Here at Miners, I write about the creative path, and a huge part of this is having fuel for the journey. We all know that creativity is a marathon, not a sprint, but when we're languishing in a post-Christmas haze, having been ushered into the new year with haste, we might find ourselves blinking at the year ahead and wondering how we got here so fast. At times like this, we might need a helping hand to kickstart our creativity for the coming year.

Well, look no further. Here are ten hacks to give your creativity a boost this January.

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1. Do one tiny creative thing every day

Sometimes we just need to keep the creative flame alive, and depending on what else is going on in our lives at the time, a tiny task might be more manageable than a big one. During Covid, I wrote one poem a day focusing on gratitude. Maybe you could write a poem, or do a sketch. If you're struggling to carve out time, this could be just five minutes on your lunch break or written on notes in your iPhone when you've parked up on the way home from work. It is a tiny action but keeps you connected to your creative side.

2. Set a timer

If you're finding a big creative task daunting, set a timer for an hour, and don't let yourself do anything else until you've finished! Better still, set it on your phone so you aren't tempted to look at your phone.

3. Be kind to yourself

Pursuing the creative path can be unforgiving and lonely so be kind to yourself. Reading a book, going for a walk, or walking around a museum are all creative acts. Make sure you make time for creative treats for yourself.

4. Keep an ideas journal or folder

Sometimes you might read an article that piques your interest, see something beautiful that stops you in your tracks, or hear a line of poetry in your head. Those moments of unconscious creativity where something in you connects with something in the world are precious. Capture them – you never know when you might come back to them. The kernel for Murmuration, my YA novel, was a YouTube video of a group of kids in a boat on a lake, silenced by a murmuration of starlings. I didn't know at the time that it would have such a massive impact on my creativity but I'm glad it did!

Photo by Noémi Macavei-Katócz on Unsplash5. Become a professional eavesdropper

Frequent cafes (in the name of your art of course!) Pretend you are working and just listen. You'll get some amazing pearls that might spark an idea.

6. Be curious

Imagine your life is a playground. Live in a state of curiosity. There are two wonderful books that I can highly recommend, which give loads of ideas for this. The Lonely Planet Guide to Experimental Travel and How to be an Explorer of the World by Keri Smith. They give some wonderful ideas for throwing a little creativity into the way we interact with the world. Here are some ideas:

- Exercise 1: Go on a walk and take a notebook with you. Be attentive. You are a magpie, searching for jewels. Look out for a distinctive face that catches your eye. Next, find a café or a park bench. Write about the person who caught your eye. Where are they going? What is their name? What does their lounge look like? What is their deepest secret? Write as much as you can in five minutes without stopping to edit.

- Exercise 2: Pick a colour, any colour you like. Now as you move through your day, notice every time you see it. Document it. Take a sample home if you can.

- Exercise 3: Go for a walk in your town. Take the first right turn and the next left turn, keep doing this until you end up somewhere new.

7. Use music

Music is incredible as it evokes such a strong sense of time past. If you are writing a novel set in the 80s, get a playlist on the go to get you into that place and time.

8. Do something you are rubbish at

Sometimes, we can take ourselves so seriously as artists that we only want to do things we are ‘good’ at. We have lost the simple joy of slowing down and doing things for their own sake. Why not cook a new meal, or learn a new craft? Doing these mindful tasks can bring a sense of calm and actually free up the mind to wander… and the wandering mind often stumbles across some great ideas.

9. Walk it out

If you're feeling stuck, walk it out. Take that scene or that painting with you (in your mind!) and try to see it from a new angle, get a bit of distance. When you walk back in and revisit it later on that day or week, you may have figured out the solution.

10. Everything has an end

This doesn't even feel like a lesson but is more of a mindset thing. Sometimes the creative goal we have in mind can feel insurmountable, but when you faithfully chip away, you realise that it will get done, eventually. When I was writing my first novel, it just felt like this huge impossible thing that I would never finish, but then one day that mindset broke and I just realised that the quicker I wrote, the quicker I would get to the end - and I would get to the end! It is all just a matter of showing up. So pace yourself. Set yourself a goal (One hour per day or whatever you decide on) and then just keep doing it.

I hope these ideas give you a few ideas for fun ways to keep in touch with your creative side throughout January.

And I'd love to know, what is your favourite way to kickstart your creativity?

Thanks so much for reading Miners.

Elisabeth

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Miners is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.