Walking and Creativity
The most creatively productive part of my day is walking my dog in the morning.
More specifically, it’s often those moments waiting for her to sniff every flower, pole, and pile of leaves in a three-block radius.
Whatever the problem, a good walk can solve it
I’ve talked before about the benefits of boredom on the creative process. Combining the space to let my bored mind roam with the boost of a little exercise and fresh air makes these morning rambles a gold mine of good ideas.
I have brainstormed plot outlines. I’ve come up with entirely new book ideas. I’ve solved issues with stalled scenes. I’ve even planned out my quarterly marketing strategy.
Two different ways walking can be used for creativity
1) Sometimes I just let my mind wander and meander wherever it wants to go as I walk. A sign, an overheard snippet of conversation, or musing over something I’ve read can lead from thought to thought. Sometimes nothing comes of this. Sometimes though, the random thoughts converge into an idea or a solution for something completely unrelated.
2) Most of the time though, I use the walk to pursue a specific goal. Maybe trying to fix an issue with my book. Or trying to come up with catchy taglines for my book ads. Or outlining a blog post.
(Yes, I did start thinking about this post while Tailer was trying to figure out how to get that squirrel out of the tree.)
My system for specifically thoughtful walks
First, I’ll often choose the topic the night before. That way I don’t have to try to decide what is a priority while my brain is still half asleep.
At the beginning of the walk, I will review what my goal is. Do I need to get my character from one place to another? Do I need to figure out what their motivation is or what choice they’d make? Do I need to decide whether to join a multi-author promo or focus on my own efforts?
Next, I go over what I already know about the scene or problem. I list out the important facts, or the pros and cons, or whatever definite knowledge I have.
Then I start letting myself play what-if and follow where my mind goes.
If my brain strays off-topic, I will bring it back to a quick review before starting with the what-ifs again.
Most importantly, have a way to remember your brilliant insights
Personally, every time I come up with an important point, I give it a number and a couple of keywords.
That way, when I get home, I can just jot down the numbers and the keywords quickly. Then I can go back and fill in the as many of the detail from my brainstorming as I can remember.
If that won’t work for you, try other mnemonic devices. Or carry a pen and paper. Or a voice recorder.
Have you uncovered a brilliant idea while walking? How do you make sure you remember these epiphanies when you get?
