An original idea is certainly worthy of a celebration. As a writer, I carry a notebook around, jotting down the greatest ideas to ever be written. But, unfortunately, I often have the fantastic idea that then never gets its due in the creative process of elaboration.
It’s wonderful that I have the idea, and I take time to enjoy that. But I also need to want to know more, to delve into and play with the idea, drawing it out and expanding the story.
Elaboration is an important area to delve into as a creative soul. While an idea is amazing, the embellishments that can accompany it are even more so. In the simplest image, you may have an evergreen tree standing in your living room, but it’s not a Christmas tree until you add the lights, the tinsel and the ornaments you’ve collected through your lifetime.
Crafting your writing or your painting or your dancing may start with an idea, but taking that idea and building upon it are two parts of creativity that are terrifically intertwined.
One thing that I do to practice how to elaborate is to create a title of something: The Girl Who Kept 20 Pairs of Shoes in a White Dresser. I then find a character within that, which I draw out and create a story based on the title. Or I take a single item I imagine I would find in a character’s pocket and I build a story based on the object.
In the end, the exercises keep my mind tuned to the fact that jotting down a creative idea is only a part of the process in my creative potential and having a fully decorated Christmas tree.
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