are — generous, genuine and successful!

A guest post by Bill Rice

Do a quick search on Google for writing inspiration, writing ideas, or writer’s block. You find literally millions of articles.

That indicates a problem. And the millions of abandoned blogs littering the Web certainly confirm this fact. No group is likely to be more afflicted by writer’s block or idea anxiety than bloggers. Faced with a reverse chronological, flowing river of content, any pause or break in quality can mean lost readership.

However, we might also have the best tool any writer could hope for to battle the blank page–web analytics.

I Need Fresh, New, Original Ideas

Nothing is more daunting to a blogger than a blank page. Chances are you are like many bloggers, started with a bang.

You were passionate about a niche or believed your blog was going to light your business on fire. The first several posts flowed out with ease. You were proud of them. You promoted them. You built a nice little audience.

Then…oh my goodness! I am out of ideas.

You probably turned to all the popular writing blogs for writer’s block busting ideas. That worked for a while. But you can only take so many walks, only travel so much, only read so many books, and only browse so many blogs. Then you still have to put a topic on the page.

Stuck again.

I Want to Give My Readers What They Want

The other problem that bloggers are often faced with is focus. They want to keep their readers happy and they want to attract in more of the right audience.

This was easy at first. You knew your niche and you knew your topic. As a result, you were right on point with your first few posts because you knew the pain points.

However, as you drifted off looking for new ideas and inspiration you have lost focus. If you are like many bloggers you meander off into topics less interesting to your original audience. Even more problematic you are potentially attracting less targeted (or less period) new readers.

Now your blog is becoming not only a writing frustration, but also missing your objective for starting it to begin with.

This is an emergency! We need to fix this or we’ll have another Web ghost on our hands.

What, an Endless List of Writing Ideas?

Now that I have you wondering if you should just shut down your blog I am going to point you to the treasure. The really good news is it’s free and sitting right in your backyard.

On a daily basis, your Web traffic is giving you a running list of new, fresh, and original topics. That’st people searching for answers, searching for new solutions, searching for your services are leaving you bread crumbs

Every one of these search queries is landing in your Web analytics. These are topics that you have brushed on and Google already thinks you are an authority on.

That means two big things for you:

1.) Your readers are telling you exactly what they want from you, and

2.) Google is telling you if you write more on these topics I will send you even more traffic.

Bingo! Writing motivation, happy readers, and more traffic. That sounds like a slam-dunk for blog success. Maybe even business success.

Quick How-To on Google Analytics

If you are not sure where to get this magic list let me give you a quick how-to on Google Analytics. It’s free and probably the quickest and easiest way to harvest this list of new writing ideas.

1. Sign-up for Google Analytics
2. Click on Add Website Profile
3. Type in website URL
4. Cut’n paste code snippet
5. Edit the ‘footer’ portion of your blog template
6. Add the code snippet to the footer, just before the </body> tag

With these few simple steps you will be building a whole new targeted list of writing ideas for your blog in no time.

…

Bill Rice is the founder of RICEinteractive.com, an Internet marketing and lead generation firm. He writes about sales at www.bettercloser.com and contributes to several financial services and online marketing publications.

By Mary Jaksch

It sounded an excellent plan, no doubt, and very neatly and simply arranged. The only difficulty was, she had not the smallest idea how to set about it.~ Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

Who is in charge of your creativity? Are you?

Or is your inspiration like a wellspring that flows one moment and stops the next – without you being able to control it?

The good news is that we can learn to be consistently creative.

The trick is…
Yes, there is a trick. But before I say more about the cycle of creativity and how to ride it, let me tell you what prompted this post.

I’ve just come through a week of low creativity. It’s no surprise really, as I’ve participated in a full-on tango festival and am now at home with my partner, my cat, and three lively friends who are staying with us – all of whom clamor for my attention [sigh].

Creativity? Zilch, zero, nada, nichts.

Yes, it can be difficult to create in the midst of a demanding life.

(I dream of organizing a writing retreat on a tropical island where we can write for hours, swim in the warm sea, watch the sun go down as we sip Margaritas and share with each other. Anyone want to join me??)

Ah, well – back to reality…

In the last few days I’ve been researching theories of creativity in order to learn how to stay creative in a busy life.  Read on to see what I found.

On my search, I stumbled across a model of the creative process called Directed Creativity which was developed by Paul E. Plsek. His model showed me that we can achieve consistent creativity, and how to do it.

