I Don’t Know Jack, but Joe’s Another Story

A local radio station recently reported that my little rural county ranks 4^th in the nation’s per capita coffee consumption. Apparently we’re just behind Seattle, San Francisco, and some place in Alaska where they probably use only drip…

an IV drip.

Trust me, those Alaskans will stop at nothing to get on the percolated podium.

Anyway, I’m pretty sure that our recent spike in coffee drinking was thanks to yours truly.

Staying up until 1:00 AM in order to make "lifelines" has made Joe my very best friend. When my current project is complete, I may have to write a song about that beautiful bean. Trust me, if you drink a lot of coffee, these things happen.

When J.S. Bach wasn't working on Fugues and Passions, he was suckin’ down the home brew. Next thing you know, he’s expressing his espresso devotion with a Coffee Cantata (seriously — look it up). Composer Verdi was next to chime in. “Coffee is balm to the heart and spirit,” he said (quite musically, I’m sure).

And Verdi could have added “the mind” as well. Java research has found that it can boost mental performance.

And while coffee’s effects on creativity specifically are mixed, the latest studies have found that combining a caffeine buzz with coffee shop background noise is great for the mind’s elbow.

And speaking of noise…

One group of researchers has suggested that drinking over 5 cups of coffee a day can increase your chances of auditory hallucinations…

Hmmm… Those voices you’re hearing may not be those of your book’s characters after all.

Anyway, so far my “ode to Joe” sounds a lot like the Lennon classic, Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.

Because in my book…

Whatever gets you through the day

is okay… okay.

PROMPT: Go ahead and slip yourself “a slug from the wonderful mug” by writing your own Java Jive today. But if you’re not feeling musical, no problem! Ponder your main character’s favorite coffee house order. Or go for a Best Beverage ABC featuring D for Double Shot and T for Tall No Foam No Fat Caramel Machiato.

Open Up and Say Om

We've all heard the news that meditation can reduce stress.

You know the drill — a daily dose of “om” can quiet the mind, reduce blood pressure, improve sleep, and blah, ba-blah, blah, blah…

But have you heard that meditation gives your creativity a super boost?

I didn't think so.

Because you’d be doing it right now!

Our friends in the field of psychology have discovered that “open monitoring” meditation can amp up creativity. Apparently, those who practice “o.m.” generate a greater number of new ideas than those who don’t.

Trust me, when you’re working on plot possibilities that kind of boost can certainly come in handy!

These research results were so compelling, that many corporations (Shell Oil, Google, and General Mills, for example) have begun using meditation to help their employees bring new ideas and solutions to the table.

By the way, “open monitoring” meditation means that you observe without judging. To do it, you simply sit, breathe, and remain open to all thoughts and sensations without focusing attention on any one of them. In other words, you think of those thoughts and sensations as pretty puffy clouds just passing through.

I’m thinking that open monitoring meditation sounds like a great excuse to get my butt into a lawn chair and call it work…

Ahhh!

I mean, Ommmmmmmm.

PROMPT: Would you like to give your creativity a super boost this week or take a chip off the old writer’s block? Then give this technique a 5, 15, or 30-minute whirl. Follow it up with a brainstorm of plot possibilities, and you’ll be rocking without blocking in no time!

These Brains Were Made for…

Walking!

This just in from Stanford —

Walking boosts creative inspiration!

Clever researchers Marily Oppezzo and Daniel L. Schwartz examined the creative output of folks who walked vs. folks who sat around.

They found that a person’s creative output increases by an average of 60% when walking.

What’s more, the effect held up whether the subject was walking outside in a stimulating environment or on a treadmill staring at a blank wall.

This last finding was a big surprise to Oppezzo. "I thought walking outside would blow everything out of the water, but walking on a treadmill in a small, boring room still had strong results,” she said.

And with increased creative output in the robust 60% range, you could say this study has some serious legs!

But writers already know this, don’t we?

In fact, you could say we've known it for over a century…

“Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move,

my thoughts begin to flow.”

― Henry David Thoreau

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”

― Friedrich Nietzsche

 “Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas.”

― J.K. Rowling

Walk on…

Write on!

