Flat photography of paintings, which include streaks of yellow, pink, orange and blue.

When's the Last Time You Pumped Up Your Creativity?

Published on by David A. Kennedy

Can you build up creativity, like a muscle?

I watched a video interview with one of my favorite authors, Po Bronson, on TechCrunch yesterday. He talked about the nature of creativity, and how creativity in America has declined. In the interview, he speaks about how engaging in creative activities can help people become more creative. He also points to how being open to trying new experiences can aid creativity.

All this made me think: how can storytellers constantly work on their creativity? I think the answer remains different for everyone. Here’s what I do:

  • My storytelling involves a lot of writing, so I blog in several places.
  • I keep an online learning journal, so to speak, where I post links and thoughts that I find interesting. I also try to post what new things I’m learning about there.
  • I read as much as I can.
  • I try out new technology. One of the latest social networking tools I’ve tried is Cliqset.
  • I run. This gets my mind wandering, and it sometimes fuels great ideas.
  • I’ve tried to take on a few freelance projects, especially those involving web design. Designing sites means I have to come up with something out of nothing – an important task for improving creativity.
  • Oh, and I like to scribble ideas and things in a notebook.

So what’s your strategy for building your creative ways?

Image by Dragos Gontariu.


Tagged Creativity