Creativity Flashes and What to Do With Them!

I’m having creativity flashes these days and the timing is not the best.

What to do?

Here are five things to do when Creativity Flashes strike at an inopportune time.

1. Write them down

In my case, it’s the idea for a novel I hadn’t anticipated writing.

I’m still not sure I’m going to do so (even though my husband and others are urging me on).

But when a scene appears in my mind while I’m brushing my teeth–I need to pay attention.

When words flash past while I’m tieing my shoes–they bear considering.

So yesterday, in the middle of the post-Thanksgiving upheaval, I turned on Word and typed quickly.

I see that in my 198 words, I’ve already separated the novel into two parts with two locations.

I’m also considering ending it with a third–but, oh my, should that be another book?

When the next idea springs, I know which section to put it in–which makes a difference in respect to the era, timing and heroine’s reaction.

2. Scribble the scene that creativity flashes at you

I’ve got the chapter one idea–how did that happen?

Not the full chapter, but the opening scene

Writing that down helped me see where the novel is headed.

(You need to have a hint of the ending on the first page anyway).

It’s only ten (short) paragraphs long, but I know exactly where my characters are and why they’re there.

3. Leave it alone and wait–but probably not very long

When creativity flashes, it’s usually not traveling by itself.

Once I got the above written down and returned to unload the dishwasher, questions arose.

More ideas floated up.

I ran upstairs to the computer and wrote them in the right document.

I saved the document and went back to the kitchen.

And ran right back upstairs to reopen the document and write more.

So, let the guys/girls in the basement work, but leave the document open.

You never know what will happen next.

4. Create a list of research ideas to follow up

Since this is an idea for historical fiction, I scribbled down incidents that could be covered in chapters of the novel.

There are twenty-eight of them on the first hurried list of ideas.

That’s enough chapter ideas for half a book.

It doesn’t mean I have answers for the questions, what they could mean in the novel or how they would affect the protagonist.

But it’s an excellent start.

5. Write up questions

So, I have a first chapter scene, a list of possible chapter ideas but what’s the book about?

That’s the first question on yet another document.

What are the fundamental truths I’m exploring?

How will my characters change?

I already know what I want them to become by the final chapter–but what about the 50 or so in between?

Writing down those questions–which are part of creativity’s flashes–will help when I finally have time to sit down and think.

The decision of whether to write the novel or not

Just because these ideas are calling to me, doesn’t mean I need to drop everything and write this novel.

(Well, hey, family members will say. What about Christmas?)

I need to think and pray about the idea.

A discussion with the significant people in my life will help (husband, agent, friends).

(Well, husband and some friends already are cheering on the idea . . . )

How does this novel idea work into my plans for the coming year?

But I’ve been telling everyone I’m waiting until January to figure out what I’ll write next.

Is it possible these creativity flashes–which have come so unexpectedly–are really a hint from God?

I’ll have to go back to a review of the will of God.

In the meantime, I’m writing down everything!

What do you think I should do?

Tweetables

What to do when creativity flashes in awkward moments? Click to Tweet

Creativity flashes at the most inopportune times! Click to Tweet

5 steps for dealing with creativity flashes. Click to Tweet

Of course, there’s the other question. What could this novel be related to?