5 ms·

Get unstuck from a creative rut

90 points by andrewsavikas 3y ago

poidos 3y ago
I recommend the artist’s way [0]. [0]: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/615570.The_Artist_s_Way https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/615570.The_Artist_s_Way
jasonshen 3y ago
I’ve always been interested in the idea that creativity is primarily about random association. That association can happen inside your mind, or it can be externalised like that story of how Donald Glover’s Childish Gambino name came out of a Wu-Tang Clan name generator. Yah!
maccamey 3y ago
Needed this right now. In a bit of analysis paralysis with ml. Going to use the Feynman story as inspo
richm31415 3y ago
From Brian Eno et. al. - https://www.oblique-strategies.com/ https://www.oblique-strategies.com/
- joebergeron 3y ago
  I configured fortune to spit out a random oblique strategy in my .bashrc every time I open up a new terminal; it’s great fun, and a gentle reminder when I’ve been working too long that I should spend more time pursuing the art that I love.
- abetusk 3y ago
  Does anyone know of a libre/free resource that has a list of strategies in the same spirit? Also, does anyone have a libre/free source for something more tech oriented? I can imagine the cards being something like "make data column oriented instead of row oriented" or "deduplicate data". The best I've found is the "Little Deck of Game Design" [0], which seems pretty cool. [0] https://www.whatgamesare.com/2011/10/the-little-deck-of-game-design-project.html https://www.whatgamesare.com/2011/10/the-little-deck-of-game...
- greenie_beans 3y ago
  i made this an app for the bangle js hackable smartwatch: https://github.com/smcalilly/oblique-strategies-bangle-js https://github.com/smcalilly/oblique-strategies-bangle-js no idea if it's still in the app store, somebody stole my watch.
javier_e06 3y ago
I cannot agree more with the 'make time to play' idea. Hard to connect to the goals and tasks at hand, playing, specially physical play, shares many aspects of the creative process: observation, strategies, emotional reactions, winning some, loosing some. Playing keeps me curios and engaged. Great article.
- andrewsavikas 3y ago
  One of my favorite things to do with my kids is "Lego challenges" where they come up with objects and I have to try and build them. The combination of constraints (their object, limited lego pieces) always ends with me building something I had no idea I could!
throwaway81523 3y ago
This is an ad for a book, what we used to call a slashvertisement. The strategies suggested are platitudes and boil down to saying stop freaking out about the end result when you're just getting started. The strategy that works for me is get a full day of outdoor exercise, but that's just me.
- beacon294 3y ago
  I noticed this as well. Here's a list I googled with some good books, I am going to try a few more: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/152063.Books_That_Inspire_Creativity https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/152063.Books_That_Inspir...
  - artemonster 3y ago
    maybe you have such a list about motivation and purpose?
- dailykoder 3y ago
  I do think, or maybe that's just how it works for me, that it doesn't really matter what you do, as long as it is something that gets you going, where you don't have to think extensively, which can be anything. - Doing something outdoors (hiking, biking) - Cook my favorite meal (so that I don't have to research anything, but can just start) - Clean the house - whatever The cleaning one is a big meme on some parts of the internet, but for me it does an incredible job. It's easy, you don't have to think much, while it still occupies your brain for some time and in the end you're happy and feel comfortable.
  - nicbou 3y ago
    It sounds like meditation with extra steps. At least that's how I describe those same tasks and their effect on my thoughts. Your hands are busy but your brain is left enough space to figure things out. I would add coffee to the mix, and maybe a notebook once the idea starts making sense.
- benatkin 3y ago
RajT88 3y ago
I don't see "Drugs" on that list, but it could be because that's a totally conventional way of getting out of a creative rut.
- elromulous 3y ago
  What kind of "drugs" are you alluding to?
  - optimalsolver 3y ago
    Propranolol before sleep.
  - RajT88 3y ago
    The kinds artists and musicians are famous for consuming of course.
    - jasonm23 3y ago
      All of them?
      - RajT88 3y ago
        Well, most. There's some really nasty ones I don't expect people go to for inspiration, they go to them because they are junkies and can't afford the regular stuff. The one that comes to mind is so horrific, I won't even mention it, but it's a big story out of Russia a few years back.
abetusk 3y ago
Generative tarot deck [0]. [0] https://abetusk.github.io/ResonatorVoyantTarot/ https://abetusk.github.io/ResonatorVoyantTarot/
jasonm23 3y ago
No mention of Oblique Strategies
scraggo 3y ago
Related: I just wrote a post about the book Thinkertoys which has lots of great exercises for generating ideas and getting out of creative ruts: http://www.scraggo.com/thinkertoys-generate-art-and-business-ideas/ http://www.scraggo.com/thinkertoys-generate-art-and-business... Rick Rubin's new book has interesting ideas in the same vein.
Daub 3y ago
One tip I have not seen mentioned is to change medium. As an artist and arty teacher I recommend this to my students all the time. Channing medium seems to impact the way we think and the style of our problem solving. As an artist I swop between the mediums: Oli paint, drawing and 3d digital. Whenever I get struck in one I move to another.
scelerat 3y ago
Some of this, "get to work; relinquish results; draft demo sketch," reminds me of the Brooksian aphorism "Plan to Throw One Away." Make mistakes quickly, etc. My major hobby is making music, and I feel the best way to write a good song is to first write a whole lot of terrible songs. Don't be afraid to experiment, go down rabbit holes, play.

