We know that creativity writing is shaped by creative persons. Those people with the right kind of minds and interests can write interesting poems, stories or even plays. We enjoy reading those kinds of writings, and some of us even play at writing it. But we do not expect creative writing to solve real world problems.
Logically thinking, writing may not require creativity, instead, it is remarkably an effective way of making ourselves more creative. Words work when we use them correctly and sometimes, surprisingly, they work even when we use them mistakenly.Listed below are the five simple ways that you can use words to allow you to become more creative: to see new possibilities in existing situations; to create models that demonstrate the effects of change before they happen; and to discover common ground with others even where non existed before.
• Write lists until such time you run out of things to write. Keep on writing whatever comes to mind, even if it seems crazy or repetitive. You will find that perseverance results in some genuinely new ideas.
• Think of someone who would be able to solve the problem you are up to. Someone who has the object to generate new ways of getting to results. Write a letter or prepare a report as if you would have to present it to that person. In order to write for that person, you need to think a little like that person too.
• Pick a format that gives a defined structure to what you will say. As you write, be aware that you need to meet the requirements of the format you have picked, whether it’s a post-modern play or a funding proposal.
• It is the nature of language that a few words need to cover huge experiences. So dig deeper. Ask yourself “what do I really mean there?” or “how could I make it clearer if I were with someone who doesn’t know me?” As you make the language more specific, you will find the limits of the situation you are describing. Sometimes you will have new insights and the words that are not quite right will pull you in a useful new direction.
• Try writing the exact opposite of what you mean. If you ask yourself: what is the opposite of what I want to say, you will find out that you have an answer. This is a three part process: you need to think about what you want to say, figure out the opposite and then evaluate whether you move towards it or you have changed your mind about what you think.
You have an unlimited supply of words. With those, you can define situations, influence other people and create possibilities that do not exist in real life. Through words, you can create new possibilities – mechanically at first, and then with genuine energy.
You need not to be a creative person to create new possibilities with words. You jut need to be analytical enough to choose words that are counter-intuitive and to notice what happens in your mind as you use them. It might make you believe that you are a creative thinker after all.
