As both a creative writing major with a thesis to finish in mere weeks and a writer for the illustrious Dartmouth Mirror, I have some experience trying to come up with creative ideas. Emphasis on the "trying." Despite having to write on a regular basis, my attempts usually end in dramatic failure before I finally get it right. In my years of trying to be creative I've figured out which conditions are more conducive to those rare, mystical successes and which, well, are not.
PLACESThe Library: Bad.While fine for more analytical work, the library is a creativity drainer. When you're counting minutes until your next Novack break, it's nearly impossible to think creatively while staring at Berry's monotone walls. Even the beautiful Sanborn and Baker Tower Room tend to put one to sleep before a laptop can be opened or a pen uncapped.
Your (Greek) House: Worse. If you participated in sorority rush anytime recently, I probably explained to you that sisters in my house spend late nights supporting each other's studies at our big table. We do have a great table and we do spend hours there late into the night, but this usually involves gossiping and trying to beat each other's Robot Unicorn Attack scores. Writing? Not so much.
The Great Out-o-doors: Better. I've recently discovered why I made little to no headway on my thesis this Winter: It was too miserable out. My creative brain has serious Seasonal Affective Disorder, I learned this weekend as I started writing outside for the first time in months. Suddenly I was filling pages with brilliant drabble while getting a tan at the same time. Not a bad deal.
SUBSTANCESGreasy food: BadI pretend to eat healthily during the daylight hours. Once the sun sets (and Collis Late Night opens) all bets are off. In the wee hours when I've made no writing progress, I tend to reward myself with my absolute favorite artery-clogger: Fried Mac & Cheese balls. Seriously, I don't know why I didn't choose to write my thesis on Fried Mac & Cheese balls because I could write odes all day long to the goodness of those suckers. But I digress, because as the oils and fat settle in my expanding stomach I grow tired and further away from finishing that chapter. Caffeine: WorseThe next logical step then, would be what most Dartmouth students turn to when the sun is about to rise and the work is not done: Caffeine, lots and lots of it. But I have a tiny heart that picks up tempo rapidly after a few Red Bulls and my creativity moves toward imagining I'm having a heart attack and calling 911 in hypochondriac panic. Ensuing embarrassment makes writing impossible.
Alcohol: BetterMy first creative writing professor advocated the "Rule of Three" for writing. That is, you do your best writing after three drinks. I had to modify this slightly as I'm a lightweight and after three drinks the only thing on my mind is MORE DRINKS MORE PONG NO HOMEWORK. What does work, though, is a bottle of Stinson's finest white wine sipped slowly over the course of a writing evening. Never let yourself get too drunk, but try to maintain a constant buzz. Drinking doesn't necessarily bring new brilliant ideas in to my head, but it silences the critical voice in my head that keeps says "That's no good' before a good idea even hits the page. I recommend editing in the morning.There's no formula for having great ideas and the key is finding what combination where you are, what you're sipping on and even what you're wearing works for you. Your results may vary but when you see me tanning on the Green swigging a Nalgene and spouting words of genius, you can assume that's not water in there.