PROMPT:     Take a ramble or stroll — see what is does for you.

But be sure to pack a pen and a page or two!

Poetry Perks

As we launch into week 2 of National Poetry Month, you may be asking what poetry can do for you…

Besides save you from a miserable death, of course.

Well, poetry just so happens to be a terrific cure for writer’s block (I know, I know, a fate far worse than a miserable death for some).

The fabulous J.R.R. Tolkien often used poetry as a block breaker. Whenever he was stuck in the process of creating a story, he’d simply start writing out his thoughts in verse.

Tolkien wrote, “The first version of the song of Strider concerning Luthien originally appeared in the Leeds University magazine, but the whole tale, as sketched by Aragorn, was written in a poem of great length” (from The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien edited by Humphrey Carpenter).

Given this technique, it’s not surprising that Tolkien’s prose often reads with such a delicious cadence.

Research also shows that reading and writing poetry can make you more creative.

Poet, writer, and serious business dude Dana Gioia couldn’t agree more. He reports that when he worked in the business world… “I felt I had an enormous advantage over my colleagues because I had a background in imagination, language, and literature.”

And how did this advantage pan out?

Gioia happens to be credited with reversing a long-running decline in gelatin dessert sales when he and his team created the super-sensational…

Jell-O Jiggler.

Clearly, additional proof of the power of poetry is unnecessary…

But I’ll give you another bit anyway.

On the clinical side of things, poetry has actually been found to be a terrific weapon for fighting depression. 

A study in Great Britain found that 7% of depressed and stressed out patients were able to wean themselves off of medication through the simple daily practice of penning poetry.

So, if you want to beat the block, become a mover and shaker (literally) in the business world, or get a great big bunch of happy, now is the time to…

Rhyme on!

PROMPT: Use the Tolkien technique of putting your project in verse first. Try it with your current manuscript or as a way to jump-start your next one. Then shake things up a bit — I’m thinking an ode to the Jell-O Jiggler will do the trick.

The Challenge

Did you know that Theodor Seuss Geisel used only 236 first grade vocabulary words to write The Cat in the Hat?

Impressed?

His publisher Bennett Cert certainly wasn't.

“I bet you can’t do it in 50,” was all he said.

Well, the good doctor accepted Bennett’s bet —

“Fifty bucks says I can, Sam I am!” 

And the rest is Green Eggs and Ham history.

I hear that Bennett never paid up.

But considering that Green Eggs and Ham has been one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, Teddy never complained.

Obviously, there are two lessons here…

First of all, restrictions lead to higher levels of creativity. In fact, research has shown that imposed limitations boost creative thinking because they force folks to work outside of their comfort zones.

And second — never make a bet with your publisher and expect to get paid.

Consider yourself enlightened on both counts.

PROMPT: What if you gave yourself a Seussical challenge today? Pick a limiting word limit, 50 or 100 words say, and create a complete story.

And because I’m sure you’re dying to know, Seuss’s 50 were: a, am, and, anywhere, are, be, boat, box, car, could, dark, do, eat, eggs, fox, goat, good, green, ham, here, house, I, if, in, let, like, may, me, mouse, not, on, or, rain, Sam, say, see, so, thank, that, the, them, there, they, train, tree, try, will, with, would, you.

Write on!

Parlez-vous Poésie?

Oh là là, I am planning a dream trip to France!

So, since January 1^st, I've been taking a crash course in the language that brought you the guillotine.

The program is one of those CD numbers with plenty of online features, and I am proud to say that if we met on a Parisian avenue, I could tell you that I am fourteen years old and have red hair.

Neither of which are true.

But that’s not the worst of it.

I've smacked into an unexpected problem while learning this new means of expression —

I can’t stop thinking about all of the fresh and French poetic possibilities…

Exhibit #1:

Il y a un poisson

dans ma boisson!

Oh, mon Dieu.

Sacre bleu!

Translation:

There is a fish

in my drink!

Oh, my God.

Heavens to Betsy!

Yeah, I know.

WAY better in French.

