So, a little while ago I found myself sitting in front of the screen, trying to find a moment of inspiration... but all I ended up with was a blank look on my face and an inclination to go look at kitten videos on YouTube.
Rather than succumb to feline temptation, I got up and went to the kitchen.
A very red maple leaf
Of course, I will be the first to admit that I am ADHD as fuck-- my ability to hold a thought beyond approximately three inches is pretty limited... and although I am not "hyperactive" by any figment of the imagination, my brain does bounce around a lot.
But getting back to getting over getting stuck on what to write... I have always found that preparing food is one of the best ways to trigger creativity.
I'm guessing it's because cooking is-- in many ways-- a creative pastime; when we start cooking something, we jump start the same creative part of our brains that comes up with ideas for what to write on Steemit (for example) or in our journals, or whatever.
It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. In this case, all I ended up doing was taking out some leftover chicken fajita fixings from the fridge and as soon as I started heating them up in the skillet... my previously sleeping brain jumped into action.
For me, the most important secret to keep in mind when using cooking to jump start your writing ideas is... to keep cooking.
Sailboat on Port Townsend Bay
Sure, it's very tempting to turn everything off and run to the computer to start typing, but that's actually a bad idea.
Why?
Well, the actual brain "mechanics" of what you're doing is actually a variation on "lateral thinking" which is a creative problem solving approach. You might think of it as an almost instinctive version of working "outside the box." The bottom line is that you're actually solving your "problem" (a lack of ideas) by not looking directly at the issue of "not having ideas" while actively engaging the creative part of your brain that generates ideas with something unrelated (cooking).
That's the "elevator speech" version of something quite complex.
But anyway... don't stop cooking! But DO keep pens and small pieces of paper handy to jot down ideas on as they arise... then enjoy your food, and then head for the computer with your notes!
How well did it work? Well, after 5-6 minutes at the stove and a delicious snack, I actually came away with four viable ideas!
How about YOU? Do you have any cool tips and tricks for getting past the dreaded "Writer's Block?" For that matter, DO you ever get stuck for what to write? Have you ever gotten really good ideas for a blog post while doing something completely different? Do you think "cooking creativity" would work for you? Leave a comment-- share your experiences-- be part of the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Created at 171026 22:19 PDT
