Creativity Secrets- The Single Tiny Creativity Secret That Will Catapult Your Creativity Into Orbit

A couple of years ago, I was writing maybe 2 or 3 creativity articles a month. And even this small amount didn’t come easy.

I’d spend hours at a blank screen, trying to come up with new ideas for the ezine or article that was due the next day.

Painful.

It wasn’t a very relaxing situation to be in, and of course not very conducive to creating freely and easily.

This last month I’ve written about 35 articles.

So that’s an increase of more than ten times what I was writing before.

The quality of the articles hasn’t changed. In fact many are actually more focused and more effective in communicating what I have to share with you the reader.

So what’s been the difference?

What’s been the key factor that’s enabled me to go from writing 2 or 3 articles a month to 30 plus?

Well, a few things have changed. But the one creativity secret that’s made more difference than anything else is simply this:

I created a text file on my computer called “ArticleIdeas”.

I made it as simple as possible, just wrote “Article Ideas” at the top and then down the left margin typed a few dozen “*” symbols, one each to represent the start of a new idea.

I keep this file open at all times in the background. While I’m surfing the internet, or reading other articles, chatting on forums, or answering emails from my clients, any seed of an idea I have I immediately type in my ArticleIdeas page.

Why is this simple idea so powerful?

There are a number of reasons why this easy to set up file can send your creativity into orbit:

1. You don’t forget the ideas you have. How many fantastic ideas in the past have slipped away from you because you didn’t capture them?

2. You give your creative mind a clear green light. You’re sending the signal to your creativity: “Bring on all the ideas you can produce, there’s a place here for them where they’ll be looked after and appreciated”.

3. Having space for more ideas sets your creative mind a challenge. Remember the list of “*” symbols down the left margin, each ready to receive a new idea? This works so much more powerfully than a completely blank file. It says to your creativity: “Here’s the start of an idea already, you’ve just got to add a little more detail.”

4. The ideas breed like rabbits. There’s something about having all your ideas together that makes them feed off each other. Each time you write one down, inevitably another 2 or 3 connected ideas will appear. Write them down too!

5. When you have ideas, you’re motivated to use them. If you have no ideas it’s intimidating to get started from absolutely nothing. If you already have a stack of ideas ready, just grab the first one that appeals and you’re off and creating!

These are 5 of the reasons why this simple technique will help you have more creative ideas, and catapult your creativity into orbit.

Set up your own “Ideas File" today – either on your computer, or in a notebook and sketchbook – and watch how dramatically it helps you increase your creativity.

Want to learn more about how to increase YOUR creativity and have more creative ideas?

Get your FREE copy of Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin’s powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook when you sign up to the FREE twice monthly ezine “Create Create!”. Visit the website now: www.CoachCreative.com

Creativity And The Truth- Are You Having A Love Affair With An Imaginary Mistress?

Creativity is for life, not just for a mistress. Is that true for you?

Many of us tell ourselves we live a life of great creativity, and are actively creative each and every day. But how honest are we being? Who are we trying to impress?

Think about your creative life for a moment. Which of these two descriptions best describes your relationship with your creativity:

1. The Mistress: My creativity is alluring, exotic and exciting. All the time we spend together is completely thrilling. We run wild together, discover new landscapes, stay up until the dawn, laugh and play and dance until we both fall exhausted and sleep in each other’s arms.

There are never any problems, we never slow down, everything flows perfectly. Me and my creativity are beautiful and flawless and perfect.

2. The Life Long Partner: My creativity and me understand each other. We know our strengths, we trust each other. We’ve achieved many incredible things together by listening to each other’s needs and being open, honest and adaptable. We know how to support each other through the difficult times.

We face each new challenge together, knowing the we’ve come through everything that’s been thrown at us so far, and we can come through this and thrive again.

If you answered that number 1, The Mistress, was how your relationship with your creativity is, then congratulations, it sounds wonderful.

But how honest are you being?

Everyone has creative highs and lows, peaks and troughs. We all have moments of excitement and elation. We all sometimes feel stuck, defeated, dejected, like we’ll never create again.

It’s all part of the cycle, all part of being creative.

There’s no harm in striving for the kind of highs we might have in a new love affair. But be honest with yourself. Stay in reality.

Do you want a short term, idealistic affair with your creativity that’s all over at the first sign of any problems?

Or a strong, long term supportive relationship, built to survive any struggles you have?

If you want to be creative for the rest of your life, then prepare for that. Put the strongest possible foundations in place. Communicate with yourself, learn what works and what doesn’t. There will be struggles, but don’t ever give up, you’ve come through difficult periods before and you will do again.

You and your creativity are together for life.

Accept that, make the most of it, don’t expect it all to be perfect sunshine, and you’ll be all the stronger for it.

Want to learn more about how to increase YOUR creativity? Get your FREE copy of Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin’s powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook when you sign up to the FREE twice monthly ezine “Create Create!”. Visit the website now: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing and Procrastination - Why You're Reading This Article Right Now Instead Of Writing

How did you come to read this article? It probably went something like this: there you were, with some time to spare, wondering if you should start writing something new, or maybe continue writing something you’ve already started.

“I’ll just check my email first though”, you probably said to yourself.

Ten minutes later, email checked, time to write. Right? Wrong.

“Maybe while I’m online iIll just have a quick browse on the internet for some writing tips, or a writing exercise I could do. That’ll motivate me to get writing…”

So, sometime later you came across this article you’re reading right now. And you still haven’t started writing.

Sounding familiar?

And I bet this isn’t the first time you’ve followed this pattern of behaving?

But this meandering trail of action never actually gets you closer to writing. So why does it happen?

The thinking behind it goes something like:

“I can’t write yet because iIm not good enough and the conditions aren’t quite right. There’s all this other stuff that needs attending to first. Then, if I get all that out of the way, I have time to find out a little bit more about how to write. Then when I’ve learnt enough and have enough information, I’ll be in the perfect position to start writing again.”

Ouch. There’s the “p” word that’s at the crux of it all. Perfection.

When’s the perfect time to write? Right now. You’ll never know all there is about writing.

Yes there are books you can read and courses you can take to help you write, and i’d encourage you to try them. But while you continue to write your own stuff, not instead of writing your own stuff.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone in this way of thinking and this cycle of behaviour. Far from it.

