Idea Generators
by Starcat

One of the talents that BlackLion and I have, both together and individually, is coming up with cool creative ideas. We already have more ideas written down than we will most likely have time to implement. And more ideas come to us all the time! How do we do it? Here are some techniques to generate, and capture, creative ideas.

• Brainstorm. Sometimes you might have an idea that sounds exciting, but your inner censor speaks up, telling you it’s impractical, or too expensive, or too difficult. Just sit down and brainstorm, telling yourself that any and all ideas are valid for the purposes of this exercise. Write down whatever comes to mind.
• Keep an idea notebook handy. When a new idea comes to you during the day, take a moment to jot down the bare bones of it, just enough to enable you to flesh out the idea when you have more time.
• Let conversations meander. We come up with some of our best ideas when we’re just sitting and chatting together. Be silly, laugh, and have fun imagining “what if” scenarios with a friend or beloved.
• Pay attention to your dreams. Over a few nights in a row, I had a series of dreams about cake. I pondered them for a while and the presence of cake turned into a fun idea for an art piece I’m now working on.
• Honor your ebb and flow. As a creative person, there will be times when you’re full of ideas and productive energy. There will be other times when you may feel like you’re in a slump. Instead of seeing this downtime as a negative thing, look at it as taking time to recharge your mind and spirit. Read books, watch movies, listen to music, and otherwise absorb others’ creations that intrigue you. These times of receiving will spark ideas that you can transform into wonderful creations later on, when you’re in the creative flow once again.

And as for the follow-through on how to implement such a plethora of exciting ideas, that will be an article for another time. BlackLion’s internal office manager is busy working on a plan…