Your brain has an amazing ability to generate ideas.
But it’s not always easy to access them.
Few things are more frustrating than needing an original idea and not being able to come up with one, especially if you’re a writer.
Like many other things in life, generating great ideas requires practice to be able to do it consistently.
Unfortunately, most of us are only looking for good ideas when we’re in a tough spot.
The added pressure can make it even more challenging to come up with a good idea.
We typically don’t work as well under pressure as we do when relaxed.
That’s because your best ideas come from your subconscious mind, and you have access to it only when you are in a relaxed state.
Practice these techniques to improve your ability to generate useful ideas:
1. Set an intention.
Decide each day that you’re going to be creative. Each morning, tell yourself that you’re going to be generating ideas today. You’ll be much more likely to be successful, just as if you reminded yourself to notice all the blue cars that crossed your path today.
2. Try a new environment.
The same environment leads to the same thoughts and behaviors. Put yourself in a new environment if you want to have new ideas. Spend the night at a hotel. Take a trip to the city. Go to the park. Walk around a cemetery. Sit in a chair in your backyard if you rarely get out there, or go to a local coffeeshop (many writers love to write in coffeeshops).
3. Write in a journal.
Journaling generates thinking. It also creates space in your brain for new thoughts. Get the old thoughts out of the way and you’ll begin thinking about something new. Make a habit of writing in a journal each day.
4. Get online.
Cruise around the Internet. Spend some time on sites you wouldn’t normally visit. Watch some videos. Look at some photos. Read a few blogs on topics relevant to your creative need. There’s so much available online.
5. Set aside time each day for idea generation.
Just as you might set aside time to hit the gym, set aside a time to generate great ideas. Be clear on the topic and desired outcome. For example, you might decide, “I want to come with an idea that I can develop into a short story for children.”
You’re bound to come up with some great ideas if you do this each day.
When you practice generating ideas, you become good at it.
6. Skim books on the topic.
It’s not necessary to read every word to find a new idea, but you could. Skim through a few books and see if something triggers a new idea. Maybe someone already has a great idea you can use.
7. Ask others for ideas.
Maybe someone you know has a perspective you haven’t considered. You could even send out a mass email to everyone you know and ask for help. You’re certain to hear a few ideas that you never would’ve thought of on your own. This is where a writer’s group can be particularly helpful. Just hearing about the stories other writers are working on can give you some ideas for stories you can develop.
8. Understand that you’ll often get many ideas at once.
Ideas often come in floods. You can have several days without a good idea, and then you suddenly have 10. That’s why it’s important to keep at it every day. Be open to receiving several good ideas at once. This is why it’s also recommended you keep a pocket-sized notebook with you at all times—so anytime ideas come flooding in, you can write them down so you don’t forget them.
Do you regularly have good ideas?
Whether you do or not, you can definitely strengthen that ability.
Creativity requires practice, and few of us get regular practice.
We’re only looking for solutions when we have a pressing problem.
This is shortsighted.
Spend time each day looking for things to write about.
They are all around you, so build your idea-generating muscles and they’ll be ready when you need them.
Try it!
Other ideas from Write by the Sea
Here are some writing ideas via writing prompts.