Everyone experiences this - the other dreaded “p” word of procrastination - some time or other.

The only solution to overcome it? Write. Just sit down, set a timer for 15 minutes and write non-stop until the timer rings.

Then do the same thing tomorrow at the same time. And the day after, and the day after that. It doesn’t matter how you write, where you write or what you write. But just write. It’s the only cure...

Kick start your creative writing right away - get your free 5 part creative writing ecourse at now at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com (But not until you’ve done your 15 minutes of writing!)

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative And Feeling Alone? What To Do When Your Friends Don't Support Your Creative Life

Everyone is potentially creative in some way.

It's a core part of being human, an essential need that we all have, to express our individuality.

Maybe this is through one of the classically recognised creative disciplines like writing, painting or songwriting. Or maybe it’s through something less obvious, but no less creative, like cooking, or gardening, or party planning.

Many of us are fortunate enough to have found some of the ways we can be creative.

Many others maybe know how they can create, but for whatever reason don’t feel able to create right now. Others still maybe haven’t yet found the best ways for their creativity to shine.

When we're not as creative as we'd like to be, being exposed to people who are "actively creative" – those who create regularly and openly - tends to provoke one of two reactions:

Reaction 1: We feel inspired by the person creating and this increases our own creativity, spurs us on and motivates us to explore more about what we can create.

Or

Reaction 2: We feel envious, intimidated and threatened, and feel we can never create like that, or be as good, so why should we bother trying. This of course stifles our creativity further.

The aim is to become more like the first of these, and find other creative people who are also like this to support us and join us in our creative journey.

Another factor is that even our closest friends don't necessarily evolve and grow at the same rate we do.

When someone finds a new outlet for creating or a new interest, it can make their friends feel left out, left behind or overlooked.

It can also make them look closely at their own lives and wonder why, although all seems well on the surface, they still feel there's something missing.

The most important and valuable friends are there for the long haul and will support you in becoming the best person you can be, as a creative as you can be.

If there are people around you right now like this, value them dearly.

Tell them as soon as you can how important they are to you, and how much their presence and support helps you be who you are.

And for those who aren’t supportive of your creativity? Maybe it’s time to give them a little distance.

Those that aren’t genuine friends with your interest at heart will soon fall along the wayside. When they do, and when you start to look around in a few of the right places, new supportive people will be there to leap in to fill the holes...

And with that in mind, I'd like to invite you to check out CoachCreativeSpace, a thriving interactive creative community space for you to learn and share more about creating and how to be as creative as you've always known you can be.

You'll find Forums, Groups and a blog you can all share in and contribute to, and like minded creative people who are experiencing some of the same challenges and triumphs you are.

http://www.CoachCreativeSpace.com, from Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

Unleash Your Creativity - If I Don't Use It Am I Going To Lose It?

There’s a belief held by many that we have all been given a unique set of creative talents and abilities, and it’s our purpose and our quest in life to uncover these talents and put them to best use.

A step beyond this, there’s a further idea held that in fact if you don’t pursue this journey of discovering and using your talents, worse than them just lying there dormant, they may actually start to diminish and decay.

While it’s never too late to rekindle the smouldering embers of your creativity, to a certain extent this idea of “if you don’t use them, you’re gonna lose them” actually has a lot of truth in it.

Your creativity is like a muscle.

And like the rest of your muscles, you can use focused exercise to build and tone them so they’re stronger, more flexible, more lean, efficient and powerful.

This doesn’t happen overnight of course, it takes time and regular “workouts” and exercise.

But that’s OK, because creativity isn’t a whim or a fad, or the latest craze. You create because it’s a core part of your personality and genetic make up. Creating what you create, in the way you create it, is what makes you uniquely you.

Every single thing you create is another tiny piece in the puzzle, another step on the long and winding road to revealing - and living as - the true creative you.

When you become the naturally creative person you can be, everything flows more easily. You start to use your creativity in everything you do, creativity becomes an outlook, an attitude, a way of being and breathing.

Creativity becomes your daily uniform, your second skin, not just an posh outfit you put on for special occasions once or twice a year.

So maybe if you don’t use it you WILL lose it.

But what certainly IS true is the MORE you use your creativity, the stronger, more flexible and more effective it becomes, then the easier it is to create, and the happier you’ll be.

What single step can you take today, before you go to sleep tonight, to show to yourself that you’re ready to adopt this life of creativity?

What can you do to demonstrate you’re committed to putting on that creativity uniform today and wearing it for every day for the rest of your life?

Once you've chosen, take the next step, and put it into action.

Learn how to unleash your creativity today... Get your FREE copy of Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin’s powerful and practical “Explode Your Creativity!” when you sign up to the FREE twice monthly ezine “Create Create!”. Visit the website now: www.CoachCreative.com

Be More Creative: Learning The Pursuit Of Progression Not Perfection Will Transform Your Creativity

As a Creativity Coach, time and time again I hear of creative people who create wonderful, stimulating, interesting works and pieces of art, but are so personally disappointed by the results, they virtually give up creating afterwards.

It becomes, in their eyes, their flawed legacy, their ugly and imperfect offering to the world that can never be repeated.

However well their creative project was received by the outside world, the creator still feels they could’ve done better, could’ve given more, and so they feel that they’ve failed.

“If only that penultimate line had more emotional resonance”, says the poet.

“If only I’d have used a slighter darker shade of red”, bemoans the painter.

“If only I’d increased the shutter speed after the first few shots”, complains the photographer.

Travelling on the “If only” train is a one way ticket to disappointment, frustration and ultimately becoming less brave, experimental and creative.

Constantly trying to be perfect nearly always ends in a feeling of abject failure.

So what if we change our outlook and expectation a little?

What if instead of an obsessive pursuit of perfection – a perfection we usually can’t even describe or imagine anyway - we instead pursue progression?

What this means is that with each new project, with each fresh piece of creative work we produce, our aim is to progress our creativity.

So instead of expecting our next novel to be the most incredible piece of writing we (and anyone else in the history of human literature!) can possibly produce, we just want it to be better than the last.

We want some feeling of accomplishment. A feeling that we’ve moved on a little, developed as an artist, that we’re wiser in our choices, deeper in our knowledge and experience, more effective in the creative expression of ourselves.

This doesn’t mean we’re selling ourselves short, underachieving or letting ourselves down.

