It wasn’t until 1940 that James Webb Young published A Technique for Producing Ideas, which was a short guide on how to develop ideas. An important message about coming up with creative ideas is contained in this guide.
A creative way of combining old elements is an innovative idea, according to Young. Creativity does not mean creating something original from scratch, but rather combining what’s already there in a different way from what’s already there. As crazy as that sounds.
Creative combinations can only be generated when you know how concepts relate to one another. Creativity occurs when two old ideas are linked in a new way.
A creative connection follows a five-step process, according to Young.
- Collect relevant information. Initially, you learn. This stage allows you to become fascinated with a wide range of concepts while you study specific material related to your task.
- Think about the content thoroughly. By looking at different angles and figuring out how to fit different ideas together, you examine what you have learned.
- Don’t get caught up in the problem. Afterwards, you move on to something else that excites and energizes you rather than thinking about your problem.
- Give yourself time to think about your idea. A flash of insight and renewed energy will come back to your idea after you have stopped thinking about it.
- Your idea will be shaped and developed based on feedback. A successful idea should be released out into the world, subjected to criticism, and adjusted to suit the world as it goes along in order to succeed.
I sometimes have writers block. It happens to the most talented of us creatives. Hopefully this outline has provided some sort of relief.
Jonathon M. Poe 