Finding the Creative Sweet Spot

If you’re anything like me, you are always experimenting with how, where and when you create.

No matter where I write, there is one thing that is constant, I need noise to think and produce content. Call it a hazard of working in a loud newsroom back in my days as a journalist.

I almost always write to music. The type of music varies depending on what I’m writing about. When I want to engage my emotions, I may listen to Tori Amos or the soulful Adele. Angry or aggressive scenes demand powerful music, like Rage Against the Machine or Dropkick Murphys.

A Change Would do You Good

Sometimes it takes getting out of our comfort zones to get the creative juices flowing. Other times the comfort zone is the only place we (and our Muses) want to be. Sometimes writing from home works, and other times writing in a public space is a huge source of inspiration.

Maybe I have creative ADD, but for me, there’s nothing like switching it up. I can absorb the mood, energy and feel at each location I write, and sometimes I prefer to write certain scenes at certain locations.

If I’m writing a scene where there’s lots of action, I like to write somewhere busy, like a coffee shop. When it comes time to write an emotional scene, I feel like I need privacy, and lots of quiet time, which usually translates to  writing from home.

I love writing at coffee shops, libraries, park benches, restaurants, my bed, my front porch and my local bookstore.

Keeping my Muse on her toes has proven one of the best ways for me to find my creative sweet spot.

When Repetition is a Good Thing

Sometimes repetition in the creative is good. It forms a routine, and we gain a good habit.

For instance, in the beginning of my writing career, I always wrote late at night, when most people were asleep. Back then,  I kicked it old school and wrote things longhand with a pen and pad. Each night, when I laid eyes on my composition notebook, my brain knew it was time to write.

These days, I have to plan out my writing time. I have to make good use of my time, since I have more responsibilities than I used to now that I care for my mom.

Most days I only get a couple of hours of alone time, and my writing time can slip away from me if I am not careful.

For the next two and a half months, I’ll be pushing myself in a writing challenge. I know myself well enough as a person and as a writer to realize the slight pressure of a goal will help me maximize my writing time and get things done.

I’ll still be switching up my writing location and the music I listen to, but what will not change is the end result.

The Ultimate Goal

The most important thing to remember is the goal is not to confuse our Muse, it’s to make sure she’s a regular visitor. Finding that creative sweet spot can be so tricky, and what works for one may lead to creative disaster for somebody else.

So how do you find your creative sweet spot?

Do you listen to music, surround yourself with certain people, or go to a special location? I’d love to hear from you.

If you’d be willing to share, please leave me a comment below!

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