It means we realise that creativity is a way of life and a ongoing journey. We realise that however talented we are, we can’t go from nowhere to creating flawless masterpieces in a few weeks.

Creative evolution is a lifetime’s work. And it’s something to be enjoyed and experienced as richly, passionately and fully as possible.

So, which road are you going to choose?

The road of the pursuit of perfection, where you’ll probably soon end up in the ditch with a blown engine after pushing yourself too hard, too fast?

Or the road of the pursuit of progression, steadily travelling onwards and upwards, taking care of yourself along the way and being fully open to enjoying everything around you?

The pursuit of progression can be summed in a simple mantra.

“I will offer the best creative expression of myself I can at this time.”

Once you give yourself that permission, to give the best you can right now, instead of feeling restricted because you’re constantly in fear of failing to reach absolute perfection, you’re free to reach much further.

Then learn from each experience, take that forward to the next and reach again, this time further still.

Want to learn more about how to increase YOUR creativity? It’s easy: just sign up to "Create Create!" - Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin's free twice monthly ezine - today, and get your FREE copy of the “Explode Your Creativity!” Action Workbook. Head on over now to www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing- Can You Learn Creative Writing Or Is It Only For The Naturally Gifted?

Do you sometimes doubt your creative writing ability because you feel you haven’t gained major success or acknowledgment for your writing?

Very few writers are actually in a position where they have widespread recognition and acclaim for their work, and earn a good income purely from writing.

For every other writer, not having this same recognition or financial earnings can lead to us feeling a little envious at best, and at worst feeling our writing is totally inadequate and worthless.

This develops into other feelings of doubt and insecurity, and much questioning about whether we even have the talent to be a writer at all.

The first point to remember is the proportion of writers who do “make it big”, is absolutely tiny. It doesn’t mean you can’t join them.

The point is, not being commercially successful doesn’t mean you're not talented.

The two aren’t closely linked, as there are so many other factors involved in whether a writer becomes widely known, that don’t necessarily relate to their talent or the quality of their work.

So don’t automatically despair and feel you have no talent!

The second crucial point is that whatever your current level of creative writing, and whatever experience you’ve had up until now, there’s always more to learn.

There are a multitude of courses and programmes to go on and books and guides to read about being a better creative writer. Many are incredibly valuable.

The bottom line is, ultimately, the only way to become a better writer is to write more.

The only way to squeeze out every last drop of your creative writing potential is to experiment with your writing, write as much as you can, write as widely as you can and write as deeply as you can.

There are no short cuts, no quick fixes. Developing a creative writing style and voice doesn’t happen in a few hundred words. It takes hundreds of thousands.

But this is a GREAT thing.

It means you have hours of writing ahead of you that will be all about experimenting, playing around with different styles and techniques, and enjoying the whole experience of developing your creative writing.

So where, and more importantly WHEN, are you going to start?

Want to find out how more about how to unlock your creative writing potential? Get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Confidence- 5 Powerful Ways To Kick Start Your Confidence As A Creative Writer

How confident are you in your creative writing right now, on a scale of 0 to 10?

If 0 is “I can barely write a word without analysing and criticising it” and 10 is “I can’t stop writing, my confidence is overflowing and has never been higher”, where would you say your confidence in your writing is about now?

If you answered 8 or 9 or 10, then that’s fantastic. Whatever you’ve been doing to get your creative writing confidence to this high level, keep up it up, it’s obviously working well for you.

If your confidence is only 5 or 6 out of 10, or less, then keep reading for 5 powerful ways to kick start your confidence as a writer:

1. Start a small creative writing project – and finish it. Often what drains our confidence is starting ambitious writing project after project, and never getting far with any of them.

Instead, pick something small, something you can begin and end in an hour or two, and feel that satisfaction of seeing a project through every stage.

2. Remember what you're capable of. We all have creative writing we’ve done in the past that we’re proud of, however well or otherwise our current work is progressing.

Compile a “Greatest Hits” collection of the 5 pieces of writing you’ve been most proud of in your life so far.

3. Pick 20 creative strengths. The fact that you’re a writer at all takes a lot of courage, creativity and commitment. So there’s 3 great strengths you have: courage, creativity, commitment.

List another 17 (or more!) creative strengths you have. If a stranger were to ask your best friends and family what your strengths are, which 20 would THEY list?

4. Keep a Significant Steps journal. Get a notebook and write in it each time you make a step forward in some way with something you’re writing.

It’s easy to forget how far we can come, how we develop as writers, and how much we write, so keeping a journal of our progress can be very valuable in reminding us.

5. Write just for the pleasure of writing. It’s easy to get sucked into large writing projects and get lost, forgetting that writing is supposed to be enjoyable for us!

Write something without attaching an outcome to it, or expecting to have an amazing “product” at the end of it. Write just to enjoy writing.

These are 5 great ways to kick start YOUR creative writing confidence today.

Which one are you going to pick to work on first?

Discover more about how to unlock your creative writing potential and boost your confidence: Sign up for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse now at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing- When To Focus, When To Write Wildly With Your Creative Writing

Focus is an issue that many writers struggle with.

Having ideas is not a problem, they flow easily and rapidly, presenting themselves in all kind of forms, in unexpected places and at unpredictable times.

But choosing an idea and taking it to the next level, giving it the space and attention it needs to develop into something more, can often be a major sticking point.

On this endless conveyor belt of ideas, where every time you choose one, another 3 or 4 take its place, how do you choose on and focus your creativity energy and talents just in that one direction?

The simple, but not obvious, answer is: you don’t always have to choose just one.

Different creative projects serve different creative needs. If you’re working on a 100000 word novel for example, then much of your creative writing energy and time will be focused on this major writing project.

But it doesn’t mean you CAN’T write anything else until your novel is finished.

Often, the best cure for getting stuck or feeling like you’re starting to tread water a little on a big creative project is to take a break from it. Try writing something else, something very different. And make this temporary new project as fun and low demand as possible.

Writing itself is not difficult. What makes it difficult is the feelings and significance we attach to it.

For example, many of us find it difficult to write just for the joy of writing, experimenting and playing with our creativity. We always need some end “product” to show for the time and creative energy we invest.

Sometimes yes, focus and commitment are necessary and important to reach where we want to reach with our creative writing ambitions, whatever they may be.

But other times, if you’re struggling to write even a few sentences in your novel, let alone the final ten chapters, perhaps exactly what you need is a break and some time to play.

