Creativity: A Top Ten List for Capturing the Writer’s Apple of Discord

It's not the seventh, eighth, or ninth of the month, so I guess we'll call this a bonus post to inspire your creativity.  Today's post is the work of one of our ninth-grade editors, Rachel C.  
Also, readers, it's not too late to submit your creative writing for publication in March!

photo by sevenatenine editor

The Apple of Discord was the coveted object of the Greek goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite: something they all desperately wanted yet could not seem to have, forcing the Trojan War to erupt, thus unfolding Homer’s legendary love-slash-war story. Writers and artists know this feeling of longing nearly just as well as they chase after creativity, urgently wanting it but unable to attain it for but a few moments. Check out this list of ways to increase creativity and find ways to inspire your own work!

1.      Be curious—don’t be afraid to ask questions and explore.

2.      Exercise your mind with puzzles, quizzes, and games. Let your brain expand; it will allow you to be more mentally flexible when producing creative works.

3.      Be observant. Look at the world around you: listen to the sigh of the school bus, watch the simmering of the vegetable soup, feel the bitter bite of the winter chill. Simple sensory perceptions can result in big ideas.

4.      Dabble in art every day. This will allow you to draw more inspiration from your thoughts and help you become accustomed to the inner workings of your mind.

5.      Read! Literature can provide some of the best motivation and open your mind to possibilities you never would have considered otherwise.

6.      Keep up to date with current events. Things going on in the world today instigate people all over the globe to write, draw, sing—why not you?

7.      Write down all of your ideas—even the silly ones. You never know which one will be the next “Harry Potter” or the future Van Gogh.

8.      Share your ideas with others. The praise and constructive criticism of other creative people will only serve to help you improve, allowing you to develop your thoughts into full, blown-out projects so you can hit the road.

9.      Step outside of your comfort zone. Doing something new can open your eyes to different perspectives and the world around you.

10.  As President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Risks can be dangerous, but they hold amazing opportunities to get those creative juices flowing. Even the most successful people in the world have taken risks and faced failure. Don’t hesitate. Just do.