6 ways to spur the imagination and creativity to get out of the deadlock

In order to describe the state of "non-creation", in English, there is a term creative block, and in Russian - a set of metaphors: writer's block, writer's block, creative stagnation, a creative block, creative stupor. Everyone puts in these terms something of their own. But can be divided such states into two groups: the lack of creativity and lack of ideas, words or skills.

In the first case, as a rule, a situation referred toThe phenomenon of the creative crisis: monograph crisis or unit - a person loses or no gains the ability to create, is going through a painful state of inner emptiness and numbness that can last for weeks or years.

Virginia Woolf, Franz Kafka, Sylvia Plath - they're all worried8 famous writers writing about not writingcreative crisis and described him as a withering, depressing state of emptiness and despair. Tolstoy often could not bring himself to sit down at the pen in his diary scoldedL. N. Thick. Diary 1855 himself for laziness. A writer Jack London unit even forced

Jack London at Utah State University: Sinclair Lewis Plots buy the idea for a novel. Here is how this state of Yann Martel, winner of the Booker Prize, the author of the novel "Life of Pi»:

"Creative Block will seem a trifle ridiculous but the sluggish souls who have never tried to create something. This is not just a futile attempt them and to reject the work, but you're full when you die a little god, some part of you, the seemingly immortal. "

The reason for this condition may be fatigue, stress, criticism of others, increased demands on himself and even mental illness. To overcome the crisis, at times we need to thoroughly understand the reasons to take a long pause, or even to seek help from a therapist.

But there is another kind of creative dead end: when the work has stalled, not short of ideas, and the right words inspiration, It is impossible to gather his thoughts. When the writer can not figure out how to finish a chapter, and the designer is not possible to fit in all the necessary elements of the logo. To cope with this condition alone is quite real. Here's what might help.

1. metaphorical maps

Metaphorical associative card - is primarily a tool of psychologists. These are small cards with pictures or photographs. As a rule, they depict the people and their interaction, landscapes, objects, abstraction. They need to talk with the client, to remove barriers, to help formulate a request to look into the subconscious, and finally bring the person to solve his problem.

First deck metaphorical associative cardsWhat is the metaphorical association card He created in 1975 by artist and critic Eli Raman. Almost 10 years later, his deck called Oh (English interjection expressing surprise) chose to use in dealing with patients psychotherapist Moritz Egetmeyer.

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Metaphorical cards can be used not only psychologists and their clients. When a person sees these pictures, in his mind there is a chain associations and images. Sometimes they are in the past, to deep feelings, and sometimes - are pushing the imagination, give rise to pictures, ideas and stories. The main thing - to find such illustrations or photographs that evoke emotions and lead the eye to go in flight. Cards can be considered alone or in combination and record images that arise in the mind. It can be assembled from a selection of inspirational cards - such as mood boards.

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Most metaphorical decks costs from 1000 to 4000 rubles. But as a stimulant of imagination, you can use any interesting and unusual illustrations. You can find them on Pinterest. For example: here is exciting imagination works Christian Cholet, Lydia Tomashevskaya, Jung Lee.

Metaphorical maps used in even well-known creative individuals. For example, the writer Philip Pullman. If the story comes to a dead end, he getsPhilip Pullman: 'I use coloured pencils to show which key I'm writing in - D minor, at the moment' deck "Miriorama" - is a cross between associative maps and game. In a set of 24 cards with landscape fragments. You can place them in any order (edges of images in any case coincide), and every time to get a new picture and a new image, idea or scene.

2. Games, storytelling

Storytelling - narrative storytelling. There are many games in which you need to invent and tell stories, alone or in company. Assist in the cards ( "Igroskaz», «In a certain kingdom") Cubes (Story Cubes), Figurines, playing fields and the chips ( "box tales»). Players are given the conditions (location, characters, tools and objects), sometimes - and final tie, and they need to write a story or a fairy tale. In some games, each participant tells her story, in others - all compose together.

It can be fun entertainment, a good way to while away the evening or take the child. But other than that, we are liberating, we cease to be afraid, that he invented some stuff in the process (this is just a game!), and allow to break free, even the most stupid or crazy, at first glance, ideas. If using such a light-hearted creativity unhindered born really worthwhile story, you can use it in books, pictures, games and scenarios - if yes where there is little else.

3. Creativity with timer

Each of us from time to time have to hear the voice of the so-called inner critic - a malicious entity that loves to curse and devalue ourselves and what we do. This character appears as a set of negative attitudes derived from parents, teachers, friends, and other inveterate important for us humans. Very often his mischievous voice prevents carousing imagination and does not allow us to take up the pen, brush or keyboard. One way to dampen its volume - to work on time.

If extra time is limited, there is no time to include a perfectionist and talk about the imperfections of their own creativity. You just have to do - even if not perfect.

