Creative personalities need inspiration for their works, even
more than the average person, office or factory going person.
They have to produce writing, music, theater or dance of
original content. These creations have to come from the
springs of their mind. Surely sometimes the springs go dry
or ebb like the tides. How do accomplished artists keep
going? What do they use for inspiration?
Linus Pauling, the Nobel winning American chemist, was
asked how one comes up with innovative scientific theories.
His way was to come up with as many relevant thoughts and
concepts as possible, and then eliminate the unfeasible ones.
This is ‘brainstorming’, a technique used by creative think tanks
all over the world today.
The Abstract art genius Picasso said ‘The artist is a receptacle
or emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky,
from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape,
from a spider’s web.’ Just going for a walk by the seaside or
watching flora and fauna or listening to people talk is a great
way of absorbing ideas. Allow the ideas to cook within your
subconscious and then suddenly one morning you will be
struck by an Eureka moment!
Creativity is associated with right brain activity as compared
to the logical processes of the left brain. Thinking ‘outside
the box’ is another phrase for lateral thinking or unconventional
thinking. As children we all think unconventionally, until
schooling and society compel us into narrow norms of thought.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, Robert Frost, the creator
of these timeless lines has some good advice for inspiring the
poet in you. ‘No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No
surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.’
If you yourself do not feel the emotions in your creative work,
how can you expect your readers to be moved by them? It
has also been said, To do something amazing, you must be
someone amazing. So first fill your own creative well and let
the springs bubble forth.
