How to Be Creative

The fairly broad phrase “how to be creative” seems a bit overly generic and link-bait-esque, but it’s actually the latest in the always excellent PBS digital video series “Off Book.”

The piece explores more than just the left/right brain dichotomy, and delves into what happens when one is willing to sit for a while in the unknown, knowing that something will emerge from having tried new things. They say, 

Creativity has always been essential for our cultural growth, but there are still many misconceptions about this elusive process. Not the left-brain/right-brain binary that we’ve come to believe, being creative is considerably more complex, and requires a nuanced understanding of ourself and others. Being a powerful creative person involves letting go of preconceived notions of what an artist is, and discovering and inventing new processes that yield great ideas. Most importantly, creators must push forward, whether the light bulb illuminates or not.

I’m particularly curious about moving beyond just the “artistic” or “problem-solving” aspects traditionally associated with right and left brain creativity, respectively, and living into Keat’s notion of “negative capability” and developing the tools and parameters to be most productive. 

The only way to make something new is just to make something at all.

Click play to watch the video:

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