Plsek’s model shows creativity as a cycle:

He divided the creative process into four phases:

Preparation, Imagination, Development, and Action.

Phase 1: Preparation

This is the start of the creative cycle where we prepare for new ideas.

Living with it

As creative people, we live in the same world as everyone else. But there is a difference. As Plsek says:

Creative thinking begins with careful observation of the world coupled with thoughtful analysis of how things work and fail.

Observation

When we begin to observe our experience, creativity is triggered.

For example,  the moment I started to be interested in my lack of creativity -  instead of bemoaning it – inspiration started to happen.

Analysis

As writers we are our own guinea pigs. When we start to look deeply into what we experience, we prepare the ground for imagination.

Phase 2: Imagination

This is the phase of inspiration and creative action.

Time in

I’ve added ‘time in’ to Plsek’s theory although it was was coined by Professor Tal-Ben Shahar who is a leading researcher of Positive Psychology. ‘Time in’ means a time of silent reflection. It’s  a time when we allow the mind to be a blank page.

Generation

Generating ideas means the active work of creativity through using brain storming, mind maps, or other techniques in order to come up with something new.

Harvesting

Harvest is a joyous time. Think of farmers harvesting wheat fields. The wheat is cut, put through the thresher, gathered into sacks. And the straw is bailed and stored as fodder for hard times.

As writers, we need to harvest our fresh ideas. That is, we need to write. We need to bring our thoughts onto the page.

Phase 3: Development

In the writer’s cycle of creation, the phase of development means editing. We’ve got words on the page. We have a rough draft. Now it’s time to shape what we’ve written.

Enhancement

Editing means enhancing. We look at what we’ve written from the reader’s point of view and try to improve it.

Evaluation

The final evaluation looks at the big picture, as well as the details. Questions I ask here are: “Have I said what I wanted to say?” or “Have I developed my ideas clearly?” and  “Is my spelling correct?”

Phase 4: Action

As a writer, ‘action’ means sharing your writing with others.

Implementation

The final task of creativity is to give life to our idea. As a blogger, implementation means publishing a post. It means formatting the post, finding a suitable image, and so on – until you finally (gulp) press the ‘publish’ button.

The act of implementation is the end of the cycle of creativity. But it leads seamlessly to the beginning.

We live with what we’ve written. Maybe we read comments, or we get other feedback. Or we simply test what we’ve written against what we experience.

Immediately the cycle begins again.

So what does this cycle of the creativity teach us about being creative in a busy life?

There are three important points to remember:

1. Each phase of the creative cycle is important for consistent inspiration.

For example, my mistake this week was to skip the first two phases, Preparation and Imagination, and go straight to Harvesting. That’s something we do when we’re short of time and stressed, don’t you think? But it doesn’t work – duh.

2. Start your creativity from where you are.

Any experience can lead to inspiration. In my case, the moment I began to be interested in my problem with creativity, inspiration was triggered.

3. ‘Time in’ is crucial to inspiration.

‘Time in’ means allowing ourselves not to know. It’s a moment of spacious emptiness where the mind can let go of preconceived ideas.

Let’s go back to the beginning:

Who is in charge of your creativity? Are you?

When we understand the cycle of creativity and complete each of the four phases – Preparation, Imagination, Development, and Action before moving on to the next – inspiration happens naturally.

Each of the phases prepares the next – and the wheels of inspiration keep on turning.

That’s how to ride the cycle of creativity.

I’m interested to know how you manage to be creative in a busy life. What works for you? Any suggestions? Tips? Please share in the comments.

Mary Jaksch is Chief Editor of Write to Done. You can read more articles by Mary on Goodlife ZEN. Get her free Ebook “Overcome Anything” here or grab a feed.

Enjoy these related posts:

How to Squeeze Writing Inspiration From Every Experience

Zen Power Writing: 15 Tips on How to Generate ideas and Write with Ease

7 Easy Ways to Energize Your Creative Writing Powers

How to Use a Genius Tool for Writers: Mind Maps

Photo by organicc

By Mary Jaksch

Do you have days where you sit in front of  an empty page  – and find nothing, absolutely nothing you could write about? I used to. But now I’ve learned to squeeze inspiration from every experience.

What, every experience? Yes, I know it sounds a tall order. Read on to see how it works.

The secret of creativity

First of all we need to determine what triggers creativity. It’s quite simple:

Creative innovation happens through communication between regions of the brain that are not usually connected. (You can read more about that here).

