Even though I don’t believe in “artist’s block” or “writer’s block,” I know that most artists/writers do. So I wanted to share with you this awesome creative un-blocking exercise I came across the other day on Twitter.
It’s called the “List of 100” and it’s an exercise that forces you to work quickly, let go of your inner editor and just let your responses flow.
It’s super easy to do and can help you generate ideas, answers, clarity… whatever you’re looking for.
Here’s How To Do It
The instructions are pretty simple, but here are the steps:
- At the top of your paper (or Word doc), write your question or problem or whatever issue you’re having. For example, you could write “What can I draw?” or “I need an idea for my new novel.”
- Underneath the question, begin writing 100 solutions to your question. Don’t judge; don’t let the inner editor come out; don’t worry about what you’re writing. Just write down 100 ways you could potentially answer the question you asked.
After you’ve completed your 100 responses, take a look back.
You’ll begin to notice a few things:
- Patterns—after the first 10 or 20 responses you may start repeating yourself, or you might start repeating things that all hover around a similar topic or category.
- Real possibilities—while some of the 100 responses you list may be total garbage, there will be some hidden gems in there too.
- Solutions—including things you may not have thought of otherwise.
Next time you’re feeling blocked or in need of some inspiration, try the List of 100 exercise.
And if you can’t think of anything to make a list of 100 about, be sure to read the original post by Luciano. He actually gives you a list of 100 things you can make a list of 100 about.
Share With Us
How do you deal with creative blocks? Any tips you can share?
Image courtesy of Drew Coffman
If you enjoyed this article, please share it so others can benefit too:
I’ve always love making lists, but I’ve never tried taking on one of this magnitude…. Now I’m itching to try it!
I’m a compulsive list maker so I’m right there with you! Definitely give it a try. Not only does it help unblock your thinking but it’s fun too
J,
Always delighted to read your posts.
I could barely survive the morning meditation pages. It was only for 2 days I recall and then I grew lazier
Morning Pages can be tough to jump into if you’re not willing to make a commitment. It’s worth trying them out though and seeing how it goes. You can always do them at another point in your day, too, if that works better for you. I have a friend who does them before she goes to sleep every night. They don’t have quite the same results, but they still work better than not doing them at all.
I use to follow the same night schedules until I read the morning meditation. The night ones kept me writing on something at least 2 pages in the whole day.
I’ll have to give this a try!
This is long, but here are my thought…
I have a similar technique that helps me get the creative juices flowing in regards to writing. I just write down anything that pops into my head and see where my mind goes from there. This stream-of-consciousness style list is something I do frequently just to keep myself writing. My lists usually go something like; pink, ball, beach ball, sand, boat, whale watch. Although it seems completely random, there usually is a good idea or starting point to work with that is worth trying.
I also have a few ideas of what seems to block creativity at times.
-Too many outside opinions
- Some underlying cause of stress that needs to be resolved
-Thinking about the project at hand too much
I believe in the old saying, “Too many cooks in the kitchen.” Too many outside opinions on a piece of writing usually leads to confusion and insecurity. Don’t get me wrong, I think asking for advice and workshops are wonderful tools, I just think sometimes the writer’s original creative message or idea gets squandered. It’s always good to be open to fresh insight and to change up your style from time to time, but an unsure writer that lacks security or confidence can easily become intimidated when too many opinions get in the way.
I also find it very hard to concentrate on a project at hand when I am stressing out about something else. There is an extra weight holding me down and keeping me from putting my all into a project. Sometimes all it takes for me is to write down what it is that is bothering me if I can’t resolve it at that point in time. Creativity is spawned in the present moment and it’s hard to focus on the present if there are outside issues bothering you.
My biggest creativity blocker is when I am thinking about the piece of writing too much. The writing process then seems too forced and I become stuck in a rut. The best way I can deal with this kind of block is to just step away from the writing and not dwell on it. It could be a few hours or a few days, but I always find that I have a much easier time staying on track with difficult piece of writing if I take a break and go back to it at a later time. If I don’t, I become trapped in a negative mindset where I can’t get any work accomplished anyways.
You make several valid points, AJ. I agree with you on the “too many cooks in the kitchen” thing too. Sometimes outside opinion is needed but most times (especially during the initial draft process) the last thing you need (or want) is to hear someone else’s opinion. Stephen King talks about this in his book, On Writing. He has to shut the door to his writing room and just be him and his writing. Once the draft is done, then the door can be open for other opinions.
As far as outside stress causing blocks–yup! The best cure I found for this is meditation or exercise. When you can learn to relieve your stress you’ll find that you are able to focus a lot more on the task at hand without getting distracted.