When you write creatively for the pleasure and experience of it, without any great attachment to the end outcome, you’ll start to rekindle your love for writing.

Then when you do return to your novel, today, tomorrow or next week, you’ll feel freshly inspired and fired up again.

So the next time you feel you’re getting weighed down in a particular writing project, don’t keep blindly slogging your way through, laden with guilt for finding it so difficult.

Give yourself a break – literally – and use a different kind of writing, or even a different creative medium altogether to rediscover your love of creating and writing...

Sometimes, blinkered focus IS just what you need.

But stay aware enough – and kind enough to yourself – to know when a change of creative writing will actually give you just the fresh motivation you’ve been struggling to find.

Find out how more about how to unlock your creative writing potential by signing up for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing- Why It's Not A Sin To Admit You're Scared To Write

Do you write as much as you could be writing in your life right now?

Can you say you’re happy with the standard and the volume of your creating writing?

Didn’t think so... So that being the case, there must be something holding you back. There must be a factor, or number of factors, that’s preventing you from writing more often, more deeply, more truthfully, more rewardingly.

What is it that’s stopping you?

Whatever you think it is, it can be narrowed down to one simple thing: fear.

Whether it’s fear of failing, fear of being disappointed in how your writing might turn out, fear of not having your work accepted to be published, fear of becoming successful and given a multiple book deal, or any other type of fear. It’s fear, one and the same.

What compounds this fear, what makes it even more difficult to bear is that you feel you SHOULDN’T be scared.

You feel it’s foolish to be afraid of writing, after it’s just putting words on a page isn’t it?

The first step to starting to overcome some of these fears is to accept it’s ok to be feeling this way.

All writers get scared. Many writers spend more of their lives being scared than not scared.

Writing, to the writer, is everything. By your writing you stand or fall, succeed or fail, become loved or despised.

If you don’t write, it’s even worse.

The secret is not to try to eliminate this many headed beast of fear that lurks over every word you create.

The secret is to know it’s ok that it’s there. And maybe it’ll always be there in some form or other, giving you that twisted knot in your stomach and that trace of sweat on your brow.

But you can still create despite the fear. You can create through the fear. You create over it, under it, around, whichever way it takes.

Because deep down you know it’s more important for you to write than to not be afraid.

Take comfort that every writer feels the same kind of fears at some point or other. But despite these feelings – as many thousands of writers have done before you, and many thousands will after you – you can be afraid and still write the most wonderful words.

So start writing them today. Laugh at the fear, summon up that deep courage that dwells within you and throw the greatest words you have right down there on the page.

Get your creative writing kick started again right now with the FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Ideas- The No.1 Mistake That Stops You Having All The Creative Ideas You Ever Need

A common issue for creative writers is a lack of ideas.

We complain we either can’t come up with enough new ideas, or the ones we do come up with don’t fit the current writing project we’re working on.

How often have you thought to yourself “If only I could come up with more great ideas, my writing would reach new heights...” ?

Well, there’s one huge mistake we’re all guilty of making when it comes to having creative ideas.

You see we don’t actually need to HAVE more ideas.

All of us are capable of having all the wonderful ideas we’ll ever need.

We need to CAPTURE more ideas.

Over your lifetime, how many great creative ideas for writing have you had, and then gone on to expand them into something creative, of substance and passion?

How many other ideas have you had, thought “I’ll remember that idea and use it later”, then completely forgotten it moments afterwards?

And how many MORE ideas have you had that you’ve forgotten you even had?!

So what can we do, what’s the solution to this No.1 mistake?

The secret is in the capturing of the ideas in their embryonic form. Imagine ideas are like seeds on the wind. You might see one of these seeds float by you on the breeze and admire its tiny form. If that’s ALL you do though, that little seed’s going to carry on floating by on the wind. You’ll never see it again. You’ll never find out what it could have become.

But what if, instead of just gazing passively, you caught that seed in your hand and put it safely in your pocket?

Then when you got home, you emptied your pockets of all these tiny seeds you’d captured and planted each one in nutrient rich soil, gave it a little water, and popped it in your greenhouse for a bit of sunshine.

When you return to those seeds a few days later, you’re going to see a few green shoots. Sure, some of the seeds won’t sprout. But most will. Keep doing this, keep being a seed catcher, and pretty soon you’re going to have a different problem. You’re going to need a bigger greenhouse!

The point of this story is this:

If you notice your ideas only briefly then let them disappear through your fingers, they’re gone forever.

But if you capture them the moment they occur – a pocket notebook is great for this – and let them gestate a little while, you’ll soon have a healthy crop of growing ideas to use whenever you need them.

This one change – realizing and overcoming this major mistake that so many of us make in having ideas – will mean you’ll always be equipped and ready with more ideas than you’ll ever need for your creative writing.

So start catching those seeds today!

Discover more creative writing ideas right away. Get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creative Writing Prompts- Superheroes In The Face Of Writer's Block!

How many times have you been plagued by writer’s block?

That horrible creative paralysis that comes when you’re sat at a blank page or computer screen, desperate to write and pour out your creative ideas.

But the words just don’t come. There’s not even a slow drip, let alone the gushing rivers of creative writing you’d hoped for.

This type of creative block, or writer’s block, can strike any creative writer and render them almost helpless.

But there is hope, and there are ways to overcome it.

Using creative writing prompts is a very effective method of combating the evil writer’s block.

Creative writing prompts are in fact like your own special private team of superheroes.

They’re ready and waiting to hit that evil villain known as writer’s block right where it hurts and send it scurrying back to where it come from.

So how do these prompts work?

What they do is provide a short creative phrase, idea or sentence to get your creative juices flowing. Once you’ve had that little push to get you started, your own creativity kicks in and carries you forward.

The most difficult part of creating – especially when your confidence is low – is getting started.

Creative writing prompts step up to the rescue in their beautiful flowing capes and their underpants worn on the outside.

(Ok they don’t ACTUALLY look like that, they’re just a few words written down, but go with the analogy!)

So the next time you’re stuck at a blank screen and feel you’re suffering the effects and onset of writer’s block, get on that superhero hotline and call up a few creative writing prompts to save the day!

Ready to get started with some top creative writing prompts right away? Sign up now for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Prompts- How They Provide The Spark That Sets Your Creative Writing Ablaze

Have you ever used creative writing prompts?

