How To Easily Come Up With Ideas

Steven Pressfield

As a writer, it’s almost guaranteed to have days where you just run out of ideas.

Luckily, these types of days just turn into minutes if you apply the process that I’ll be sharing with you today.

These processes are the combination of things that I’ve researched and as well as methods that I have naturally discovered by myself to be effective.

Let’s begin by just sitting down.

As Steven Pressfield would say “When we sit down to work, we become like a magnetized rod that attracts iron filings. Ideas come. Insights accrete.”

I believe that the most brilliant ideas were created with the simple act of putting yourself on a chair.

How does this work? 

Momentum is key to everything.

The act of sitting down and writing starts your writing momentum that carries your subconscious mind to eventually produce ideas.

It may sometimes first produce bad ideas but eventually, you’ll come up with better ideas if you just stick with it and continue to move your fingers.

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One of my go-to processes, when I’m stuck, is to consume random forms of media.

Read whatever. Watch whatever. Listen whatever.

I suggest that you should be open-mindedly curious about a wide variety of topics. Topics that aren’t even necessarily connected to what you’re writing.

From Shakespeare’s poetry to Lil Uzi Vert’s lyrics.

From 1970s Marlboro ads to 4chan memes.

Various and random ideas can be weirdly connected.

You can binge watch a show about tadpoles and consider it pre-emptive research for your future imaginary project.

This is one perk that we have as a creative.

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My last tip for you today would be to just take a break.

Your mind can be too preoccupied with the past and the future.

Things you need to do and things you’ve done.

When I’m in this state, I just know that I will not be writing something helpful to who I was writing for.

My ideas tend to be cloudy and incomplete when I’m in this disposition.

So what do I do?

I just do something that doesn’t take much thought to clear my mind.

It’s either I shower, I run, I wash my car, or I cook.

Doing these tasks without really putting my mind to them gives me a sense of accomplishment which in return weirdly puts me in the present moment that helps me generate effective ideas.

Anyways, if you’re interested in learning more about my processes or if you’re interested in me helping you out on your projects, you can email me now at nickbalmadres23@gmail.com.