90 points by andrewsavikas 3y ago

I recommend the artist’s way [0]. [0]: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/615570.The_Artist_s_Way https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/615570.The_Artist_s_Way

jasonshen 3y ago

I’ve always been interested in the idea that creativity is primarily about random association. That association can happen inside your mind, or it can be externalised like that story of how Donald Glover’s Childish Gambino name came out of a Wu-Tang Clan name generator. Yah!

maccamey 3y ago

Needed this right now. In a bit of analysis paralysis with ml. Going to use the Feynman story as inspo

richm31415 3y ago

From Brian Eno et. al. - https://www.oblique-strategies.com/ https://www.oblique-strategies.com/

joebergeron 3y ago
I configured fortune to spit out a random oblique strategy in my .bashrc every time I open up a new terminal; it’s great fun, and a gentle reminder when I’ve been working too long that I should spend more time pursuing the art that I love.
abetusk 3y ago
Does anyone know of a libre/free resource that has a list of strategies in the same spirit? Also, does anyone have a libre/free source for something more tech oriented? I can imagine the cards being something like "make data column oriented instead of row oriented" or "deduplicate data". The best I've found is the "Little Deck of Game Design" [0], which seems pretty cool. [0] https://www.whatgamesare.com/2011/10/the-little-deck-of-game-design-project.html https://www.whatgamesare.com/2011/10/the-little-deck-of-game...
greenie_beans 3y ago
i made this an app for the bangle js hackable smartwatch: https://github.com/smcalilly/oblique-strategies-bangle-js https://github.com/smcalilly/oblique-strategies-bangle-js no idea if it's still in the app store, somebody stole my watch.

javier_e06 3y ago

I cannot agree more with the 'make time to play' idea. Hard to connect to the goals and tasks at hand, playing, specially physical play, shares many aspects of the creative process: observation, strategies, emotional reactions, winning some, loosing some. Playing keeps me curios and engaged. Great article.

andrewsavikas 3y ago
One of my favorite things to do with my kids is "Lego challenges" where they come up with objects and I have to try and build them. The combination of constraints (their object, limited lego pieces) always ends with me building something I had no idea I could!

throwaway81523 3y ago

This is an ad for a book, what we used to call a slashvertisement. The strategies suggested are platitudes and boil down to saying stop freaking out about the end result when you're just getting started. The strategy that works for me is get a full day of outdoor exercise, but that's just me.

beacon294 3y ago
I noticed this as well. Here's a list I googled with some good books, I am going to try a few more: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/152063.Books_That_Inspire_Creativity https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/152063.Books_That_Inspir...
- artemonster 3y ago
  maybe you have such a list about motivation and purpose?
dailykoder 3y ago
I do think, or maybe that's just how it works for me, that it doesn't really matter what you do, as long as it is something that gets you going, where you don't have to think extensively, which can be anything. - Doing something outdoors (hiking, biking) - Cook my favorite meal (so that I don't have to research anything, but can just start) - Clean the house - whatever The cleaning one is a big meme on some parts of the internet, but for me it does an incredible job. It's easy, you don't have to think much, while it still occupies your brain for some time and in the end you're happy and feel comfortable.
- nicbou 3y ago
  It sounds like meditation with extra steps. At least that's how I describe those same tasks and their effect on my thoughts. Your hands are busy but your brain is left enough space to figure things out. I would add coffee to the mix, and maybe a notebook once the idea starts making sense.
benatkin 3y ago

RajT88 3y ago

I don't see "Drugs" on that list, but it could be because that's a totally conventional way of getting out of a creative rut.

elromulous 3y ago
What kind of "drugs" are you alluding to?
- optimalsolver 3y ago
  Propranolol before sleep.
- RajT88 3y ago
  The kinds artists and musicians are famous for consuming of course.
  - jasonm23 3y ago
    All of them?
    - RajT88 3y ago
      Well, most. There's some really nasty ones I don't expect people go to for inspiration, they go to them because they are junkies and can't afford the regular stuff. The one that comes to mind is so horrific, I won't even mention it, but it's a big story out of Russia a few years back.

abetusk 3y ago

Generative tarot deck [0]. [0] https://abetusk.github.io/ResonatorVoyantTarot/ https://abetusk.github.io/ResonatorVoyantTarot/

jasonm23 3y ago

No mention of Oblique Strategies

scraggo 3y ago

Related: I just wrote a post about the book Thinkertoys which has lots of great exercises for generating ideas and getting out of creative ruts: http://www.scraggo.com/thinkertoys-generate-art-and-business-ideas/ http://www.scraggo.com/thinkertoys-generate-art-and-business... Rick Rubin's new book has interesting ideas in the same vein.

Daub 3y ago

One tip I have not seen mentioned is to change medium. As an artist and arty teacher I recommend this to my students all the time. Channing medium seems to impact the way we think and the style of our problem solving. As an artist I swop between the mediums: Oli paint, drawing and 3d digital. Whenever I get struck in one I move to another.

scelerat 3y ago

Some of this, "get to work; relinquish results; draft demo sketch," reminds me of the Brooksian aphorism "Plan to Throw One Away." Make mistakes quickly, etc. My major hobby is making music, and I feel the best way to write a good song is to first write a whole lot of terrible songs. Don't be afraid to experiment, go down rabbit holes, play.