How to Stay Inspired with a Creative Writing Talisman
A creative writing talisman
Sometimes when we sit down to write, the muse is in full effect and the words pour forth effortlessly. Other times we sit there staring at a blank screen, waiting for creativity to manifest. We wait and we wait.
Then, we wait some more.
Writer’s block is the state of being uninspired, but it’s just a state of mind, and that can be changed at will, which is a good thing, because when it comes to creative writing, state of mind is pretty important.
Years ago, when I used to draw and paint, I often listened to a particular mix of music. It was ideal background audio for making art, very inspiring. As a result, every time I hear the music from my art mix, I get an urge to pull out my watercolor pencils and sketchbook, because I have built a psychological association between a certain kind of music and a creative activity.
Can you see where I’m going with this? Just imagine how this concept can be applied to creative writing.
Creative Writing with a Talisman
Talisman: anything whose presence exercises a remarkable or powerful influence on human feelings or actions. (Dictionary.com)
In a sense, a talisman can be used to program your muse to come out and get to work — on cue. Imagine having the ability to command your own creativity, to sit down and engage in your writerly work and automatically trigger inspiration.
Here’s how it works:
- Choose your creative writing talisman - It could be a hat or a piece of jewelry. It might be something that sits on your desk, like a picture or a statuette. It can even be a CD or playlist (classical and jazz are great for writing). Choose a talisman that you won’t use in any other capacity except for your creative writing sessions, and make sure it’s not something that will distract you from the task at hand. Also, pick something you can store easily, but which is also accessible. Things that fit in your desk drawer or pocket are ideal. Also, try to find something that already makes you feel inspired.
- Charge your talisman - Don’t start using your talisman until your muse is in high gear. You should have it ready for when creativity strikes and when it does, pull out your talisman and focus on it for a few minutes as ideas bounce around in your head. Leave it out as you work on your creative writing during those times when you’re feeling extremely inspired.
- Believe in your talisman – If you believe in magic, you might say that you’re infusing the talisman with your creative writing energy. Or, a more scientific explanation would be that you’re training your mind to associate the object with creativity, so that whenever you engage the talisman, that creative energy is triggered.
- Use your talisman - Once your talisman starts putting out an inspirational vibe, use it whenever you’re stuck with your creative writing. You’ll know it’s ready because you’ll get the urge to write every time you look at your talisman.
- Keep your talisman charged - Even if months down the road, you’re feeling giddy with creativity and you don’t feel like you need it, take out the talisman. This will help keep it charged and maintain the psychological association between the talisman and your creative writing.
Do you have a creative writing talisman or some other ritual that you perform before, during, or after your writing sessions?
Keep on writing!
Melissa Donovan is a website designer and copywriter. She writes fiction and poetry and is the founder and editor of Writing Forward, a blog packed with creative writing tips and ideas.
I don’t have one for writing or creative process, but this does sound like a good idea. And I like how you have a systematic way of creating a talisman.
I do have one CD that I use for concentration. Sometimes I need to read some work-related documents that are highly technical, and there are people talking or listening to certain type of music so I am not able to concentrate. I would just pop in that CD, put on my earphones and I can instantly concentrate on my reading. That’s not entirely the same, but I do see how this can work.
.-= Kelvin Kao´s last blog ..Just Saw Myself On TV =-.
I have only really tried this with music, but it’s been on my mind a lot lately as a way to gain better control over my own creativity (is that even possible?). I’m thinking a hat. Yes, I’d like a creative writing hat-talisman.
Yeah, I’ve heard some people have a thinking hat (or cap). Never tried that out though.
Ha! I didn’t even make the connection with “thinking cap.” I like that.
I love this idea — I think we often need metaphors for things that are so abstract, like creativity, because they offer a tangible way to tap into those abstractions.
I think my talisman would actually be the act of putting on headphones — not necessarily even putting on music, but just placing the headphones on my ears, and then I am immediately in a space of being in my own writing world.
.-= Zoe´s last blog ..Unitasking the Good Old Fashioned Way =-.
I don’t know why, but I when I read “headphones” in your comment, I visualized these crazy headphones all covered in glitter and decorated with baubles. Hehee.
Ooh, that would make them more talisman-esque… I think I need to get headphones that are big enough to decorate. Good idea
I love the idea of a talisman. It’s kind of like having a creativity ritual, but more physical. And I do believe that objects become embedded with the energy of the user, so why not make a conscious effort to infuse an object with your creative energy? I guess basically you’re storing some of your creative energy when it’s in high gear so that you can tap into it when your creativity is low.
.-= Marelisa´s last blog ..Six Things to Do When Life Throws You a Curveball =-.
I love it too. I’m not sure how it actually works – is it psychological or are you actually storing creative energy? We’ll leave that one for the scientists. In the meantime, I need to get myself a creativity hat.
Beautiful and precise.
I use to think of a Talisman as a crutch, but now I think of it as a tool. Whether it’s the questions you ask, the music you play, or the hat you wear, I’m a fan of stacking the deck in your favor to unleash your best.
.-= J.D. Meier´s last blog ..Information x Focus = Personal Reality =-.
Oh yes, I think it would be a tool rather than a crutch. I’m not sure I would recommend using a talisman for every single creative session, because then it could turn into a crutch.
In reading this post it hit me that your inspiration was probably today’s Booking Through Thursday question: http://btt2.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/soundtrack/.
I have not really used a talisman for my creative writing as yet, but now I think I will give it a try, but not music. Rather, I will find something that I only use during creative writing sessions.
At this point, I am thinking it will be something like a special pad, writing device, or even a piece of software like After the Deadline: http://afterthedeadline.com/.
That’s quite a romantic notion/ritual! I, on the other hand, rely on music to get my creative juices flowing. I like to instrumental soundtracks when I get stuck in a rut. I usually choose a soundtrack which is in the same mood of what I’m trying to write, crank up the volume and just close my eyes. Listening through good headphones help a lot, it feels as if the sound was literally playing inside my head. Hope this helps!
It is a bit romantic, isn’t it? I sometimes listen to music when I’m writing, but it has to be instrumental and I’m usually using it to block out other noise. I think that with some projects it helps, but with other projects, I need silence.