PROMPT: Studies have found that learning a second language actually enhances abstract and creative thinking! Challenge yourself today by creating a poem in something other than your mother tongue. After all, useful phrases like calling a cab or reporting your actual age are highly overrated.

Guard Your Bliss

Do you want to be more productive in your 2014 creative endeavors?

I know I do.

But if you think that our ambition will mean more late nights getting nose burns at the old grindstone —

Think again.

According to some awesome and (without a doubt) merry researchers, all we need, my friends, is a little bit of happiness!

For example, a 2010 study by James Harter and friends found that folks have a greater number of creative ideas on days when they feel happier. 

Another investigation by Amibile and Kramer confirmed that happiness fuels both greater creativity and productivity.

I know, I know…

Right about now some of you may be thinking, “Well, carp. This isn't helpful at all. I’m too…

Poor

Stressed

Unlucky

Rich

Feline

(Insert any other adjective here)

to be happy."

Well, I hate to burst your misery bubble, but research also shows that only 10% of your happiness is directly related to your circumstances.

Yeah.

TEN

PERCENT.

PROMPT: So how will you guard your bliss for a fabulous 2014 of super-charged creativity?

NaNoWriMo — Day 21…

Yes, I imagine you are all getting pretty tired out there.

But fear not, Elbow Benders —

Science says sleepiness can work for you!

A study reported in Thinking and Reasoning found that the unfocused, disorganized thinking style of the tired brain causes it to make random connections.

Um…duh. Someone was actually paid to determine this?

Anyway, it turns out that these random connections are exactly what you need to gain insights or jump-start creative tasks.

You realize what this means don’t you?

If you are weary, worn out, or wiped…

Griping is no longer aloud.     

Humph…

Dang scientists.

PROMPT: Hip, hip, hooray, we’re sleepy today! Write about the weirdest place your main character could catch some Z’s. Or try this one on for size — Sandman vs. Snowman… with espresso.

Daydream Believer

Now it’s official —

Researchers at the University of California have proven that daydreaming improves creative problem-solving!

Are you listening Mrs. B.? Remember how you liked to scare the bejeebers out of me in 4^th grade English class every time you caught me woolgathering on that pie in the sky as I built those castles in the air?

Yep, I bet you’re feeling pretty bad about that right now.

And hey, here’s a double bonus, Elbow Benders—

Investigators at the Max Planck Institute of Germany found that daydreamers have better working memories.

Good thing, too. I mean, what’s the use of daydreaming up a bunch of awesome creative solutions if you can’t remember any of them?

You know, this new data helps explain an interesting phenomenon…

Go ask 10 kids under the age of 7 if they are creative and 6 of them will say, “Heck yeah!” Three will give you a “Well, duh!” And 1 will yell, “Stranger Danger!”

Back away from that last kid and go ask 10 adults if they’re creative. Nine out of 10 will claim that they are not.

And what do kids under the age of 7 do A LOT of?

Well, besides hide vegetables under their plates.

Yes, daydream.

So, get your creative mojo back on track by kicking back.

What a dreamy way to spend a day!

PROMPT: Are you working on this week’s writing/art goals? Be sure to throw some daydream time into the mix as well. Seriously, Grown-ups, you’re going to have to schedule it — because, sadly, you can no longer count on those BORING (Are you listening Mrs. B.?) English… History… Math… etc… classes.

See the Light

Is one of your characters in a bit of a jam?

Is your plot thin and stumbling down the road to nowhere?        

Do you WISH you had a character and plot because right now you’re fresh out of both?

Well, have I got a deal for you.

My friends, you don’t need a pill, potion, or personal trainer.

All you need is…

a light bulb.

Yes, the good people of Tuft University have discovered that human beings who sit below a bare burning bulb solve problems more quickly and demonstrate greater insight than those forced to function under fluorescent.

Apparently, the light bulb group solved “insight” problems nearly 40% of the time while everyone else solved them at a pitiful 10% rate.

Then they did a bunch of other tests and hocus-pocus analysis and determined that their results had nothing whatsoever to do with the type of illumination…

and absolutely everything to do with our cultural notion that light bulbs and creative ideas go hand in hand.

Yep, believe it and you see it, Baby.

