Problem with Creativity

Hi

Id like to ask one question about my problem. When I have to write something for example presentation, list or some event etc. I have big problem to make it. I am really miserable in doing it, when I should write something for example only on 180 words its very difficult to me and I can make it for hours and the result is bad.
I dont know what to write (tell), how to write it, I consider almost every word whether it is good and re-reading all text again and again. Although I read a lot, it doesnt help me.

Could you give me some suggests or exercises or something ?

(To write this post it took me 20minutest)

Thanks

OK, sounds like you need to loosen up, and then stay loosened up while you're doing whatever it is needs to be done. And the clue to 'loosening up' is that it's something physical. Do, well, anything that gets you feeling good in the context you're operating in. Have a swim, bop to a CD, bat a ball of silver foil from one hand to another while you're standing up, standing first on one leg then the other as you do. And while you're feeling good from that, enjoy what comes into your mind regarding your task. Record what pops up, making sure you still feel good. Rinse and repeat until completion.

Write some pieces just for fun with no particular outcome in mind or regard for quality until you know what that feels like. You don't have to show them to anyone.

It is very difficult to mix being creator and being critic at the same time. It is best to alternate roles at different times. When I am writing music I just write what comes out and much of it will be rubbish. It doesn't really matter because I can edit it later, throw away the not so good bits and keep the good bits. Then I can have another phase of creating and expanding on the good bits (again many additions might be rubbish). It is a process of evolution - creation/destruction - like a little child building some blocks and then knocking them down.

You may think that a great lyricist such as Leonard Cohen comes out with that stuff immediately but he doesn't. He says he goes through about 10 versions of a song before he is happy with it and can take up to a year and had many on the go at once. Of course the public only see the end result not the process!

Expecting to get it 'right' first time will get you in the habit of blocking your flow.. the imagination doesn't like to be stopped continuously.

There are many other exercises you can do to get your imagination flowing. Here is one called image streaming..

Project Renaissance, Image-Streaming

I played a trick on my girlfriend the other night. I ordered to her "Make up a story". Of course she "blocked" and couldn't come up with one to order. So I said "OK. I will make one up and you try to guess what it is. I will just say Yes, No, maybe, close etc". She relaxed and started saying "Does it have animals in it?, Is it on the moon? Is there a boat that floats from planet to planet, etc.." Anyway, after about 30 questions she had made up a lovely story. I was just saying Yes, No, maybe etc randomly. I had no story actually in mind! A bit naughty but it worked..

Of course, because she wasn't forcing her imagination or felt responsible for the quality she could make up a very lovely story. It wasn't Shakespeare but would have made a nice bed time story for kids.

Reverse the roles, let your imagination control you. Of course, then quality doesn't matter because its not your responsibility! Who are you to be responsible for your imagination anyway? If it was someone else talking rubbish with the occasional gem in you worry about the bad bits or pick out the gems?

Thank you John, really great respond. I will read this article

Michal,

Hi, can I just check that you are using the word 'creativity' in the correct way? I am guessing that English is not your first language and in order to help me pinpoint where things get difficult for you can you answer,

Do you get the same problems when working in your native language?

Do you get the same problem when you speak or talk out aloud? For example, if we were on the phone and you said

"Hey Matt, Id like to ask one question about my problem. When I have to write something for example presentation, list or some event etc. I have big problem to make it. I am really miserable in doing it, when I should write something for example only on 180 words its very difficult to me and I can make it for hours and the result is bad.
I dont know what to write (tell), how to write it, I consider almost every word whether it is good and re-reading all text again and again. Although I read a lot, it doesnt help me".

Would that take you 20 minutes to think of the words and express them?

I believe that everyone is born with bundles of creative genius inside them and as we get older we gradually lose touch with them as we learn to conform to social and educational expectations. Maybe the linguistic barriers that come with a second language are making you over emphasise structure over content?

You mention that you consider almost every word, well, I spent a few years learning Spanish and while my understanding of Spanish if far less than your understanding of English I do believe that this over-emphasis on words is just a stage of learning a new language. A little like my piano playing, I can play some difficult pieces of music with all the notes in the right order but the resulting output is often unrecongisable because I overemphasise getting each note right that I have no flow or melody.

I am looking forward to the day when I can relax a little more regarding the minor detail and individual notes and simply enjoy making music with melody and rhythm.

One exercise I do with my students is to let them write stories without worrying about their spellings or grammer, just let their hand flow with whatever words their brain guides them to use. Once the stories are complete they swap them with their friends and then the rewrite each others stories and put the correct spellings and grammer in place. It is an exercise that has many positive elements including not letting linguistic ability be a barrier to creativity.

Thanks

Matt

Hi Matt

thanks for reply,

yes , I have problem with writing with my mother languege too. Although I know lots of synonyms, lots of words, I can explain them with own words, but when I create something these words dont come into my mind and I dont know what to tell or write and whether it is good or not

I'd start with a mind map.
Then code priorities/order onto the map.
Make an outline from the ordered map.
Write from the outline.

Greg