Let’s imagine that you want to write an article about social media. Your page is empty and your brain is on slow-go. Then you start making a list of points you want to cover:

Twitter
connections
viral news
Stumbleupon

Does this list inspire you? Does is trigger ideas in your brain? Well, not in my brain! At this point I still can’t find any theme connected to social media that I might want to write about.

Now let’s take a different tack in order to kick-start creativity: we’ll choose an unrelated idea and hold it up against our theme ‘social media’. What we’re doing at that moment is to connect two different areas in the brain.

Let’s say that the word we choose to connect with ‘social media’ is ‘potato’. Wacky, eh?

Just pause for a moment and see what your brain comes up with when you connect ‘social media’ and ‘potato’.

Here is what happens in my brain when I connect the two concepts:

• Potatoes grow underground and you can’t see them from above / You can’t understand social media by looking in from the outside.

• You only get to see the size of the  harvest when you dig up your potatoes/ It takes a time to see the result of ongoing social media cultivation

• Potatoes are a staple diet/ Your communication on social media allows people to get to know the ‘ordinary’ you.
• There are endless recipes to cook potatoes/ Each social media has it’s own style and you need to adapt to it

Ok – that was just a five minute harvest of ideas to illustrate how creativity works. Even though I didn’t come up with any brilliant mind flashes, what I did get was four different themes for an article. So, if you were to connect ‘social media’ with twenty different unrelated things, such as door handles, cats, rain, hunger, rainforest, or … you name it, you would end up with 100 ideas for articles about social media. That better than none, isn’t it?

What hinders creativity?

There are lots of things that can hinder creativity, from low self esteem to a lack of break-fast. But let me focus in on one particular hindrance for now: linear thinking.

Linear thinking kills creativity

In term of the way our brain functions, linear thinking means triggering neighbouring ideas. For example, if you use logical thinking, you move down a linear pathway of thinking until you have a result. That’s great for engineers. But not for writers.

How to use every experience for inspiration

What we all wish for is to have writing ideas tumble out of our brain continually, so that we always have too many ideas to choose from.

Impossible? No, easy! All we have to do is to follow the principle of association that we tried out before.

Here’s how:

Let’s imagine you’re back at your desk with no idea of what to write about. You desperately need fresh ideas for the next blog post. What do do?

First thing: get up from your desk and grab a notebook in order to record even the wackiest ideas! Then let your mind go into free-flow and allow your next actions to trigger ideas.

Here’s a list of what I might do next and the post themes for Write to Done this would trigger.

• I make myself a cup of coffee

“Too Hot to Handle: Wake up Your Readers!”
“10 Mistakes that Make Readers go to Sleep”
“How to Drip-Feed Information”

• I go to the window and stretch

“ How to Relax and Write Better”
“ Give Your Readers a New Perspective”
“Write From Your Point ofView”
“Find Your Voice and Grow Your Blog”

• I have a shower

“Clean out your website”
“Write Like Water”
“Give Your Readers a Fresh Perspective”

You get the idea? Ok, so some of these themes may be non-starters, but they in turn may generate useful ideas. In any case I could head back to my desk with a new collection of ideas for my next post. It sounds easy, doesn’t it? But there is a trick.

What does it take to use every moment for creativity?

You need to use a trick. Actually it’s not really a trick. You need a particular mind state. Quite simply, you need to be present! For example, if you’re having a shower and you’re thinking about who you’ve got to email today, or about the bills you have to pay, or you wonder why your girlfriend isn’t returning your calls – you won’t create a single idea. Because you’re not present.

Being preoccupied kills creativity.

If you want to be creative, you need to become aware of the present moment .

Let the breath lead you to the present moment.

A simple Zen way to return to the present moment is to take one complete breath – and feel the air flowing in and out. Then focus on what you are seeing, hearing, or sensing.

When you are present, you can squeeze inspiration from every experience. In fact, there’s no need to squeeze because being present makes inspiration flow free.

I’d love to hear how this works for you. Maybe you could describe a simple experience and the ideas that flow from it in the comments. Or tell us what works for you to kick-start your creativity.

Related article: What Makes us Creative?

Mary Jaksch is Chief Editor of Write to Done. You can read more of her articles here and on her blog Goodlife ZEN

What are you working on right now?
A novel? Your best article ever? A poem? A film script?