Deadline You can create your own - for example, using a timer. Here is useful known method Pomodoro - technique for time management and control of procrastination. According to the rules need to be alternated 25 minutes of intense work with a five-minute rest. The doubts, fears, and attacks just do not have time.

For the "race" for a long distance, you can participate in competitions or marathons. Most of this activity like writers and artists: the story of the week, 31 Figures for the month. During the international writer's marathon NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, literally - "National Month of writing the novel") need 30 days to write 50,000 words - a full draft of the book. To cope with such a task, it is necessary to abandon the self-blame and selflessly to write for a few hours a day. In addition, the marathon is included excitement and competitive spirit - we want to get to the finish and keep up with the other participants. In such extreme conditions, the creative stupor must retreat, and imagination - to earn in full force.

4. scribbling

Free writing (Eng. freewriting - free writing) - a technique that helps to break down the internal barriers to deal with the fear of a clean slate, to come up with an interesting idea, and come out of the creative stupor. It is expected that the need to write everything that comes to mind, do not set ourselves the global goals and not looking at the inner critic and spelling rules. Just drive a pen on paper, recording the thoughts that float before the mind's eye, even if they seem silly and not worth the attention.

Free writing - a kind of meditation on the paper, which also helps to work the imagination.

The term "Free writing" was first usedTelling Writing by Ken Macrorie philology professor Kenneth Macrory. In the '70s he proposed to apply this technique to develop the students' writing skills. In Russian Free writing became popular thanks to the books of Julia Cameron ( "the artist's path», «the right to write") And Marc Levy ("Genius to order»). Julia Cameron uses the term "morning pages" and offers every morning, barely awake, write by hand on three pages of text. And Marc Levy has developed five rules Free writing:

1. Do not use super efforts.
2. Write rapidly and continuously.
3. Work hard in the time frame.
4. Write as you think.
5. Develop the idea.
6. Ask yourself questions.

The principal difference between these two methods is that Marc Levy proposes to use the timer and ask yourself probing questions that help to develop the idea.

If you have a little pen and paper, you can use special programs and services. Writelight - a timer with Tooltips questions to make you exactly what to write. Write or Die It allows you to specify the number of words that you are going to write, and if you linger, a text box will turn red and customize your persistent squeak. Service fee, costs $ 20, but the basic functions are available in the free version.

For those who loves paintThere is art notebooks and marathons that offer to perform various tasks on the speed, help to relax and tune in to work. One of these "races» - # 30impossiblethings - previously led to Instagram artist Julia flying. Then based on the marathon, she released notebook. Among the proposed tasks are, for example, are as follows: to draw a self-portrait using only straight lines, for 5 minutes to portray as many people to create a comic book about his life. The main condition - to draw quickly (almost all kinds of activity there is a time limit), have fun and try not to criticize yourself.

Alex Cornell, author of the book "Again, a creative crisis?"Offers to paint blindly. Set ourselves any subject and portray him, not looking down at the paper. "The genius of this exercise is that you can not criticize yourself for blindly pictures - writes Cornell. - As a limited time, you willy-nilly to make quick, decisive movements, and the inability to see the lines at the time the excuse you from subsequent criticism and reworking. All figures are blind look like worthless sketches. With them I begin to overcome writer's block. "

5. View from a different angle

You can not draw - down. You can not write - sit at the potter's wheel. Those who are stuck in a creative impasse, change of activity will look at the problem in a new way to find interesting solutions, or just have a good time.

At the age of 55 years, Pablo Picasso almost ceased to draw and could not bring myself to even look at his paintings. Then he began to write poetry and so carried away that navayal more than 300 poemsBUT. Mikael. "Poetry Picasso". This helped him to throw out the experience and come back to painting.

And do not forget that the ideas and inspiration can be drawn in the most unexpected sources. The idea of ​​creating the novel "It" Stephen King I cleaned up10 Things You Might Not Know About Stephen King's It Norwegian children's fairy tale "The Three Count goat and evil trolls." The author wanted to write a story about a troll under a bridge - and thus was born the horror of Pennivayze, monster, taking any form.

6. day of silence

In the book "The Artist's Way," Julia Cameron offers for a week to give up reading. To arrange a kind of detox information, restrict the incoming data stream.

If we follow the flow, who admits to, and restrict it to a minimum, we will be rewarded for this exercise surprisingly soon. The reward will be a return stream that rush of us.

Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way"

It's not just about books or newspapers. Most of our "information channels" pollute posts in social networking, news, celebrity gossip. If you block the flow of at least a day (or better - a few days), it is necessary to return to employment, that leave the mind free and ultimately help imagination run wild: to walk, household Affairs, meditation, Needlework, physical work and sport.

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