Staying Creative

It has happened to all of us. You open up the sketchbook, open your unfinished sheet music, or pull up the blank document and you just don’t know how to go on. What’s the next dance step or the next chapter? What am I trying to sculpt anyway? You can’t just wait for inspiration to hit you. You’ve got to keep your creative reserves full by hunting for it. These are ten tips for staying creative.

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1. Find Interesting YouTubers

This is one of my personal favorites. Most of the time, YouTubers start with an old camera or basic recording software to share their individual voices. As time goes on, the quality of work skyrockets! I would advise you to look at the early archives of the videos of some Creators, so you can see where they started. Then, you will see how they got to their current video quality and content.

2. Click the ‘P’ on Pinterest

If you are an avid pinner, like myself, you understand that pinning is like electronic scrapbooking/hoarding. You can build boards of stuff that you like or spam the like button to your heart’s content(sadly no longer an option). Personally , I do a little bit of both, but when I don’t know what to do, I just press the ‘P’ button on the left of the screen. This allows a wide variety of pins to load onto your screen based on your boards, likes, and winners that you follow.

3. Look up a movie or series

Whether you have Amazon Prime, Netflix, YouTube (Red), or cable, it is sometimes a good idea to just enjoy someone else’s work. Look at it as taking a break. You can set aside a few hours or a whole day for just binging a series or chugging through a movie marathon. Maybe something will set off a spark of inspiration.

4. Read a book

It’s possible that you can find a book with elements similar to the story you are trying to convey. Look at it as research. Look at how another person built their world and how they made you believe in the characters, research, and imagery.

5. Watch a comedy/comedian

A perfect life doesn’t allow for very good art. Comedians are great at taking life struggles and making hilarity out of it. Comedians voice common complaints in a way that makes the audience laugh.

6. Surround yourself with creators

Join the art club, photography club, the dance club, or whatever most interests you at your school. Take a risk and see what’s brewing there. If that’s not possible and your commitments are already swarming you, try YouTube. As explained in number one, YouTubers have variety of creative voices that are way out of the box. You can subscribe to find your tribe! Go see a show at the theatre or go to a concert.

7. Listen to new music

Music can bring you out of a funk, tell you a story, or at the very least paint images in the silence. Give the music on the suggested menu a chance. Maybe try sleeping to a peaceful playlist.

8. Carry a notebook wherever you go

Don’t end up face palming yourself because you had a potentially epic idea and then…you forgot. You can think of it as a place for a brain dump and you can organize it later.

9. Study your heroes

What’s the signature move from your favorite dancer? What instruments does that musician use in the majority of his works? How does she practice? What warmups does that singer do? This studying can help you shape your style and methods.

10. Have fun/Relax

Chill…just chill…There are times when it’s best to just step away from the desk. Whether it’s something on this list or off this list, do something you enjoy or make like the Lazy Song and proclaim that “today I’m not doing anything.” Sometimes, we grind on our work so much, that we forget to have fun with it. Don’t forget to have fun with it!