Creative Prompts

In any medium of expression there comes a time when the words refuse to form, the paint will not flow, the clay hardens into a lump on the wheel, and the melodies fall as flat as the Kansas horizon. I am speaking, of course, about that most feared of phenomena, the dreaded Creativity Vacuum. It is a black hole in the artist’s universe into which uncounted novels, sonatas, sculptures, and paintings have vanished, never to return.

I am a writer by trade, and in my line of work we refer to this demon as Writer’s Block. It can be a fearsome adversary if allowed to run free, but there are ways to wall it off, like Poe’s Fortunato, and thus render it impotent. As anyone involved in the pursuit of creativity and art will tell you, creative expression is hard work, and often the artist’s tendency is to find a less demanding way to spend the time they have set aside for creative expression. Hopefully, the following creativity prompts can be helpful the next time the logjam occurs and the Muse refuses to pay a visit.

Imagine your ideal vacation, the one you have waited your entire life to take. Then, depending on your chosen medium, record that vacation for posterity as if it has already happened. If you are a writer, treat your imaginings as memories and jot them in a journal. If your forte is painting, envision and then paint your favorite scene from the trip. The great feature about this prompt is that it will tailor itself to any art form, from poetry to sculpture, from music to drama. It may also have the decidedly positive secondary benefit of rekindling your desire and commitment to take the actual trip!

Experiment with alternative forms of creativity. If you are a writer, paint or sculpt your story. If you are a poet, put your words to music. By placing yourself outside of your medium, you are in effect removing yourself from the rut and allowing your creativity to move once again to the forefront. The newness of the substitute art form may serve to put the fun back into the process. You may also discover a new hobby as you experiment with alternative means of expression. I used this prompt while writing my second novel and discovered that I am a closet impressionist painter. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a lousy closet impressionist painter, but I enjoy it just the same.

Sometimes if your creative urges have abandoned you, it helps to go through the motions by replicating the art of others. Rewrite a chapter from a classic tale in modern day language. Re-create your favorite Monet or Renoir to the best of your ability. Try to capture the feel of an Ansel Adams photograph in your own work. Much of human activity is strictly behavioristic in nature. Thus, if you act creatively, there is a good chance that the proper neural connections will click and you will become truly creative once again.

Often a change of scenery will get you out of a creative rut. I write every day at the same desk staring at the same screen in the same office with the same old dog snoring at my feet. Most days, this homey setting works just fine, but there are the occasional times when I need a different environment. On those days, I pack my good Parker pen and my legal pad and head for parts unknown. Invariably I return from one of these field trips with a notebook full of jottings and a new lease on the creative process. Please note that if your art is the reclamation of car bumpers by welding them into modernistic sculpture, I am not suggesting that you load the welder and seven miles of extension cord into the trunk. You, too, can take a legal pad, and as you view the scenery you have chosen for your inspiration, you can jot ideas for your next work of bumper art.

In addition to the prompts I have already discussed, there is a list of simple rules I have always found helpful to the creative process:

Always carry a pocket notebook and a good pen. You never know when inspiration might pay a visit.

Work even when you don’t feel like it. Michelangelo didn’t feel like painting the Sistine Ceiling every day, but he went anyway. Well, ok, sometimes the Pope’s soldiers marched him over there, but the point is still valid.

Leave the TV turned off.

Play some nice, soothing music in the background. Or the Stones, if that is more to your liking. Music facilitates creativity.

Discouragement is self-indulgence and an excuse. It is also extremely habit-forming.

Set a time and create.

These are just a few of the ways in which I have combated the Creativity Vacuum. I hope you have found the list helpful, although I am certain that everyone reading this column has employed similarly effective methods with great success. Remember, our responsibility as creative individuals and as mentors of the next generation of creators is to keep the process of creativity in motion and to keep the dreams alive.