The Creativity Plateau and Getting Through It
23 Apr
We’ve all been through it: you come up with an idea that you’re really excited about and it’s subsequently all you can think about. At first, you have a ton of energy and you may spend ample time per day on your idea. But, the creative excitement wanes as you begin to encounter the drudgery of executing your idea. If it’s a novel, that could mean taking hours to put down on paper what you already know in your head. Or it could mean editing and revising your novel. If it’s a project, then it could mean having to sticking to deadlines and filling in mundane details. Either way, you’re filling in odds and ends for which the creativity aspect is either nil or non-existent. Eventually, you abandon the idea and move on to something else that you’re really excited about.
This stage in the idea development process is known as the creativity plateau. It starts off with generating an idea, being really excited about the idea, then having to do the mundane stuff. Once we enter that later plateau for which creativity isn’t always necessary, we get bored and move on to our next great idea. As a result, you may have scores of unfinished ideas.
Getting through the creativity plateau can be difficult because it means toughing it out. You have to grit your teeth and pull through it so that you can bring your idea to the completion it deserves. But how do you do that? Here are five tips I’ve come up with:
1. Set aside at least an hour a day to work on your idea.
We are creatures of habit, and so once you get into the habit of doing something at the same time every day, your chances of completing that task rise substantially.
2. Take it slow at first.
Getting a new idea can be like a sugar high, but you need to calm down and take it slow. If you spend all that creative energy in the first few days, then it’s going to be your loss. Work diligently and slowly.
3. Set action goals for yourself.
An action goal is a task that begins with a verb. Every day, come up with two action goals to accomplish on your idea. For a novel, it could be something like “Write 500 words,” or “Draw a sketch of the main character.” Once you’re done, you can cross out your action goal giving you a sense of accomplishment.
4. Minimize security blanket tasks.
A security blanket task is something you do because it makes you feel better and there’s no particular end goal. It could be watching videos on Youtube, reading the news, or browsing the YWS forums. What you want to do is set up a time of day when you could do this kind of stuff to your heart’s content, then avoid them throughout the rest of the day.
5. Exercise
Try to do something outside every day. This could mean anything from going on a 20 mile bike ride to walking the dog for 15 minutes. The point is to get outside and get the heart pumping. Doing so improves the flow of oxygen to your brain, releases endorphins, and increases your creativity.
So, hopefully this all helps. In the comments, why don’t you leave your favorite way to get through the creativity plateau?
My problem (which I’m soon to rant about) is that I don’t plan. Which is really reaaalllllly stupid. Also, if you knew me, as a person it’s totally uncharacteristic. I’m such a planner. For some reason, though, not when it comes to stories. So I get to a certain point and suddenly go, “Oh, wait a minute. Oh dear.” And then the story probably won’t see daylight for six months.
I always get stuck in the middle. You know, after you’ve set the plot up, before you get to the big dramatic ending. For this reason, I have a list in my head of “key moments.” They’re not necessarily key- though they are, otherwise I would try not to write them- but they’re key to maybe a certain secondary character or a relationship, not just the plot. And I work towards those. Where I always get stuck is the transitions. Like, getting my character from that scene to the next one. So I just do those in a few sentences. Hey, I can always come back and edit, right? I guess that’s what you always have to remember.
Whenever I need a burst of creativity, I have to do something outside. Usually it’s mowing the lawn, which I admit is a strange way to boost creativity. I also go for a nice run. When I do these things I have plenty of time to just think about my idea and usually get inspired.
YWS is definitely my security blanket task, though. It’s probably why I don’t get very far on most of my stuff. xD
[quote]It could be watching videos on Youtube, reading the news, or browsing the YWS forums.[/quote]
heh…. Do I sense irony here?
Anyhow, thanks. I’m definitely in this stage right now, and this inspired me to get back to work.
Hahaha… how about critiquing non-stop?
*pokes story*
I hadn’t realized that there was a name for the way my brain works.
Well, I really enjoyed the article, just knowing other people have the same problem I do is comforting, and I also appreciate the tips!
Also, to the comment made by Stella, I appreciate your explanation of what you do under these circumstances. It gave me an idea for how to plan my next story.
-Kitty XD
I’ve been going through this lately. My problem right now is, I’ve got this epic story going, I’m almost to the halfway mark and then…BAM! Something’s wrong. Then everything’s wrong. And if you know me, which you probably don’t, you know I hate revisions. Despise them. So I’m sitting here knowing, that if I continue writing these epic story scenes that are in my head, I’ll just be multiplying the wrongness until I go back and fix it in my head and on paper. Which could mean hours of toiling I don’t have to spend.
Then the longer I sit there ruminating on my conundrum, the story begins to grow mold, and I end up with a big blob of, “what now?” *sigh* Story of my life.