3 Fun Activities To Spark Your Creativity When You Run Out Of Ideas
Some days you’re jumping out of your skin to write. The ideas flow. You can’t get them on paper fast enough.
Of course, there are other days where you have nothing interesting to write.
I have days like that too. We all do.
I keep a few tricks in my back pocket for days like this. Any one of these three tools sparks a few creative ideas. Not only do they produce ideas, they’re also a ton of fun.
Tap Into Your Personal Experience
This technique was once my fall back method. I used it when I had nothing to write about. It proved so reliable I started using it every day.
Here’s how it works.
Before bedtime, write down twelve things you experienced that day. Any kind of experience qualifies — conversations, mishaps, emails, anything.
Review your list and ask yourself these questions.
What did it teach you?
What surprised you?
What new insights can your readers gain?
What does it reveal about you?
Need an example? Here are a few things I experienced today.
1. A harrowing merge after a tollbooth from eight lanes into two. Sandwiched in between two trucks I felt certain one of them would hit me.
2. A new cashier at Starbucks got flustered over a complicated order. I thought she would quit on the spot. I planned on using up reward points for my latte. I thought that might push her past the breaking point. It wasn’t worth it. I decided to save it for another time.
3. A colleague of mine rushed into my office, dropped off his bag and headed back out the door. As he walked out he said “Don’t worry. No bomb in there… I have a meeting across the hall.”
4. I left for work today before either of my kids woke up. I hadn’t done that in months.
The third example seems the most compelling but there’s a hidden story or lesson in all four of these examples.
This practice always generates at least one good idea. Even mundane conversations and emails uncover writing treasures.
Coffee Shop Spying
What about the days where nothing interesting happens?
Head over to a coffee shop, sit down and eavesdrop on conversations. When my own life lacks compelling experiences, I can always find something interesting going on in other people’s lives.
Coffee shops are the best place for this. Nobody notices when you listen in. Plus, there’s never any shortage of drama.
The Fake Interview
I love this next exercise. I’ve done it a few times. I haven’t published the results but the process always generates ideas.
Here’s how it works.
Think of someone you admire. Pretend that person is interviewing you for a podcast, radio or television show. Prepare a few questions and imagine the back and forth conversation. As you run through the exchange in your mind, type it out on your laptop.
This is harder than it sounds. You think a lot faster than you type. Keep going until your mind goes blank. This produces a few pages of content.
When you finish, review the notes of your fake interview. I find at least three or four story ideas from this process.
Even though I don’t publish the results, this exercise helps crystallize my thoughts. It creates a goldmine of ideas.
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