From Mayhem to Magic (part 2 of 4)
"Don't tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of moonlight on broken glass" Chekhov.
And there it is. The secret of creativity in 16 words. Sounds deceptively easy... until you look for the glass. In this four part series on creativity, moving from mayhem to magic in your writing (photography, painting or indeed anything artistic) means moving beyond a safe 'Look before you leap' position, allowing space for curiosity and even chance to take you in new untested directions. But how?
The words vary but there is general agreement on three steps at the core of the creative process. Input. Incubation. Illumination. I'm omitting stage zero, selecting your project & stage four, typically a final review, to focus in on the actual work of creation. Briefly the main steps involve:
- Input - collect & organise your information, very much the traditional gathering of facts, images...etc. A left brain oriented process made more enjoyable by the ceaseless tides of shiny new productivity apps.
- Incubation - the opposite of stage one. Don't do anything, your sub-conscious does it for you. Right brain oriented dealing with complexity and contradiction, seeking connections and common denominators.
- Illumination - start generating ideas, allow yourself to observe the revelatory process within. The brain nudges you along combining elements and revealing your narrative. With sufficient focus and a pinch of luck a magic 'light bulb' moment occurs.
Whether you’re writing a novel, making a painting or sorting a portfolio of photographs, this process is not a mechanical series of finite actions. Think of it holistically as having a natural organic rhythm. The steps will blur and overlap as your project develops.
Next week, in part three we look at the role of alchemy in the creative process.