How to be Creative

What is creativity? A friend said to me, "You are so creative. I wish I was creative." That seems to imply that creativity is some kind of "talent" or something you are "born with"... not true at all! Creativity is a simple activity that is easy to do.

Creativity is simply processing and arranging data. In the arts the data will be "artsy" data like colors, sounds, shapes, words, etc. Let's consider a few examples.

A composer writes a song. He is arranging musical notes into new patterns, a new composition.

A painter paints a picture. He is arranging colors and shapes into new patterns, a new design.

A writer writes an essay. He is arranging words into new patterns, a new structure.

By "pattern" we mean composition, structure, arrangement, design. By definition a pattern has no matter or energy so it is technically "nothing" in a materialistic sense. It falls into the categories of information and ideas, things that exist only inside human minds. You have already created lots of patterns although they might not be "artsy" patterns.

If your mind works, then you have learned many patterns of behavior in your life, patterns like how to dress and feed yourself, how to find your way to school or work, what to do when you get there, how to respond to other people. These patterns of thought and behavior guide your life. If you had to actually describe them you would probably make a list of body movements and thoughts to go with each pattern along with what stimuli triggered what movement. It could get complicated. Behavior patterns can be very intricate designs.

In the arts, patterns are deliberately created for pleasure and enlightenment. And instead of being compositions of movements of your own body (except possibly in dance and theater), they are compositions of sensory and/or mental elements like sounds and colors and words and ideas. To create a work of art means to rearrange existing artistic elements into a new pattern.

That's worth repeating. Everything you need is in front of you. All you have to do is rearrange it. To create a work of art is to arrange artistic elements (like sound, color, shape, etc) into a new pattern.

So what should you do if you want to be creative?
1. Learn what the elements of art are. Find out more about words and shapes and colors and musical notes.
2. Learn what patterns have already been created. Study the history of art, music, writing, etc.
3. Begin experimenting with arranging your own patterns.

It's as simple as that. And don't think your early experiments will be without merit. People are still charmed by the little pieces of music Mozart composed when he was a child.

There is no way to know in advance whether your art will be interesting or enjoyable for others. First you have to please yourself. If you like what you create, then that is a pleasure in itself. And it's probably necessary that you like what you do if you expect anyone else to like it. It's definitely necessary to like what you do if you want to have the motivation to continue.

You will find it becomes easier to create as you become more experienced at it. In the beginning it might be an awkward struggle. It's like learning to play a sport. With practice you eventually become more relaxed and competent.

You don't have to be born with "creativity", you just need to have the desire to do it. It's a normal human activity. Enjoy!

* * *