Many writers have concerns about using creative writing prompts because they feel in some way it’s cheating, or taking a short cut.

This is a common misconception, and it’s understandable where it comes from. We want to be original with our writing, find our own unique voice and way of expressing ourselves through our words.

If we use someone else’s words, how can we say we’re being original?

You’re not using the prompt then adding nothing else. You’re making your own major contribution to the finished piece of writing.

Imagine it being like a fire.

You creative talent is the logs in the fireplace, all stacked up and waiting to be lit. If they don’t get lit, there not going to burn. It’s as simple as that.

What you need is that initial spark to get your creative fires crackling away.

And this is where creative writing prompts come in, and can be so effective.

They are the tiny match that provides the initial flame that sets your creative talents ablaze.

Once you’ve got going, it’s far easier to keep the fire alive, by adding fuel in the form of your new ideas and creative talents.

If you tried to build a whole writing project from just creative prompts it wouldn’t work. This would be like trying to make a bonfire out of individual matches. It would burn fiercely for a few seconds then die.

There’s no real fuel of any substance there to keep the flame alive. That’s what you provide and where your stack of creative talent comes in.

Creative writing prompts can help you become a better creative writer.

You’ve just got to be willing to try them out and see for yourself what a fantastic stimulus they can be.

Get started with some top creative writing prompts right away. Sign up now for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Prompts- Can You Afford NOT To Use Them In Your Creative Writing?

Creative writing prompts are short phrases or ideas that we can use as a starting point for our creative writing.

They provide that initial spark we sometimes find so difficult to find.

Most writers, if asked what the hardest part of writing is, would say “getting started”.

How often have you yourself gone to write and sat staring at a blank page or computer screen, feeling like your creativity has gone into a sudden deep hibernation, possibly never to return?

You wonder where the next sentence is going to come from, let alone the next article, short story or novel!

This is a great time to use creative writing prompts.

Having a ready supply of prompts close to hand means you never need go through that horrible painful blank screen paralysis again.

One of the beautiful things about using creative writing prompts is as well as the benefit of using them then and there each time, they also steadily TRAIN you to be more creative without them.

For example if you use a prompt every week, at the end of 3 months, you’ll have experienced about a dozen different ones. Even in this short period of time, you’ll already be starting to see which type of prompts work best for you and your creative writing.

Soon, each time you start to feel a little stuck in your writing, instead of instantly reaching for a brand new prompt, you’ll begin to automatically form one of your own in your mind.

You might remember how that prompt about putting yourself in the place of a wild animal was particularly helpful. Or you might recall how that prompt about minimalist writing enabled you get focused in a crucial part of your last project, just when you were starting to flounder.

The more you use creative writing prompts, the more you’ll get used to using them, and the easier it will be to write WITHOUT them.

In a fairly short space of time, they actually manage to sell themselves out of a job!

If you haven’t used creative writing prompts, you’re missing out on an excellent and invaluable tool to enhance your creative writing.

You can get started with some top creative writing prompts right away. Sign up now for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Prompts- A Cure For The Dreaded "Blank Screen Paralysis"

Picture the scene. You head off to your creative workspace, head full of great ideas, ready to get writing and create wonderful, rich, three-dimensional characters in believable, realistic scenarios.

You’re keen to write the stories that will touch and inspire people, make them say “that character spoke to me, I’m just like them!”.

You open your notebook, switch on your computer, sit down, and... er, nothing happens, that’s it.

For all your ambition and great intentions, you don’t know where to start. You can’t think what to write. You begin to wonder if you can even string together a couple of sentences, let alone a complete story or novel.

You’re in the grip of the dreaded “Blank Screen Paralysis”.

Also known as creative block, or writer’s block.

But don’t give up, because there’s a way this story can still have a happy ending.

Creative writing prompts are an excellent tool to combat writer’s block.

A creative writing prompt is a small phrase, idea, or picture that can be used to kick start your creative writing. They provide that initial little push we sometimes need to get our creative writing going.

Once we have got going, the momentum easily builds and we can write freely and deeply.

Creative writing prompts can be used as and when you need them, for example when you feel you’re hit with some kind of creative block. But the great thing is, by using creative writing prompts regularly, you actually begin to create more easily without them.

Using them often means your mind begins to learn new ways of approaching your writing and finding starting points when it feels there aren’t any. In a short space of time of using creative writing prompts written by others, you quickly begin to automatically come up with your own.

If you haven’t used creative writing prompts before, try them out today and realise what a wonderful tool they can be to enhance your creative writing.

You can get started with creative writing prompts right away. Just sign up for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Prompts - How To Inject New Life At ALL Stages Of Your Creative Writing Projects

Creative writing prompts are short phrases, ideas or techniques you can use to give your creative writing a boost when you’re finding it difficult to find inspiration.

There are 3 main stages of a writing project that creative writing prompts can be used for:

1. To start a brand new project. Most of the time creative writing prompts are used as a starting point for a brand new writing project.

This way they can be a very stimulating and exciting tool, because you have no preconceptions about what you want to write. You start with the prompt, jump on board and write, and see where the words take you.

2. To expand an outline for a project. Maybe you already have an outline for a story but are struggling to get words down on the page? Use a prompt to get your creativity off and running.

With your outline for your story in the back of mind, this will subconsciously influence what you write as a result of the prompt anyway. So it’s likely that some point soon after you start writing, your words and ideas will coincide with those you have already in your outline.

3. To resume an existing project. You can use also use a creative writing prompt to help you resume an old project that you got a little stuck with and put away to continue at a later date.

Again, you could start writing from the prompt, then as thoughts and ideas from your other project will be in your mind anyway, there will be a point where these intertwine with the new parts you’re writing.

You can play around with the parameters and experiment too, it’s up to you.

That’s one of the great benefits of creative writing prompts. You can input as much or as little from other projects into them as you want.

Sometimes you’ll want to have a break from a major project and write freeform using a writing prompt.

Other times you’ll get to a difficult point in a larger project and use a prompt specifically to help you move forward with this project.

These are the 3 main stages of a project that creative writing prompts can be used for.

Try some out yourself and discover what an invaluable tool they can be for your creative writing.

Get started with some great creative writing prompts right away. Sign up for your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Fears- I'm Scared I'll Waste Time On The Wrong Creative Writing Project

Feeling scared to write is not a sin.

