Five ways to nurture creativity, by Deborah Jenkins

Do you think there's a writing 'type'? When I was younger, I used to think all writers must be like me - a bit dreamy, over-imaginative, a tiny bit disorganised, doesn't really notice dirt (much to my husband's early surprise. He notices it). But when I started getting to know other writers, I was fascinated to discover this was not the case. One of my writer friends cleans her house devotedly. Another is excessively organised in life and writing. A third likes boxing. It seems that writers, like humans, are cut from very different cloth.

So if we are all different, it follows that we probably nurture creativity in different ways. Our personalities will have certain triggers for everything - anger, laughter, tolerance levels when driving, so the same must be true of creativity. Who knows when inspiration might strike? I've had ideas on trains, in church and once memorably while being pummelled by a well endowed Turk in a hamam in Ankara. Please don't ask. Actually (rather guiltily), I have quite a lot of creative ideas during sermons. I put it down to my husband's voice which is so dear and familiar that it soothes me into a sort of trance. (I must add however, that he is a very good preacher.)

Reading about creativity, it seems that there are particular ways in which we can all nurture our creative side. Here are my top five: -

1. Pause - According to an article in Pschology Today, the surface of the mind is always moving. Like a stone thrown into a pond, the mind can be busy with things rippling its surface. The problem is, we get so caught up with watching the ripples that we don't give them time to settle, moving on at speed to the next thing. Time to allow the mind's surface things to settle, calms us, enabling us to focus on the inspirational, spontaneous thoughts that are always there, below the surface.

Going for a walk, having a shower, gardening, listening to music, even cleaning (for some people - not me) are good ways to slow the mind down from its frantic pace. It's like taking our mind off its leash, allowing it to express the creative ideas and thoughts that were there all along but we were not aware of.

2. Spend time with other creatives/created things - Whatever people create - pictures, pottery, knitted giraffes - they have the same process in common: the use of the imagination to produce something unique and original. Spending time with such people can be inspiring and help us to develop our own creativity and a desire to practise it.

Discussing ideas, visiting an art gallery, going to a concert/play, joining a writers' group - these are all good ways of allowing ourselves to be inspired by the work of others.

3. Explore - When we step outside our usual environment, our perception is heightened by the different sights and sounds we experience. These impressions allow our powers of observation to take precedent and can spark new ideas. A good writer is often described as someone who can pay attention. It is never easier to do so when going somewhere new.

Holidays, weekends away, a new walk,visiting a local place of interest or even going to someone's house for the first time, are all good ways of doing this.

4. Come off-line and 'slow' - This was recommended on a programme I listened to recently on Radio 4 about rest. Not the sleeping kind of rest, but being 'at rest' when we're awake. Modern day humans are apparently not good are resting. If not working on-line, we are still on-line, shopping, finding information, emailing, surfing or banking to name a few. Also, if you are like me, even if you're not on-line, you crave mental stimuli and have the radio on, or the tv or loud music or BBC Sounds. This is not good for our creative mind-wandering. My little transistor radio's batteries were flat the other day and I had an idea for a plot twist while cleaning my teeth. I no longer listen to the radio during teeth cleaning.

5. Start writing - I never hold much sway by this 'write every day' thing. I think it's rather prescriptive and of course we would all write every day, if we could. But there is something to be said in making the most of every opportunity and not waiting until we have a whole, glorious day to write in. We may produce something worthwhile in half an hour. The other day I wrote a little, then I went downstairs to cook and kept having other ideas for phrases and plot twists. This always happens to me whenever I actually do some writing.
Which is why my family are always finding random slips of paper all over the house with things like 'smouldering sunset' or 'kills a spider with her heel' on them.

So, creative adventurers, go create. Let's take the same care of our creativity in 2020 as we do of our bodies and minds. I'll rephrase that, for myself and anyone like me. Let's take BETTER care of our creativity than we do of our bodies and minds. Who knows? Writing-wise, this year could be your year.

Go for it...

Click on the link to see the novella on amazon
Deborah Jenkins is a primary school teacher and freelance writer who has written articles, text books, devotional notes and short stories. She writes regularly for the tes. She has also completed a novella, The Evenness of Things, available as an Amazon e-book and is currently working on a full length novel. Deborah loves hats, trees and small children. After years overseas with her family, who are now grown up, she lives in Sussex with her husband, a Baptist minister, and a cat called Oliver