Something both strange and truly natural happened this morning when, while feeling entirely lost and stuck in my hobby, I decided to change my notebook. Once I took out a fresh notebook and allowed the thoughts in my mind to flow out through my hand onto the page, I experienced a strong sense of becoming unblocked.

For some years now, ever since reading the recommendation in Barbara Sher’s “Refuse To Choose“, I have kept a “daybook” – a notebook for capturing, ideally once per day, whatever ideas or projects that cross my mind and engage my enthusiasm. Although I had a notebook to use, it had become full about a month ago and so I had stopped using it.

As I reflected the other day, I have been experiencing a profound sense of disconnection with my creative self. Once I changed the notebook this morning, just that one simple act, and allowed myself space to record my creative ideas – in particular about my Fellmyr DFRPG campaign – the whole sense within me changed with it.

Use notebooks to capture your ideas. I would go further and recommend using a pencil too, largely because I feel it’s less permanent but also associated with drawing – a sense that allows me to sketch and annotate rather than write in straight lines. My notes are chaotic and provisional… and that’s the point.

I’d also second Sher’s recommendation to allow yourself time daily to make notes about whatever stuff is oozing out of your mind. You don’t have to act on it. You don’t have to even take it seriously, now or later.

Getting the ideas out of your mind (where they are intangible) and onto the page (where they have provisional form) is a great release for creativity.

Game on!