Silence, Boredom, and Stillness in Creativity

People aren't allowed to have a hobby these days without monetizing it. It's a sad reality that we are still learning to live with most days.

There is room for productivity. There is also room for breaks and pauses between work.

These moments of quiet give room for fresh creativity. For you to let your work breathe.

Silence

As someone who is always listening to something while they work, this one's a little hypocritical. It can be uncomfortable. The absence of common distractions, like music and conversation, forces you to confront your thoughts.

You will observe details that normally escape your attention. You'll end up with thoughts you have invested little energy in. Creativity needs room to flourish. If you fill that void with distractions, your ideas won't have the space to develop.

Fill the silence with your thoughts and new ideas!

Boredom

This one is even more difficult to achieve. How easy is it to pick up your phone and suddenly lose hours in the day? To scroll, to watch, and to listen to others' creativity on the internet instead of working?

When your mind isn't busy being occupied, it searches, drifts, and wanders. This is a beacon for creativity. Even if the thoughts you do gain are not whole or clear, they are something.

When I'm bored, I write short stories. A random scene. Anything that comes to mind in the moment, whether it's a piece of a work in progress or a brand new idea. This can be helpful for brief bouts of writing (usually ten minutes or fewer).

Stillness

Have you ever sat back in your chair, looking at the writing you have, and quietly contemplated what is missing? That, my friend, is stillness.

You are listening. You're listening to the scene, to your characters, and to what doesn't feel right.

Something I'm a culprit of is starting another story when I'm stuck with another. This can help, but sometimes it's best to step away entirely from the task. When you're constantly jumping from one task to the next, you'll probably miss what your story was trying to tell you.

Give your story time to talk to you!

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It won't always feel productive. You won't see instant results.

Patience is why these three methods don't work all the time. Few of us have it anymore. We're too distracted; our attention spans are shrinking with the screens we're all glued to.

Thank you for reading, lovelies, and have a great Saturday!