| The muse has done a bunk, the creative juices | | | | they're little green men with three eyes. And |
| have withered on the vine and to cap it all the cat | | | | women of course. The women only have two |
| has just poo'd on your last packet of A4. You | | | | eyes. The men need three eyes because ... Well, |
| feel as if all your ideas have scurried off like | | | | let's leave it there, we don't want our imaginations |
| lemmings looking for the nearest cliff. But all is not | | | | running away with us. Just make notes. |
| lost. For one thing if you bin the top five sheets | | | | Are they chatting, arguing, having a heated |
| the rest are probably OK. For another if you try | | | | discussion, or just enjoying being together? What |
| the tactic below, you could end up saying 'Ha! | | | | are they saying? What are they heatedly |
| Who needs a muse?' | | | | discussing? Latch on to something that moves or |
| Our creative minds are, in fact, our willing | | | | intrigues you and make notes. |
| servants. The human race was made with a | | | | What are they wearing? Fashionable 21st century |
| strong creative tendency and all we have to do is | | | | clothes, torn ragged clothes, clothes from |
| give a little push and ideas will suddenly appear, | | | | centuries ago? More notes. |
| seemingly out of thin air. Oh, yes, it's true! | | | | Next introduce some action, something or |
| Get mentally prepared. | | | | someone that comes in from outside to change |
| Miracles do happen, and they will, but you must | | | | what is going on in the scene. The change is for |
| do your part. Tell yourself inwardly that you are | | | | the worse, which will cause ripples of action and |
| going to enjoy this exercise, even if it kills you, | | | | reaction. Make notes. |
| and you will, I guarantee, come up with a stonking | | | | Picture all this as clearly and colourfully as you can. |
| idea for a story. | | | | Here's the psychology bit: This process is giving |
| Get physically prepared. | | | | your mind the 'food' it needs to come up with an |
| Arm yourself with a pen and paper, or sit in front | | | | idea. Making those notes is of vital importance |
| of your computer with Word up and running, | | | | because it's telling your mind that you are serious |
| ready to make notes. | | | | about this and it will oblige by working all the |
| Get ready to be creative. | | | | harder for you. |
| OK, this is it, so I need your full attention. In your | | | | When you're ready stop the exercise, take a |
| mind's eye, picture somewhere you know well | | | | deep breath, and review your notes. |
| and like. A park, a town, even your own house. | | | | The chances are you have the basis, to a greater |
| Now imagine you've discovered a hidden door you | | | | or lesser extent, of a story. There's also a chance |
| didn't know was there. You creep through and | | | | that you will look at your notes and say 'What a |
| there it is. A secret place. Another world. Wow! | | | | load of tosh!' But before you discard them, I |
| Now, tell me what do you see? Who do you see? | | | | would urge you to look again, maybe after a nice |
| What are they doing? What holds your attention? | | | | cup of tea, and I'll bet a pound to a penny there |
| Moves you? Amuses you? Disturbs you? Make | | | | is some germ of an idea you can wrest from |
| notes quickly before it's too late. | | | | what you first see as a shambles. |
| Maybe you see ordinary people, maybe you see | | | | Go for it! |
| giants, perhaps they're pixies or gnomes, maybe | | | | |