5 Tips to Fanning Your Creative Spark

Creative Sparks.

We all get them.

Yes, you too.

You know, those little thoughts that pop up along the way asking "what if" or "why not”? The ones we often answer with "why bother" if we don't ignore them completely.

Look around. Everything surrounding you has been the product of a creative spark, from the intricate patterning on the clothes you wear to the desk your computer is sitting on. Everything a result of a creative spark that was once just a glimmer in someone’s mind. An answer to a question that popped up and then became something because someone took the time to fan their creative spark.

I’ve put together a short list of my 5 tips for fanning your creative sparks so they can grow before they fizzle away.

1. Do something.

Poetic, no?

If you leave the spark alone, ignore it, it’s not going to amount to anything much. It will just burn out and you can carry on with your day.

What if you ‘did something’ instead?

Research that topic.

Find a class to learn a thing.

Try wearing dark green.

I don’t know what you need to do, it’s your spark. In my case, it was asking me to try writing a 50000 word novel in a month. Your spark might ask something different, something short term. Whatever it’s asking, if it gets you excited about living, you should probably try it.

2. Set yourself up for success.

When indulging your creative sparks, it helps to plan it out a little.

Give yourself time and space to do the thing. Do you need a quiet room? Do you need a notebook? Scraps of computer paper? A special blue pen?

Whatever it is, get it together and get going. Once you have a plan laid out, all you have to do is do it.

3. Be consistent.

The messy middle will probably hit you—that part where you don’t know why you are doing the thing and question your sanity.

Consistency will carry you through those times.

My spark was writing a novel (check out 'No Plot, No Problem, by Chris Baty).

In my case, I was writing 50000 words in 30 days. That broke down to 1667 words per day. Clear cut, date limited work.

Some days, I got 4000 words. Some days, I could barely reach my 1667 goal, but it all helped me push through to the finish line.

4. Keep going! Honour your Spark by finishing the journey.

Originally, my spark only asked me to write a novel in 30 days. Once that was done, I looked at it again and realized it wasn’t finished with me.

And I wasn’t finished with it.

There was more to our journey together.

My creative spark whispered ‘make a book’.

I listened to the spark and my gut and here we are today.

5. Start fanning the next Spark

Likely the first spark you fanned gave off others along the way. When you are wrapping up the first spark, go ahead, fan another.

You know you want to.

In my case, finishing one story made me wonder about the characters I’d introduced along the way. What were their stories?

It was easy and exciting to pick those up and work with them. Now I have multiple drafts that connect to the very first book I wrote way back when.

So my friends, believe in your own sparks. They went to you for a reason, you have what they need to bring them to life.

What do you think?

xo Tracey

(For more reading on the subject of creativity, I highly recommend Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Creativity by John Cleese.)