Twinkles on ice (bottling creativity) (Archived)
Writers, song-smiths and creators of all ilk are ravenous for inspiration. We have a host of routines and superstitions to tickle the muse for that elusive thread that, if pulled just so, unravels the mundane and ordinary into something wondrous.
Ideas rarely come when I’m staring at a white screen, fingers poised to type. They flitter past when I’m rushing out the door for work. They slink into focus whilst I’m stuck in traffic. They dance past in the odd match of words in an unfamiliar song. They catch together as I stare out the window of a train or bus.
How do we bottle these fragments of inspiration? How do we set them on ice to keep them fresh and crisp for when we are next staring at our blank screens?
I keep a notebook of ideas. This is on my phone as, I’m embarrassed to admit, this phone is never far from my hand. When I have a thought I jot it down in a note under the uninspired page heading of ‘ideas’.
At this moment I have fourteen sentences, words or concepts on my list. A further 26 have already seeded stories or fragments of writing. I keep each idea on the list (copying it into a ‘done’ section) in case I want to try again and launch that sentence or idea in a different direction.
When I sit down to creatively write, this list is one of the tools I use to kick-start a piece of writing. Not everything zings. Most pieces never get opened a second time. Occasionally one of these ideas will click together into a story that surprises me.
On a train ride to visit a friend we hummed into a station. The driver purred: “Thornside Station” over the intercom. I craned my neck curiously, but it looked the same as any other station. As I stared out at the platform I wondered: what should a station called ‘Thornside’ look like? What would live here? Why would someone visit?
I jotted down ‘Thornside Station’ as a prompt word on my list of ideas. A few weeks later I spent two hours exploring that prompt. It resulted in a 5000 word completed story that I really enjoy. This piece was later published through an anthology!
Jotting down these random twinkles of inspiration gives us more than just fodder to play with in writing sessions. It encourages us to recognise the tickle of creative thoughts. My mind is so busy with shopping lists and day plans, and that thing I didn’t respond to, or that stuff I need to do. I want to hone my ability to notice the brilliant glint of a creative thought. I want to be in the practice of pausing, savouring, appreciating and putting them on ice for later.
Creativity is more than just fingers on a keyboard. A creative mind flickers with ideas and perspectives. It dives un-self-consciously and gleefully down rabbit holes, chasing delicate quirky thoughts. It flips ideas sideways and upside down to check them from different angles.
The act of noticing, pausing, recording and then honouring that idea with an investment of time and attention is an important way for me to honour my muse and keep my mind receptive and fertile for new ideas.
What mechanisms do you use to catch your creative ideas? Would a list help you put your twinkles on ice for later examination?
(Posted 15 Dec 2019. Follow me at: https://nicolewalshauthor.com/)
