Resource Library
(i) Start Here!
(ii) Creativity
(iii) Creative Thinking and Innovation
(v) Procrastination vs. Marination
(iv) Neuroscience and Psychology
The ‘Third Layer’ process itself
The Creative Foundation and Creativity Pyramid
Inner Critics and the Inner Muse: Intro to the Creativity Ladder
Layer three: I go into an Inner Critic death spiral at a level -5 and my Inner Muse comes in when I go from about a +3 to a +4.
Writing happens in three layers
Before you write, you need to think. And after you write is when you edit. Keep each layer distinctly separate — like a chocolate layer cake, perhaps — and writing will go faster and smoother.
Run the tap before you drink the beer
We need to generate creativity in order to write. Creativity creates something out of nothing. And nothing is a terrible place to start feeling generative.
Capital-W Writing, writing, and pre-writing
Capital-W writing is scary. Pre-write before you Write, using techniques from improv.
Noping, defined
‘Noping’ denies, negates, belittles, refuses, gaslights, shuts down, lacks empathy … often all of the above.
How is improv like writing, and vice versa?
If you want to kill my creativity, sit me in a chair and ask me to write something that will be heavily critiqued.
Writing: Self-awareness vs rumination
Writing can improve your mental health, but the writing should elicit self-awareness (not rumination).
Procrastination vs marination
“Writing is hard; you just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” When are you procrastinating, when are you marinating, and how can you know the difference?
Want to be creative? Lay down.
When I want to write, think or be creative, I know I have to do one thing: lay down. And it’s proven: laying down on your side boosts internal awareness and perception.
Start where you are. Start where they are.
Creativity is hard. So start where you are, not where the world expects you to be.