writercises | EXERCISE: Creativity Supercharged (6) (Reply)

Original Posting 8 June 2009

Writers' Digest, August 2006, pages 30, 32 and 33, have an article by Joe Ortiz with some discussion of creativity followed by six -- a half-dozen! -- exercises. The title of the article is, "Supercharge Your Creativity."

From Jazz: "Play What You Know"

Miles Davis has known both for his solo playing and his comments on improvisation. A memorable quote says, "Play what you know and improvise above that."

Your task: Take the lead sentence or beginning that you already have tried to write, but want to improve. Put the manuscript in a drawer. Now, on a blank sheet of paper, write out the beginning again -- in five different ways. Each time use new words, a new tone, a crazy emotion, a different point of view. Improvise! Go way outside your normal approach. Do this for five minutes. Then circle the good stuff -- maybe just a phrase or word. Pay attention to how you feel about this.

Variations. Alterations, modifications, mutations, differences. Alternatives, adaptations, changes, contrasts, digressions, distinctions, diversity, innovations, novelties. Variety is the root of growth! (Synonyms courtesy of http://thesaurus.reference.com)

Scribble!