Are you a creative person? Do you sometimes have trouble finding that deep, magical well of originality and life we all strive to pull from? Have your efforts turned dry, stilted, or repetitive?

I’ve been there. I think everyone who creates, and certainly everyone who creates something worthwhile, has been there. And that’s why you’ll find a plethora of tips and tricks for priming your creative pump, jump-starting your creative process, if you just go looking.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorites.

Pick up your pen and start.

Ok, I’ll be more detailed.

Get somewhere comfortable and distraction-free.

Pick up your pen.

Start.

You can pick a topic or you can just start writing the first thing that comes to mind. There are only two rules in this exercise: you must write for a given length of time, and once you start you can’t stop until your time is up.

Don’t worry about spelling or neatness. Don’t worry about staying on topic or making sense. In fact, don’t worry about anything.

For about two minutes you’ll feel stupid. Then you’ll feel like you have nothing to say.

Keep going.

At some point (usually around the five-minute mark for me) you’ll break through the resistance of your logical side and tap into the depths of your creativity.

It’s a bit like running; you have to get your second wind. And believe me, it’s worth it.

Your experience will be your own, of course. When I do this, I see the most vivid descriptions flowing off the tip of my pen. I make connections between my external and internal worlds that I’ve completely missed. I suddenly realize what my character’s name will be or how to get them into the next chapter.

Some tips:

Actually do write by hand. It allows your brain access to different pathways.

Be regular. The more you access those depths, the quicker they open up.

Suspend judgment. You won’t always write great things. It won’t look neat and you’ll misspell words and jump tracks and that’s ok. The process is its own end. You can’t do it wrong.

Try it out and share your experience in the comments! I’d also love to hear what all of you other creatives do to prime the pump!