Maybe you’ve just finished something you’re really proud of? Or you just can’t tell whether it should get a Pulitzer or be thrown into the trash?

Here’s your chance to share and discuss with each other what you are writing about.

Whet our appetite with the opening paragraph of your future bestseller, give us a link to your best article, or tell us what you are writing at the moment.

Who knows, your piece might even attract the notice of a major publishing house!

Here are some guidelines:

A. Writers:

* State what aspect you’re working on. For example, you might want to say, “Here’s a link to my article “Whatever” I’m currently working on eliminating superfluous words.”

B. Commenters:

* When commenting, first list everything you really like about a piece.
* Only then offer careful suggestions.
* Treat each other with respect, friendliness, caring, and honesty.
* Remember that we are all still learning.

Now it’s over to you. Take a deep breath. Then jump into the comment section and bring out your treasures!

By Mary Jaksch

Do you want to become a better writer? A better organizer? A better collaborator? In that case, try using mind maps. Creator Tony Buzan called mind maps a ‘genius tool’. Why? Because mind mapping can fire up your brain and boost creativity.

Why mind maps work

A mind map is a thinking tool that reflects what goes on in the brain. When two bits of information intersect, an idea is formed. Then the idea triggers radiant thinking. This means that the brain makes countless associations, radiating in all directions.

Take a look at this video in which Tony Buzan talks about why mind maps work and how to use them.

Hand-drawn maps

Here is a run-down of how to create a free-hand mind map:

• Turn a page on its side

• Start in the center

• Create a central image with the main idea

• Connect branches to central image

• Add second- and third-level branches

• Make branches organic and free-flowing

• Write words along each line

• Use color

• Use images

There is a trick to kick-starting your creativity by mind-mapping. Take time to doodle! Decorating your map allows your brain to go into free-flow mode. Then it can come up with unexpected connections.

Mind mapping software

The first mind mapping software to be developed tried to imitate hand-drawn maps. At the time, boosting creativity was seen as the main focus of mind maps. However, desktop programs offer more than boosting creativity. You can use desktop programs in the following way:

• Visual bookmark manager

• Managing files

• Capturing expertise and special Interests

• Research and analysis

• Event planning

• Brainstorming and mind mapping

• Innovation and strategic planning

• Capturing and presenting your vision

• Recording people networks

• Web site planning and site navigation

Main desktop applications

There are five main mind mapping desktop applications:

Buzan iMindmap3 is still largely focused on imitating hand-drawn maps and on boosting creativity. You can download a free trial version here http://www.imindmap.com/. Price: iMindMap Elements $99,  iMIndMap Pro $199. Check out the interesting articles on the iMindmap site.

Freemind was one of the first mind map software programs. It’s free but not user-friendly and lacks good tutorials.

PersonalBrain is an outstanding mind mapping program with excellent support and training. A drawback is that it’s difficult to navigate. You can see a video on how PersonalBrain works, as well as the range of its applications. http://www.thebrain.com/#-56
PersonalBrain4 basic is free; PersonalBrain Core costs $149.95.

Mind Manager is one of the older programs. It’s an expensive option at $349.00 and doesn’t seem to offer as much information and training as PersonalBrain.

XMind is a open-source program. The basic version (which is elegant and easy to use) is free. XMInd PRO costs $49.00 per year. I use the basic version in order to import and save my online maps.

Web-based mind map applications

In the last few years, quite a few online mind mapping systems have sprung up. They can be used for storing and delivering information, as well as for collaborating on projects. Online maps look set to supersede desktop programs.

Collaborate with others

The great advantage of online maps over desktop applications is that some enable real-time collaboration. Personally, I use online maps for all my projects. Using MindMeister – an online application that allows real-time collaboration – together with Skype, I can meet up with partners on the other side of the world and work with them as if sitting side by side at a virtual desk. At meetings, each point of the discussion can be recorded directly on the map, and I can track changes to the map that associates make.

Keep track of a project

A mind map is a great way to keep track of a project. It allows you to get a mental screenshot of where the project is at. As a project slowly matures, all completed files can be attached to the map.

Complex projects always have many different lines of development to follow. A mind map can hold all of these different streams at one glance. For example, if you wanted to start a new blog, you would need to keep track of creating a brand, designing a logo, choosing a platform, creating content, designing a website, setting and launching the blog, and so on. A mind map can hold all these different planning streams.

