33 Ways to Stay Creative: Be Otherworldly

Yep, that’s what they call it.

First of all, what the hell does “be otherworldly” mean anyway? This is going to be the real challenge for most people - trying to figure out what you need to do to be “otherworldly.” So, let’s start with some definitions.

Merriam-Webster defines “otherworldly” (I promise, the last time I’ll put it in quotes) as:

1  a: of, relating to, or resembling that of a world other than the actual world
    b: devoted to preparing for a world to come
and
2: devoted to intellectual or imaginative pursuits

Dictionary.com has this definition:
     relating to an imaginary or spiritual world.

Going further down the rabbit hole, the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus has the following synonyms for otherworldly:
     metaphysical, paranormal, preternatural, supernatural, transcendent, transcendental, unearthly

Taken all together, I’m going to say being otherworldly is something like being in that focused state where the world around you fades away and all you “see” (damn, more quotation marks) is whatever you are focused on. I like the idea of being “devoted to imaginative or intellectual pursuits” as in the second M-W definition. That seems to fit in with the idea of a hyper-focused state. But how would this help you be more creative.

Well, maybe being hyper-focused allows you to see possibilities that might not be apparent otherwise. Your increased focus makes the impossible seem possible, as some might say. I have been working with a friend on an idea regarding multi-creative individuals and the concepts of “fixed imager” and “changing imager.” It’s too much to go into here (and we aren’t ready to roll it out yet anyway), but suffice to say one challenge creatives have is focusing on one thing to its end. Being otherworldly might be a way to bring that focus into play, at least long enough to complete one creative idea.

Obviously, the biggest drawback to this technique is figuring out what otherworldly means for you. Are you focused and devoted to some intellectual pursuit? Are you preparing for the world to end? (In that case, you have other things to worry about than creativity.) What about some imaginary or spiritual world? Whatever you finally determine is your otherworldly, let it bring your creativity to the forefront. Just don’t forget to come home when your trip is over.

33 Ways to Stay Creative: Get Away from the Computer/Smartphone

Real World Solutions

When this list was first posted, the major communication device was the computer. People wrote on the computer, they sent emails on the computer, they surfed the net on the computer. Before that, we might have said the typewriter was the main communication device - you know, the keyboard that was a direct output to paper (of course, there was no email or net surfing back then). Today, it’s the smartphone that so many people use for communication, and herein lies the truly modern challenge for this technique.

I call this “Real World Solutions” because it is all about getting away from the digital world and experiencing the real world around you. It sounds so easy, but that little handheld device we all seem to carry (and focus on) can often get in the way. But first, let’s talk about the actual technique.

From my perspective, the proper way to do this right is to find a place you enjoy and try to immerse yourself there. Getting away from the computer is relatively doable, laptops and notebooks notwithstanding. If you can walk out the door and leave the aforementioned gadgets on your desk, then that satisfies the computer element. The bigger challenge is that little mini-computer in your pocket/purse/backpack. Smartphones have made keeping connected ridiculously easy and cutting the virtual cord amazingly difficult. But if you are determined, you can make it happen. Shut your phone off completely and slip it into a less-accessible pocket - maybe inside a backpack or other bag. Try your best to ignore that nagging itch to check your social media every few minutes...or to post about where you are.

So, you manage to tear yourself away from technology, what next? Well, as I mentioned, you should try to immerse yourself in wherever you go. A wise person once said that to make a relationship work, you need to “be there” with your partner. Similarly, to really make this technique work you should “be there” in your special place. Whether that is the beach, the mountains, the desert, or maybe someplace more urban. Yes, you can immerse yourself in the city as well. It’s all about getting out of yourself and being aware of what is going on around. Safety experts call this “situational awareness,” and it doesn’t have to be only for self-protection. Be aware of your surroundings - the sights, the sounds, the aromas.

This is a good time to make use of one of our previous techniques - writing in your notebook or journal. Try just writing what you observe around you. In the past I have used a similar technique in my classroom. I would take my students outside, have them sit on the ground with their composition books, and then just write down everything they could see, hear, feel and smell (I would tell them not to taste, but some would). Then I would have them write a descriptive observation essay based on these observations. You could do the same.

What are the downsides or negatives of this technique? Well, for some people just the thought of not checking their phones every few minutes can be anxiety-inducing (all the more reason to try this method). Others may not feel they can go someplace that they can immerse themselves in because “nothing around me is interesting.” To those folks I say, do it anyway. Go to a park, go to a coffee shop and just watch the people. Try to forget about your daily “musts” and experience. And don’t let the weather be an excuse to stay inside. As they say, learn to dance (or experience) in the rain.

What do you have to lose?

33 Ways to Stay Creative: Free Writing

Write Here, Write Now!

Our third way to stay creative is Free Writing.

First of all, Free Writing is not the opposite of paid writing (nor is it what so many writers seem to end up doing for “exposure”). The idea behind free writing (or freewriting) is simply to sit down and just write. Write whatever comes to mind, for as long as the Muse inspires you. It doesn’t matter if it is worthwhile or not, it is simply a record of your thoughts, and these thoughts may later inspire other more viable, and valuable, thoughts. This connects very well to the idea of carrying a notebook. You then have a place to explore those freewriting thoughts that might provide fodder for something amazing.

This is great because you can write with no worries about content, quality, or anything. You can write true stream-of-consciousness, starting off sharing about your lunch, moving on to musing about some interesting person that walked by while you were eating, and finally to some cute cat video you watched. It doesn’t matter that your writing is disconnected. The important thing is that you are writing and exploring your own thoughts and ideas. It’s like a list in long form, where you have multiple ideas that you can come back to later for further development.

This can work very well for some people - the ones who seem to have an endless supply of things to say (and write). What if you’re the kind of person who is not comfortable with writing to begin with? I have heard it said in freewriting, “If you can’t think of anything to write, just write until you think of something.” To which I respond, if I can’t think of anything, how can I just write? Then the response to that is, “Just write ‘I can’t think of anything to write’ until you think of something.”

Am I the only one who sees the insanity in this advice? More than likely, all you are likely to do is become more frustrated that you can’t think of anything to write. Think about it - you’re telling yourself over and over that you can’t think of anything. So what are you reinforcing? That you can’t write anything. It seems to be counterproductive.

In the end, freewriting is probably not for everyone. If it is something that works for you, by all means do it as often as makes sense. If you have never tried, give it a go and see what happens. Don’t feel bad if you can’t sustain your freewriting for any length of time. Be willing to revisit the method as you move forward in your creative life, but don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t work. Remember, there are 32 other methods to stay creative.