I go through waves of creativity. I can spend weeks at a time working on ideas, writing poetry, or trying create characters. But then again, I'll happily sit and waste my time feeling like my brain is melting.
Inspiration can come from anywhere. I was ready to get in the bath when I came up with Charlie Cheese - not sure why, I'd not eaten any cheese, nor spent any time with a mustached fella. Out of nowhere.
For my poetry, I'll see what's annoying me in the news or have a political debate with my husband. Easy.
When you have writer's block, you're stuck. It's the brain's Error 404. There seems to be nothing, no matter what you do.
I recently went through a patch of trying to invent something. - Just to keep my brain busy.
What I seemed to come up with was the equivalent of slapping glitter and stickers on something that already exists. It was frustrating. I needed someone who wasn't writing, who didn't have writer's block...
My father is one of the most creative people I know, I don't understand how his brain works. He can find humour in any situation and his ideas often take a bizarre turn. So, I asked him what he would invent for the kitchen.
(Pretty boring, but it's an open question - an opportunity to see where this would go)
He replied, without hesitating, "A WALL OF JAM." - because- "You can just throw your toast at it on a morning, then your breakfast is ready."
See, I wasn't expecting this at all. It made me really think about it, you then come up with ideas on the same level, something equally impossible - and there you go, out of the slump.
It's like someone's answer gives your brain the spin-off episode.
I spent the rest of the afternoon working on my writing - not about jam walls, but it got me focused again.
I suggest asking people interesting, open-ended questions and bounce off their answers.
(Do not take their ideas, it's an exercise to get you back on track and get rid of writer's block).
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