Capture complex information

A mind map is a great tool for studying. I find that I retain information much better if I organize it in a mind map. For capturing complex information it’s essential to have the option of attaching files to a mind map. I tend to attach notes, text -, audio -, and video files, as well as URLs to my mind maps, in order to keep all information in one place. I can then easily share the information with others.

Selecting a web-based mind map program

When selecting web-based applications, there are six important questions you should ask:

• Are maps private?

• Can files be attached?

• Is real-time collaboration possible?

• Can a map be restructured?

• Is the program user-friendly?

• Can maps be exported?

The four best-known online applications are:

MindMeister is a user-friendly program developed by a German team that offers privacy, real-time collaboration and attachment of files. (User license costs $49 per year ).

Mindomo is a user-friendly program that has no real-time collaboration. In the free basic version maps are public and files cannot be attached. The Premium version costs $72 per year and offers privacy and attachment of files.

Mind42 is a free program. It’s not as user-friendly as Mindomo or MindMeister. However, it offers real-time collaboration, but no privacy or attachment of files.

Comapping has a strange feature: it anchors the center of the mind map to the left of the page. It has no real-time collaboration and attachment of files. Cost: $25 per year.

Of these four programs, I think MindMeister is by far the best. They have an excellent development team and new features appear continually – including some nifty plugins. You can read a review of MindMeister3 here. A detailed comparison of online programs can be found at the Mind Mapping Software Blog. You can find an interesting article on mind mapping here

We are going to give a way a FREE 3-month subscription to MindMeister to the first 10 subscribers to our brand-new monthly newsletter! Sign up fast!

What’s the newsletter going to be about? Well, the fantastic live Q&A session that Leo Babauta did on Write to Done recently got a huge thumbs-up by readers.  In response we’re going to start a monthly newsletter where Leo and the Write to Done team offer valuable tips for bloggers and writers. We’ll also give you a sneak peak at our amazing plans for the future. Be the first to know! Subscribe here:

Note: This is a guest post from James Chartrand of Men with Pens, known for his sharp-shooting advice to writers.

It’s all been said. It’s been written before. We feel like we’re just rehashing the same old story everyone else has written. And inspiration dies like leaves falling from trees in autumn.

There are ways to find inspiration again. Most suggest taking a break, setting down the pen and paper to do other activities for a while. Reading a book is a good way to give our brains a rest. Going for a walk is another; any physical activity boosts creativity.

What if inspiration still doesn’t come? What if you take a break, read a book, get active and still come up blank when you sit down to write?

In most cases, all you have to do is look within to find the inspiration you need. Easy? No. Necessary? Yes.

Our mind plays tricks on us all the time. The events we’ve lived and the experiences we’ve had create perception issues. We filter our world through fears and self-set messages that fool us into believing lies we find comfortable.

“They’ll think this is silly… No one will want to read this. It’s not interesting enough, not different enough. I’m boring. I’m not a good writer. I shouldn’t be doing this… I’ll never finish. I never finish anything. I’m wasting my life. Why can’t I come up with something good for once?”

Many of you may recognize some of your fears in these phrases. They’re common ones, thoughts that even the best writers get from time to time. We could even say that they’re inspired thoughts, negative messages fed by fears that get the best of us.

So what do you do? How do you break through the mental barriers that hold you back to release the words you once loved?

Simulate a scenario

Think of all the possible outcomes and look at the worst-case scenarios. If you write something and no one likes it, what do you feel might happen? What is the worst consequence you can think of? What is the best consequence, too? What would you do if these consequences occurred?

Consider the likelihood of each outcome as well and weigh the chances of you taking a risk. You may see that by objective thought, your fears aren’t really founded in reality – then take that risk and give it a try.

Make it an experiment and analyze the results. Learn from the outcome you achieve. Did you have a negative outcome? If so, why? What will you do better next time? Did you have a positive result? How does that contradict what you believed? How does it make you feel?

Validate your feelings

We all tend to avoid feelings that make us uncomfortable. We don’t particularly enjoy thinking about what scares us or makes us sad, and we avoid considering why we feel that way. Who knows what we might uncover?

Well, that’s the point right there – who knows what you might discover if you look your fears in the eye and say to yourself, “Okay, I’m terrified of rejection.” It’s part of you, so accept that you have this fear. Then befriend the fear and treat it like a person that needs you to overcome this obstacle. By taking the focus off you and placing it in a third-party perspective, you’ll often find the courage you need to break through.

