My Magic Tub of Ideas

A Message About Creativity from My Magic Tub of Ideas

I ran the last part of the title for this piece by a female the friend the other day who said it was "cute." I guess cute can translate to a good article about creativity and how to nurture and store it for later use. So, here we go, a message for you carried back from my magic tub of ideas.

Creativity isn't easy for everyone. And even those that consider themselves really creative, it's sometimes difficult to constantly continue the flow of new ideas - especially when it comes to writing. How do you foster creativity?

One thing I've found over the years is that if you find a place where you seem to be more creative, or where ideas really come to you, try to visit that place more often and really let your mind fly. Or it could be an activity like walking or driving or climbing trees even.

Whatever it is, if you find something that seems to help with idea generation, try to repeat the process. Let the ideas wash over you. When you're in your idea spot or doing your idea activity, don't worry about writing any of them down. When you do get back to your computer (no using your BlackBerry while you're driving!), jot down the ideas you still remember.

If the ideas are still around when you get back to your work space, you can rest assured they're the pick of the litter, typically pretty decent thoughts or ideas that can be fleshed out at a later date. Collecting these in a semi-coherent fashion can be very helpful. Keep a text file or use some other way that feels comfortable to you to keep these ideas as fast as they come to you.

If at a later date you find your creative juices are slowing down, this idea list can be a great source of inspiration. Usually, something on the list will spark another thought in your mind - enough so that you can run with the idea and get back on track with your writing.

I recently discovered that I've been having a lot of great ideas while relaxing in a hot tub. My magic tub of ideas is the inspiration for this piece. Or maybe it's the bubble bath I'm using? Whatever it is, the ideas keep coming.