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Everyone has encountered the dreaded creative block at least once in their life.
Creative blocks are times where we just can’t think of anything creative to contribute to our project, assignment or work.
It is unavoidable and haunts novelists, scriptwriters, students and many other creative individuals such as you and me.
Everyone has their own ways to overcome this issue, but today we have compiled a list of simple and straight-forward solutions for you!
Google Scholar
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The most common solution that we all turn to is the internet. It is simple, effective and efficient, right?
When we are lost for ideas and need inspiration, we would instinctively search it up on Google and click the first search that pops up.
While this usually works for simple ideas, if you are looking for more in-depth inspirations, you can search for relevant articles on Google Scholar.
Although seeking inspiration and ideas from existing articles may seem like a walk in a park, beware of crossing the sensitive plagiarism line.
Plagiarism refers to copying someone else’s work and showing it as your own without the permission of the original author or giving credit.
Do not copy and paste chunks of information from the articles without giving the due credit and citations.
Using Personal Experience
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Everyone has their own unique background and perspective on the world.
Our ideas form from what we have experienced or even just random stories that our peers tell us over a coffee break.
While thinking of ideas for a novel or script, some people may forget to look within themselves in search of inspiration.
Even if you do not have a specific experience that correlates with the topic you are ideating, you can use them to form links to ideas that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of.
So do not be scared to use your own past as an inspiration for your new essay, no one is judging!
Reading the News
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We have been taught since young that if in doubt, always check the news!
The news is one of the best ways to attain ideas and inspirations due to it containing the latest information available from a reliable source.
Everyday, new articles flood various news sites such as CNA, BBC and Business Insider.
Learning more about what’s going on in the world expands your worldview and helps formulate creative thoughts and ideas.
Although news articles are generally verified and trustworthy, it is always a good idea to fact-check the information with other news outlets to prevent any rare mistakes.
The Power of Dreams
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We all dream from time to time. Wild, vivid dreams.
Dreams can sometimes be the key to our greatest ideas and works.
Critically acclaimed director Christopher Nolan had the idea for his 2010 hit movie Inception from his own lucid dreams.
Mary Shelley famously wrote Frankenstein based on a vivid nightmare she had.
To start using your dreams as inspirations, it is important to keep a dream journal by your bedside so you can record your dreams once you wake up.
While utilising your dreams to facilitate your ideas might be the coolest thing ever, it is important to ensure that your ideas are not too abstract or your audience might get confused.
After all, it was your dream, not theirs! They might not understand some parts of it, so it would be your job to make it bite-sized and easy to understand.
Conclusion
While creative blocks are common and it is easy to get frustrated when you run out of ideas, it is important to take breaks every so often.
Sometimes, our brains just need time to breathe and relax in order to start functioning well again.
Don’t be too hard on yourself and the creative juices will flow naturally.
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