Confirm your reality

Most of our perceptions of the world aren’t accurate and we make huge assumptions about what people think of us (and what they aren’t telling us). But the truth is that these assumptions are, in most cases, completely false.

A good way to realign our thoughts with a more realistic view is to use confirmation as a fantastic tool. Do you think your work is boring or not good at all? The minute you have that thought, be accountable for taking action. Find an objective person you trust to immediately to tell you the truth.

Don’t make assumptions on what other people think. The minute you start to imagine what others believe, seize the moment and ask a trusted person to tell you the truth. Confirm reality and remind yourself of this reality every time the whispered messages start. You’ll soon begin to eliminate them and feel confident about the truth.

These three tips may seem like a bunch of psychological mumbo-jumbo, but they’re actually good ways to break out of negative self-talk that holds you back. That’s key to finding inspiration for writing, because only confidence and freedom lets us truly release our minds go to explore what we can create.

And when you do that, you’ll find inspiration – and you’ll also have the confidence to write.

About the Author: Need more inspiration to break free and become a better writer? James Chartrand can help. Visit his blog at Men with Pens for great advice on writing with confidence.

Feeling stuck? There’s nothing more intimidating than staring at a blank page (or screen) and realizing that you’re up against a solid case of writer’s block. Even a temporary absence of the writer’s muse can leave the most accomplished writer feeling less-than-capable, and suck the joy out of an otherwise fulfilling exercise. But there’s hope for all who have battled writer’s block before – put these five writing productivity tips into practice, and you’ll have your muse on-call and waiting for you, rather than the other way around.

Tip #1 – Keep A Tangent Journal As You Write

Just as conversations often branch off into unrelated tangents, whatever you’re writing about now can be the catalyst for many other things you may write about later. However, like shopping list items and people’s phone numbers, you know how easy it is to forget them after even a short time has passed. Don’t risk having your best ideas become nothing more than faded memories – keep a “tangent journal” with you as you write and jot down incoming ideas. Capture just enough detail that you can use them later when you need a great writing prompt, and you’ll give yourself a great resource without breaking your current writing flow.

Tip #2 – Write, Then Brainstorm

After you’ve successfully hammered out your quota of words for the day, don’t let all that mental momentum go to waste. Take 5 minutes to brainstorm what you could write about next while the gears in your head are still turning. Since you’re already in a writing state of mind, you may find it easier to generate upcoming ideas than if you pushed yourself from a “cold start” tomorrow. And as a bonus, having tomorrow’s topic in mind today gives your brain time to simmer up great ideas in the background so you’ll start tomorrow off strong.

Tip #3 – Find Someone To Give You A Jump-Start

Sometimes you’ll find yourself absolutely brain-locked, unable to even begin thinking about what to write. When you can’t even crank up your creative centers, take a shortcut and let someone else’s way with words get you started. Find a selection of writing you like and copy it down word for word, writing or typing your way through a few paragraphs (or pages, if you’re really stuck). Even though you’re not writing something original, the physical act of putting words down will soon prime your brain to get back in the writing groove.

Tip #4 – Condition Yourself For Creativity

Sometimes a simple pre-writing routine can help you get anchored into a creative state of mind – all you have to do is pick a specific action and do it every time your creative juices are flowing. For example, if you brew a pot of your favorite coffee every time you sit down to write, you can condition yourself to link the smell of that coffee to “writing time.” Do this enough, and you may find that performing this little “ritual” helps you get into gear automatically, even when you’re feeling stuck.

Tip #5 – Show Up On Time, Every Time

Many an established writer will agree that showing up consistently – whether you have something to write about or not – can be the best writing productivity tip of them all. Making an appointment with yourself to sit in front of your keyboard (or blank page) every day at the same time, no matter what, is bound to help you become a better writer in the long run. Consistently showing up will also make it easier to schedule the rest of your life around your block of writing time, giving you one less thing to distract you when it’s time to get the words out of your head and into your reader’s hands.

Your Turn: Tell Us Your Top Writing Productivity Tip

If you’ve been writing for a while, you undoubtedly have a few tricks up your sleeve for making it easier to write high-quality stuff without all the hand-wringing. Don’t keep them to yourself – take a moment right now to share your favorite tips in the comments below, and make your muse happy. :-)

Looking for more tips to make your life easier? Dave Navarro shares it all on the Rock Your Day blog.