When you hit a creative block, it’s natural to fill the void with exercises, tricks and other things to get your brain moving. However, in an interview with The Guardian, author Neil Gaiman reminds us that sometimes the best creative spark comes from boredom.
Picture: Craig Morey/Flickr
Gaiman’s point is one we’ve heard before, but it’s interesting to hear his reasoning:
“People ask me where I get my ideas from,” he said, “and the answer is that the best way to come up with new ideas is to get really bored.”
Watching school plays was ideal, he continued.
“You have to sit there for hours and you can’t read or use a phone or check something on the web. I’ll come out afterwards thinking: ‘Did I just plot out an episode of Dr Who there? I think I did…’ ”
“I feel that I’m getting too dependent on phones, on Twitter,” he said. “It’s a symbiotic relationship. That instant ability to find things out, to share. I want to see what happens when I take some time off.”
It’s a good reminder that ditching the phone is sometimes all we need to create that creative space or at least force a little productivity. Head over to The Guardian for the full interview.
Neil Gaiman prepares for social media ‘sabbatical’ [The Guardian]
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