But don’t take my word for it.

Go get yourself some light bulb moments…

by… uh…

Getting yourself some light bulb moments.

PROMPT: Get blinded by science — try this at home.

Grin and Win

WARNING: Negative thoughts and self-criticism impair your ability to develop strong creative skills.

This scientific FACT has been brought to you by Dr. Adam Anderson, whose study was featured in the 2006 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

What’s more, Dr. A. says that the opposite holds true as well. So, here’s one for all of the Debbie Downers out there —

WARNING: Positive moods can increase your ability to think creatively.

Obviously, if you want to have a creative edge, you’re going to have to get some happiness.

I'm told you can't buy it —

So, you're going to have to make it yourself.

Here are a few recipes that I've found to be handy…

Research has shown that the best way to be happy

is to make each day happy.

~ Deepak Chopra

Most folks are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.

~ Abraham Lincoln

If you want to be happy, be.

~ Leo Tolstoy

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.

~ Anne Frank

To be happy, make other people happy.

~ W. Clement Stone

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

~ Dalai Lama

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do

are in harmony.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

And my personal favorite…

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin;

what else does a man need to be happy?

~ Albert Einstein

PROMPT: Grab your fruit bowl and mix in a violin. It’s a great weekend to make some HAPPINESS… with a whole heap of creativity on the side.

Playing Dirty

A CREATIVE writer at work.

Now this is the news we've all been waiting to hear!

The University of Minnesota has discovered that if you happen to be writing your next novel about Ping-Pong balls…

DO NOT rid your desk of those paper piles, cat hairs, and banana peels.

Here’s how the study went down in the hallowed halls of the Psychology Department —

One by one, students (a.k.a. guinea pigs sans fur) were taken to a small room and asked to come up with 10 unconventional uses for Ping-Pong balls. For half of them, the room was made to look like the habitat of a neatnik with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. For the other half, the room looked like last week’s leavings from a slob convention.

While the students who worked in the neat room reported just as many Ping-Pong uses as the slob squad, their ideas were sadly not as innovative.

So if you were thinking of hiring a cleaning lord — Save. Your. Cash.

And, Grandma, if you’re listening —

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cleanliness may be next to Godliness…

But clutter and the Creator?

Clearly BFFs.

PROMPT: Do try this at home — head to the messiest part of your house, hand your main character a Ping-Pong ball, and write what happens next.

Hit the Trail!

And this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, 

books in the running brooks, sermons in the stones, 

and good in everything.

~ William Shakespeare

If you are looking for a way to hike up your creativity, then look no further than the dusty trail. For, my friends, it appears that SCIENCE has proven the Billy Bard correct.

Research from the University of Kansas found that the more time a person spends in nature, the more creative he or she becomes.

In the study, one group of backpackers was given a test for creativity before setting out on a long hike. A different troop was given the same test four days into their trek.

Results showed that the second group of hikers — the ones who were well into their “nature journeys” — scored nearly 50% higher in creativity!

The director of the study reported that “Nature is a place where our minds can rest, relax, and let down those threat responses (obviously, she has never been chased by a bear). Therefore, we have resources left over to be creative and problem solve.”

HOWEVER, before we get too over-excited and spend all of our pin money on mess kits and trail mix, I think that we need to address a major confounding variable within this research.

I call it… the bath factor.

As in, one can assume that the first group of backpackers, just setting off with high hopes on the high trail, was most likely clean and fresh. While group two — not so much.

Hmmmm…

This issue is further complicated by today’s quote-meister, William Shakespeare, who just so happened to live out a large part of his life in the 1500’s.

Do you know how often the people of England bathed in the 1500’s?

ONCE. A. YEAR.

IN MAY.

Double hmmmm…

What if it’s really crud that causes all that creative thinking?

Could it be that the REAL reason for writer’s block is…

personal hygiene?

Inquiring minds want to know.

PROMPT: Cleanliness may be next to Godliness, but filth apparently makes one hell of a writer. So hit the trails instead of the showers and see what it does for that creative mind of yours. Who knows — you may even find a tongue in a tree or, better yet, a book in a babbling brook.