This April I will be participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Every day (except the 2nd -5th Sundays) bloggers post to their blogs something that pertains to a specific theme (usually) as well as the letter of the alphabet assigned to that day. Today is the day when participants reveal their chosen theme, or if they are going to go themeless. As a writer, I depend on creativity, but often feel like I’m low on creative juices. Here’s one recent example of this:
“My creativity has forsaken me!” I called out as I collapsed on the bed. My husband looked over at my dramatic display and chuckled before returning to whatever he was doing at his desk. “There’s only one large micro-cooker and not a single lid to be found. How an I supposed to cook potatoes?” Apparently, I had become too dependent on my Pampered Chef cookware. I share this humiliating story with you to illustrate that ways to increase creativity can benefit everyone.
Importance of Creativity
Creativity is often thought of in terms of writing, music, media and other areas of the arts. Creativity is definitely important for Creation. They even have the same root—“create,” from late Middle English meaning, “form out of nothing.”
Creativity is more than that, though. With creative thinking, you not only come up with ideas, but you can evaluate the validity of implementing those ideas in a variety of situations. It’s important for problem-solving, Seeing things from a different perspective, and yes—coming up with a new way to make potatoes for dinner.
Who Benefits from Thinking More Creatively?
Everyone! Have you ever watched one of those high powered thrillers where the hero has to come up with some ingenious way of getting out of a bind (Think Jack Bauer in 24)? If he wasn’t a creative thinker he wouldn’t come up with any of those ideas. Neither would the writers who created the character.
I most value creativity when I face a problem as a mom. Kids will try you and test you with very little effort. You need to be quick on your feet, able to come up with answers as well as some creative discipline.
Can I really increase my creativity?
YES! Throughout the month of April, I’m going to share with you 26 ways to do it. I will be participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. This year I will be participating in the challenge on BOTH of my blogs. You can learn how to increase creativity here at Heather Erickson Author/Writer/Speaker. Then, hop over to Facing Cancer with Grace to read about Caregiving, A to Z. It will be a busy month. I hope you will join me at both sites.
A to Z Times 2!
I’m doing double duty this year during the A to Z Blogging Challenge. I will be doing the challenge here at Heather Erickson Author/Writer/Speaker, where I will share ways to increase your creativity. I’ll also be doing the challenge at Facing Cancer with Grace, where I will share posts that focus on caregiving. I hope you’ll visit me at both sites. While you’re here, sign up for my email list.
To give you a preview of some of the posts I have (and will have) written, I am posting the schedule. These links will go live when the post is up at 7 AM CST on the following dates:
April Title/Topic
1 A – Art History Inspires Creativity
2 B – Bullet Journal
3 C – Cartography – Map Your World
4 D – Dictation –Record Your Words
5 E – Exercise Increases Creativity
6 F – Friends & Creativity
7 G – Give your Character a Flaw or Two
8 No Post
9 H – History Can Inspire You
10 I – Investigate your Character
11 J – Jar of Ideas (link to Morning Pages)
12 K– Kids’ Perspectives
13 L– Learn Something New
14 M – Morning Pages
15 No Post
16 N – Nap Like Salvador Dali
17 O – Write an Ode
18 P – Change Your Perspective
19 Q – Quiet Your Mind
20 R – Read Books, Be More Creative
21 S – 5 Senses Minus 1
22 No Post
23 T – Travel & Creativity
24 U – Up the Stakes
25 V – Experiment with Variety
26 W – World Building
27 X – Xylophone– Music & Creativity
28 Y – Your Addictions Have to Go
29 No Post
30 Z – Black and White: Approaching Zebras with Caution
What are YOUR thoughts?
I’d love to hear in the comment section, below. I appreciate my readers as well as the writing community. To show that appreciation, I use Comment Luv. Just leave a comment below and your latest post will get a link next to it. Thank you!
About Heather Erickson
I am an author, writer, and speaker and homeschooling mom of 3. Since doctors diagnosed my husband, Dan with stage IV lung cancer in 2012, I’ve focused my writing and speaking on helping cancer patients and their families advocate for themselves and live life to the fullest, in spite of their illness. My goal is to help people face cancer with grace.
My books The Memory Maker’s Journal and Facing Cancer as a Friend: How to Support Someone Who Has Cancer, are available at Amazon.com.
I also blog about living with cancer at, Facing Cancer with Grace.
14 comments on “A – Z Blogging Challenge : Creativity”
Tasha Duncan-Drake
March 19, 2018 at 10:28 amI love creativity and I’m always up for ways to increase it. I hate days when it’s like staring at a blank wall :).
When you mentioned thrillers, my brain immediately went to Mission Impossible – I love that show. Only problem is you end up believing 5 people can save the world from anything ;).
See you in April 🙂
Tasha
Tasha’s Theme Reveal
heatherericksonauthor
March 19, 2018 at 4:04 pmHi Tasha,
Lol, if only it was that easy 🙂 Happy A to Z!
Patricia Lynne
March 19, 2018 at 5:17 pmThis is a great theme. I look forward to reading more.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Dining with IC
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
heatherericksonauthor
March 20, 2018 at 9:31 amThanks, Patricia. I love your author site! I look forward to reading more this April.
Emily Bloomquist
March 20, 2018 at 10:03 pmHey a topic that I have been actively working on just landed on my doorstep! Thanks, Heather, for offering to help with my creativity. I look forward to learning and following both of your blogs.
heatherericksonauthor
March 20, 2018 at 10:51 pmThank you, Emily. I’m so glad this is a timely topic. I am always looking for ways to be more creative and it has been so fun exploring them! I hope they help:)
JazzFeathers
March 22, 2018 at 12:40 pmFantastic theme! I’ll follow along in April.
Have a fantastic challenge!
@JazzFeathers
Theme Reveal – Weimar Germany
https://theoldshelter.com/atoz-challenge-theme-reveal-blogfest-day-2018-the-weimar-republic/
heatherericksonauthor
March 22, 2018 at 7:26 pmThank you, Jazz. I checked out your theme reveal and it looks awesome. I look forward to reading more in April!
Karen Hume
March 28, 2018 at 6:51 amHi Heather,
Everything about your theme is appealing to me. I look forward to reading and commenting on your posts.
I blog at https://profoundjourney.com. I’m doing the challenge for the first time. My theme is Snack-Sized Wow Notes for Women, Midlife and Beyond.
Like you, I respond to every comment. I appreciate that you do that. I think it makes a big difference to increasing engagement and building a sense of community.
Have a great challenge.
Karen
heatherericksonauthor
March 28, 2018 at 7:00 pmHi Karen, Thank you. I am excited to follow your blog this April. It looks fantastic. And I could definitely use some snack sized Wow notes to energize my life. I just spent a little time on your site and I am really looking forward to reading more. Have a great weekend!
Random Musings
March 30, 2018 at 6:22 pmAn increase in creativity is always a plus for authors. Great theme 🙂
Debbie
heatherericksonauthor
March 31, 2018 at 11:08 amThanks, Debbie! I’m looking forward to reading your blog this month for A to Z. I love character prompts.
heatherericksonauthor
April 2, 2018 at 2:21 amThank you, Debbie. So often I need a creative boost. It’s caused me to have an interest in the topic. Have a great day!
[…] quite incredible. She did the A-Z challenge for not one, but two, themes. There was the theme about 26 ways to increase your creativity, which I followed. Check out Experiment with Variety and Approach Zebras with […]