|| Replies ||

User	Blue Monk | 2005-05-22 |
Subject	creativity strikes!
Message	If you make a general study of creativity, even for business, etc. you’ll find many helps. I keep a note pad and pencil near the bed and try to capture what I was dreaming, even if I wake up in the middle of the night. If you wait too long, those thoughts are generally lost. Most creative ideas come through the sub-concious levels first, so relax and let your brain do the work.

User	Geraldine | 2005-05-18 |
Subject	untitled
Message	I can only write when I am depressed. When I get depressed there are so many things in my head that I can’t write fast enough. When I am not depressed I have to sit and think for hours for words to come to mind.

User	Snowball_24 | 2005-05-17 |
Subject	simple solution
Message	Your problem is simple to solve, Just write about me....

User	secret moon | 2005-05-16 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Muses are about the most undependable things that ever existed. The most frustrating thing is when you KNOW you have to work on that big, Huge, GIGANTIC term paper but you aren’t inspired (and if you’re like me, I have to be inspired to write anything -- anything). You will find her/him/it eventually, though it could take a long time. My muse has been sort of eratic the last few months, so I guess it’ll smooth out for the both of us.

User	Somnambul | 2005-05-15 |
Subject	untitled
Message	muses come and go. sometimes it takes a certain mood, for a lot of people it is depression. it really depends on who you are. i don’t think you can find a muse though, in a lot of ways a muse finds you.

User	cuddledumplin | 2005-04-24 |
Subject	untitled
Message	I use a "magnetic poetry" program called Instant Poetry. I do things like make word lists from my favorite songs. I like it because it’s more flexible than those that don’t allow you to add word lists, but I actually prefer to get out a book and circle words on a page to make a found poem. It’s a good way to get ideas. I also get a lot of ideas from writing down quotations and song lyrics I like. For some reason, writing them down makes me realize how well things are put together. The best advice I’ve ever been given is to silence that inner critic: just let the ideas flow with no initial judgement. I guess it’s like brainstorming, but I apply it all of the time (I never formally brainstorm either).

User	cuddledumplin | 2005-04-24 |
Subject	untitled
Message	I believe that you HAVE to write every day. It can be absolute crap, but athletes play their game every day, and writers need to practice their craft too. Reading is a very good thing to do. Actually, that’s the primary source of my inspiration. I find inspiration in the strangest of places (a prescription bottle, for example). I also think that people need to be more observant; we miss so much fodder for writing by not paying enough attention to the world around them. You can try writing your old poems from other perspectives. I also do writing exercises. Another thing you can do is read the type of writing you like the least. I really don’t like the work of certain famous poets, and reading their work inspires me to write differently than usual.

User	WolfStar | 2005-04-15 |
Subject	Maybe...?
Message	Some people whose inspiration to write is their depression lose their depression and then have no inspiration. Is it posible that the thing or stage in your life that inspired you to write has passed? That might be the reason you find it so hard to write. But not to worry! If you are really passionate about writing, the need to express it will arise! Maybe you just need to wait for another inspiring thing to come into your life...

User	Mister Fizzle | 2005-04-15 |
Subject	untitled
Message	go for a long walk or drive and stop not until you find the first thing that interests your mind. Then go a little farther until you find something that turns you off in some way. Write both things down in your poetry journal (ya better have it with you) Go to a third place that you consider solace reborn, and write something. peace, mister fizzle

User	Sandburg | 2005-04-14 |
Subject	Tricks
Message	Hmmm, seems like I was just saying something about this today. It’s like a carpenter saying he has builders block. (Not building blocks!). Well if you get him the material and the plans, he still has his tools and his talents, so like him, you need some material. A. Read some really good poetry. No, reallllly good poetry. I’d suggest poets.org, they have a special section for poetry month. B. Look up "magnetic poetry" on Google and follow the links. There are several poetry games you can play and I kind of enjoy it. C. Find another member on here, one who you have some kind of acquaintence with and challenge them to write a poem or ask them to challenge you. You both write a poem and see how they compare. I’d suggest making the challenge vague, a title, a single line or word to be included. Don’t make it too confining. D. Go back to Google and search poetry generator. These will spit out lines for you to build into a poem. This isn’t as easy as it sounds, they don’t give you the poem, just one line that might spark some inspiration. Hope to see a new post from you soon, Dave

User	joeyalphabet | 2005-04-13 |
Subject	untitled
Message	Go to www.creativewritingprompts.com Try working off some prompts and see what happens.

User	Dragonslayer | 2005-04-12 |
Subject	untitled
Message	i dont believe you lost your muse; you just need to find some inspiration. im not sure what that could be, since i dont know you. there are many, many different that could help. whenever i have a writer’s block, i usually try and do things like i did before, and sometimes that helps me. sometimes i just need to listen to the right kind of music. there are many, many different things that could help. you just have to find it. Mark