I have long been fascinated by the creative process. First, as a teacher watching groups of students take the same directions and materials and turn them into wildly unique results. Later, as a fiber artist exploring the unique possibilities of natural fibers and dyes. And today, as a writer playing with words and story forms to create exciting, page-turning short stories and novels.

Creativity Research

Over the years a number of investigators have attempted to uncover and organize the elements that go into the process of creating something new and unique. Jane Piirto is one of these. What I like about her work is her use of graphics, lists, and hierarchies to illustrate creativity concepts. One of my favorites is the Seven Is.

The Seven I-Words

Here is the list of Piirto’s Seven Creativity I-Words. It really is amazing that so many words associated with creativity start with I.

• Inspiration – that thing that affects you at a deeply emotional level and drives you to want to create – this is your passion, your motivation, what gives you self-discipline. Piirto lists nature, the creative work of others, travel, and dreams as sources of inspiration.
• Intuition – going with one’s gut feeling even if it doesn’t seem possible or logical
• Improvisation – following through on an idea without conscious planning e.g.. writing by the seat of our pants.
• Imagination – mentally putting together ideas and images, and working out problems.
• Imagery – visualizing images in your mind – not just visual ones, but sounds, tastes, smells, and touches.
• Incubation – putting thoughts or problems aside and allowing the brain to mull them over subconsciously. i.e. “sleeping on it.”
• Insight – restructuring and playing with ideas and problems so they can be seen in other ways.

Using the I-Words

There is no question that the words listed above apply to every creative endeavor including the writing process. We are inspired. We choose our final course with our guts. We may plan, but in the end let the words flow freely. We imagine new combinations of story elements. We visualize our characters in action in varied settings. We mull over our wording and our drafts. We see our work anew and restructures until it is as we wish it. We create.

So is this just something that happens or are the seven I-words actually skills we can practice and improve? I say they are. In the six following posts, I will explain how.*

Meanwhile, here are some questions to help you think about the way you use these creative skills.

1. Where do I get the inspiration for my stories?
2. How often do I just write on the fly?
3. Have I set aside time to just dream and imagine?
4. How often do I feel like I am inside the story experiencing everything with my characters?
5. What is my fav thing to do when I experience writer’s block?
6. What is my fav thing to do with my sloppy drafts?

*For this special series, I will be posting every Tuesday in July and August.

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Happy Creating!