In fact it’s one of the most common reasons why we, as creative writers, don’t write more, and sometimes don’t write at all.

There are a number of different ways these fears present themselves. One of the most common is the feeling that you might be wasting time by working on the wrong creative writing project.

Here’s what this fear sounds like, and what you can do to start to overcome it:

"I’m scared I might waste my time writing.

The time I spend writing is very precious. What if I spend 3 months writing a book, only to find at the end of it, the ideas I had weren’t as strong as I thought. Plus, the characters that seemed so interesting in my head, came out as one dimensional and uninspiring on the page. I wouldn’t think it was worth continuing with.

What a waste of 3 months writing!"

How to overcome the fear:

The crucial point to remember is -

Time spent writing is never wasted time.

Every single word you write with good creative intentions is valuable because it teaches you more about how you write, why you write and how you can write even better.

Sometimes, ironically, the writing projects that seem a waste of time when you’re stuck in the middle of them, are actually the ones that help you focus on a new clear direction that you might not have come to find otherwise.

So although the end “product” was not as you’d hoped, the experience of writing it will add to your creative writing experience and make you a more experienced, focused and richly creative writer.

This is one of the most common fears we have as creative writers, and can hold us back dramatically when it takes hold.

How has this fear showed itself in your creative writing life?

What steps can you take, starting today, to reduce its impact?

Discover more about creative writing and get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Fears- I'm Scared Anything I Write Will Be Rejected So Why Bother Writing?

Many creative writers think it’s a sign of weakness to be afraid to write.

After all, it’s only words.

In fact nearly all writers have fears around their creative writing.

These fears can seriously reduce what we write, or stop us writing altogether.

These fears appear in many different ways. One of the most common is fearing your creative writing will be rejected once it’s complete.

Here’s what the fear sounds like in more detail, and how you can begin to overcome it:

"I’m scared my work will be rejected by the first person that reads it.

Even if I do spend valuable spend time and energy on some new creative writing project it would come to nothing because no one would think it was any good.

So what’s the point of putting myself through the pain?"

How to overcome the fear:

The first point to remember is just the act of creative writing, producing words unique to you and your view of the world, is a great success in itself. No-one can take that away from you.

How many people burn with longing inside to create but never quite get to expressing themselves on the page?

After this, ask why you’re writing each project. If it’s for your own personal enjoyment and to develop as a creative writer, it actually doesn’t matter what others think of it.

If you’re writing for more commercial reasons, then commit to learning all you can to make your work as “saleable” to an audience as possible. See each comment you receive as feedback to learn from, and make your next piece even stronger.

As creative writers, this is one of the most common fears there is, and it can block us completely when we let it.

How has this fear presented itself in your creative writing life?

What actions can you begin taking today to lessen its negative effects?

Discover more about creative writing and get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Fears- I'm Scared That Creative Writing Will Overcome My Whole Life

It’s very common for creative writers to have all sorts of writing fears, so if you do too, you’re not alone!

One of the major reasons we don’t write to our creative potential – and sometimes don’t write at all – is because of some fear or other.

Being scared that writing will take over your life is among the most common.

Here’s how it presents itself and what you can do to deal with it when it does:

"I’m scared about the possibility I might not be able to stop writing.

What if, once I really find my true creative voice, and get fully in the flow of writing, all I’ll want to do day and night is write?

I’m scared of how this might effect the rest of my life."

How to overcome the fear:

This is an often overlooked area of concern for writers, and seems a genuine fear, until we look a little deeper.

So you’re scared of writing loads and being able to write whenever and wherever you wanted? Wouldn’t that a be a great problem to have!

In fact, how many millions of writers would love to be in that position? Of course it’s important to maintain balance between the most important areas of our lives, such as our careers, relationships, health, finances and so on.

But the bottom line is, if you’re a writer, writing’s what you do! So write!

This creative writing fear can block our writing significantly when we let it take control of us.

How has this type of fear revealed itself in your creative writing life?

What action steps can you take, from today, to minimise its impact?

Discover more about creative writing and get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Nurturing Your Creative Ideas- Don't Leave Them Standing Cold & Naked In The Rain!

One of the best ways to increase our creativity is to take better care of the ideas we have.

Our creative ideas are the food, water and essential nutrients of our creative lives. Without new ideas, we’re stuck, stood still, lost without direction. Without an idea as a starting point, we can’t be creating.

So it follows, a steady flow of creative ideas is essential to maintain a healthy and constantly evolving and flourishing creative life.

And, the best part is, EVERYONE is capable of having great ideas. Ideas that can surprise us, springing up from nowhere and hit us firmly round the chops with a “I’m-just-so-obvious-why-haven’t-you-come-across-me-before?!” kind of audacity.

But having the ideas is often the easy part.

It’s what we do with them the moment AFTER they’ve given us that playful slap around the face that’s crucial.

How many of the great ideas you’ve had in your creative lifetime up to now would you say you’ve followed through and developed to their natural full potential? 75%? 50%? 10%?

What percentage of all the ideas you’ve had have been followed by the thought: “What a brilliant idea, I must make a note of it”, then forgotten just moments later, left to disappear lost forever back to the mysterious darkness from whence they came?

It’s likely the second number is significantly higher than the first.

Not recording our ideas in some way is the equivalent to leaving them standing cold and naked out in the rain. They’ll either catch pneumonia and die, or run for cover somewhere far away. Somewhere warm, dry and welcoming, where they’re welcomed in, wrapped in a huge soft towel and sat in a comfy chair by an open fire with a delicious mug of cocoa...

So what can we do to ensure we take better care of our ideas, and put more of them to good use?

The secret is in the recording of the idea and there are two key parts to this, each as essential:

Essential Part 1. WHEN we record the idea. This is so important. We must record the idea at the moment it hits us, while it’s fresh and vivid and most alive to us, ascending like a blazing shooting star against the night sky.

Leave it too long and it’s magic starts to fade, leave it longer still and it’ll slip from your memory quicker than a wet bar of soap dipped in baby oil.

Essential Part 2. In HOW MUCH DETAIL we record the idea. To give our idea the best possible chance to develop into something amazing, we must get its pure essence down quickly, yet in a richly detailed form.

We need to get a snapshot of the idea that’s as visual and memorable as possible. We want to capture the idea so strongly that when we return to it, whether that’s tomorrow, next week or next year, it bursts back off the page with all the energy and excitement as when it first came to us.

Do everything possible to catch this essence when the idea first hits, and you’ll find when you return to it it’s so much more inspiring and ready to grow into something incredible.

So, the next time a great new idea hits you, what are you going to do?

Leave it standing naked and shivering in the rain? Or welcome it in and nurture it?

Go on, put another log on the fire, some milk on the stove and get that big fluffy towel out ready...

Ready to learn more about how to have more creative ideas? Sign up to "Create Create!" - Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin's free twice monthly ezine - today, and get your FREE copy of the “Explode Your Creativity!” Action Workbook. Head on over now to www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Fears - I'm Scared I'll Use Up All My Creative Ideas If I Write Too Much Too Soon

Sometimes it’s ok to be scared.

It doesn’t mean you’re weak or abnormal. It’s a part of life as a creative writer to have fears around writing.

But when those fears start to severely limit our writing, it’s time to take action.

These fears can appear in many different forms. One of the most common is the fear that we have a fixed quota of creative ideas and once we use this up, they’re all gone.

Let’s look at this fear in more detail and what you can do to beat it:

"I’m scared I’ll use up all my ideas if I write too much.

I guess I believe I can only have a fixed amount of good ideas in my life, so I want to pace myself and spread them out.

I don’t want to use them up then have years of nothing."

How to overcome the fear:

This, possibly more than anything else, is the biggest myth that stops us creating.

It’s a myth because the truth is we DON’T have a LIMITED reservoir of ideas. It’s infinite. You’ll only have a limited ability to come up with new ideas if that’s what you believe you have.

The only way to tap into all those unlimited potential ideas out there is to train yourself to be open to them. Be curious and inquisitive about everything. Look for the spark of a new angle or the twinkle of a fresh viewpoint in all that’s around you, everywhere you go.

This is one of the most dangerous fears there is for creative writers. It can literally stop us dead if we allow it to take hold.

How have you noticed this fear presenting itself in your creative writing life?

So what action can you take - starting here, today, right now – to minimise its negative impact?

Discover more about creative writing and get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Creative Writing Fears- I'm Scared Of What I Might Unleash From My Creative Mind

As creative writers, there are many different fears we could have about our creative writing.

Fear is one of the major reasons why we don’t write to our full creative potential, and why sometimes we don’t write at all.

One of the most common of these fears – and one that’s often overlooked – is the fear that if we let our creative minds run free, we might unleash something bad or terrifying.

Let’s take a closer look at how this can appear and what you can do to overcome it:

“I’m scared if I let my creative imagination run free I don’t know what I might unleash in my mind.

If I really let go in my creative writing I’m scared about the kind of images, ideas and stories I might come up with, what they’ll mean and what they’ll say about me.”

How to overcome the fear:

This is a very real possibility. Ultimately you have to make the decision whether you’re going to be as creative a writer as you can be, or if you’re going to stay within certain boundaries.

Either way is great, if it’s the right choice for YOU.

If you decide to let your imagination run free, then yes there may be some scary stuff unleashed. But there will just as likely be some incredibly beautiful, emotive and touching writing to come from it too, writing that only you can create in your unique way.

And remember what you write is not you. Just because you have a dark thought, it doesn’t make you any less a person or mean for a moment you’d act on that thought. It’s just a natural part of your creative imagination.

This is one of the most common, but rarely talked about fears we can have as creative writers.

How has this type of fear appeared in your creative writing life in the past?

What choices can you make, and what action can you take, starting today, to reduce any negative impact it has?

Discover more about creative writing and get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are struggling to be as creative as they know they can be. See more at his website: www.CoachCreative.com

Increase Creativity A-Z - Z Is For Zzz - Does Your Creativity Feel Stuck In A Deep Sleep?

If I were to ask how creative you’d been in the last few weeks, what would your response be?

Would you say something like “I’ve been SO busy, I’ve finished a collection of poems, painted 2 new abstract pieces, cooked several delicious meals and redesigned my website logo!” ?

Or would your answer be more like “Er... I’m not sure really. It feels like creatively I’m going through a bit of a lull...” ?

If, as is more likely, you answer in the second way, don’t panic! Let’s get to the real truth of the matter first.

How much have you REALLY created?

How many acts of creativity – however minor they seem at the time – have you been involved in? Once you start counting them up you’ll realise you’ve actually been far more creative than you thought.

How do you write a 100000 word novel? One word at a time. How do you paint a 2m by 3m abstract picture? One brushstroke at a time.

Once you’ve got a more accurate idea of how creative you’ve really been, then it’s up to you whether you want to increase that.

Does it still feel like your creativity is half asleep?

Do you still feel you can create far more and at a higher, deeper, more rewarding level?

Remember, though your creativity might be a little dormant right now, it IS only sleeping. It’s not dead!

Which means there’s plenty you can do to awaken it again.

So start planning your wake up call now!

When’s the last time your creativity seemed wide awake and full of energy, even if for a fleeting and short period of time?

Capture the details of this period as fully as possible.

What was going on in your life at the time that allowed you to be so creative? What creative environment were you in? What creative habits and routines were in place and working well for you?

What were you thinking, what were you focusing on? What were you telling yourself during this time about how creative you were? Who was around you at the time? What other factors helped you to be creative?

Now the important part, waking your creativity out of its slumber!

You now have a great idea of the kind of conditions that have helped you be creative in the past. So how can you introduce some if these effective elements back into your life again more now?

Pick just one or two, put them in place as soon as you can, and start to notice the difference it makes. Add more positive elements as you go. It’s often the tiny details and changes we make that make the biggest difference.

Take the next step to increase your creativity today by getting your copy of Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin’s powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook. It’s FREE when you sign up to the FREE twice monthly ezine “Create Create!” at www.CoachCreative.com

Increase Creativity A-Z - Y Is For YES! How To Give Your Creativity Permission To Be Amazing

If I were to ask you: “What’s the biggest obstacle stopping you from being as creative, as often, as you could be?”, how would you respond?

Maybe you’d say you don’t have enough time? Maybe you’d say you find it hard to focus on one creative project? Maybe you’d say because you get sucked into procrastinating too often?

All of these are factors that limit our creativity, and all creative people experience them to varying degrees.

But there’s something bigger. Something deeper.

The one thing that’ll hold you back from creating to your full potential, even if everything else seems in place, is that you don’t LET yourself be creative.

Giving yourself permission to be creative is at the core of being creative.

If you’re constantly at conflict with yourself about whether you’re “allowed” to create, your work - and your creative life – will always been compromised and fall short of the heights it truly could reach.

So what does it mean to give yourself permission and to shout a huge YES! to your creativity?

Here are 5 of the crucial elements:

1. Say YES to being a creative person. You ARE creative, accept that and start celebrating it. Allow that creativity to shine through in whatever way it needs to. Keeping it suppressed benefits no-one.

2. Say YES to being able to produce amazing work. You’re capable of producing unique, deep, wonderful art. There are many things that only you can produce. Start finding what they are and creating them.

3. Say YES to letting yourself make a mess. Who said everything you create has to be perfect? Allow yourself to experiment, make a mess, make mistakes. It’s the only way to become more experienced in your creativity.

4. Say YES to being prolific. You can create as much as you want to create. The more you create, the easier it becomes to create, the more ideas that flow, the more will follow.

5. Say YES to letting creativity enhance your whole life. Your creativity isn’t a precious ornament that you dust your off and get out of a box kept under your bed on rare occasions. It’s always there, in everything you do, so let it be free to create!

Which of these 5 areas, rather than saying “yes” to, are you only giving yourself at best a “maybe” or a “sometimes”, or a “occasionally but only every third weekend and if the weather conditions are right”?

Which do you need to give a positive, affirmative YES! to today?

Pick one, then write as in a large letters as possible:

“I say YES to ___________________________________.”

Then pin it up, say it loud, now and another 20 times today, and tomorrow and the next day. Only you can deny yourself permission to create, and only you can say “YES!”. So start saying it right away!

Take the next step to increase your creativity today by getting your copy of Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin’s powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook. It’s FREE when you sign up to the FREE twice monthly ezine “Create Create!” at www.CoachCreative.com

Increase Creativity A-Z - X Is For X-Factor - Finding The Secret To Creativity And Happiness

So the elusive secret to being as creative as you want to be... Does it really exist..?

Can there be just a single “one-size-fits-all” solution to being as creative as you want to be?

Well, no, in that we are all individuals, we create different things in different ways and for different reasons.

But also a resounding YES!

There ARE methods that anyone who creates can follow to find that X-factor and be as creative as they want to be.

Here are 5 of the crucial elements to have in place:

1. Create everyday. There’s simply no shortcut or cheat for this. The only way to be highly, consistently creative is to form a strong creative habit. Find the time of day that works best for you, choose a length of time (10 mins at least) then create for that length of time, at that chosen time, every day. You’ll feel the benefit in just a few weeks.

2. Play to your strengths. We all have particular talents and strengths and the more we utilise them, the more able we become. Think carefully about what you’re really good at. It could be media like writing or photography. Think also about personal strengths like determination, flexibility or compassion.

3. Find your creative voice. This is when you’re expressing your creativity in a way you feel is truly coming from you. Whatever forms you create in, you won’t find your creative voice in a few attempts. It might take 100 poems, paintings or performances before you’re even starting to find that unique creative you. This is great, it’s what creating is all about – experimenting, learning, evolving, all the time moving closer to the truest expression of you.

4. Get support. Although many creative activities are solo, it doesn’t mean you can’t ever get support. No-one can survive alone, the more support we have from people who understand, the better place we’re in to be more creative. Think about your immediate support network as well as looking wider afield to groups, clubs, forums and websites.

5. Recognise your achievements. It doesn’t matter how much you create or how wonderful it is, if you’re not able to acknowledge it for yourself. It’s easy to feel you’re getting nowhere when in fact you’ve made great steady progress. Keep a significant steps chart and write down every time there’s a little landmark in your creative life. At the end of each month, look back at all you’ve achieved. It’ll be more than you think.

Which of these do you have in place already in your creative life? Which could you benefit from devoting a little extra time to?

Take the next step to increase your creativity today by getting your copy of Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin’s powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook. It’s FREE when you sign up to the FREE twice monthly ezine “Create Create!” at www.CoachCreative.com

Increase Creativity A-Z – W Is For Widescreen- Is A Narrow Creative Vision Blocking Your Creativity?

How ambitious are you in your creative life? What kind of visions do you have for where you’d like to be creatively in 1 year, 3 years and 5 years time?

Is your creative vision as wide, colourful, loud and highly sensory as a multiplex cinema screen showing the latest blockbuster movie?

Or is it more like watching repeats from years ago on a black and white portable TV?

If you don’t dare to dream big with your creativity, it’s unlikely you’ll ever get close to creating what you really want to create, and to reaching your true creative potential.

Yes of course there are times when a narrow focus is exactly what you need to move forward on a particular creative project. By putting on the blinkers and cutting out distractions you can make major progress in a short space of time.

But that’s a different issue. What we’re looking at here is your vision for your creative life.

By visualising where you’d like to be in your creative life at specific times in the future, you can get a much clearer idea of where you’re heading and how you’re going to get there.

By writing down your future creative vision – in all its widescreen detailed glory – you give your creative mind permission to start coming up with all the ways you can move closer to it.

It won’t happen overnight, but by having that clear vision and keeping it present and visible, then step by step you’ll get closer.

Here are 5 of the most valuable areas you can focus on.

Get a pen and paper, allocate some time where you won’t be distracted and answer as fully and honestly as you can.

1. Where do you want to be creating? Do you want your own studio, workshop or gallery? Will you be in an environment that stimulates your creativity to new levels?

2. How often do you create? Is it full time career? Is it weekend and evening hobby? How much time to you spend actually creating and how much on supporting activities?

3. Who are you? What beliefs do you have that have enabled you to get this far? What personal strengths and qualities have helped you to keep progressing?

4. Who can help you on your creative journey? Who can offer you genuine support? Who can you support? Who can you collaborate and share ideas with?

5. Why do you create what you create? What drives you, what keeps calling you back to create? How do you feel when you’ve created something you’re pleased with?

By answering these questions you’ll have a much clearer vision of how you want your creative life to be.

Revisit the questions every month or two, then compare with previous answers to see how you’re moving forward. It’s amazing how – once you’ve got that compelling widescreen vision – progress towards it becomes rapid.

Take the next step to increase your cr