Man, I have those days when I couldn't color a child's coloring book and stay inside the lines. When the creative juices are not only dried up but atrophied into a small lump somewhere. I find myself feeling worried - "will it always be this way?"

Anyone know any sites that deal with jump starting creativity - or have other resources (including advice) about this?

-- Catherine (catherine@cmjcom.com), October 17, 1999

Answers

Well, Lynda's site has a few places, both for out and out writing ideas and tarot reading as inspiration---but neither has ever worked for me. I just read something or watch something and switch my mind off for a little while---and something occurs, or something reminds me of something, or I decide to let the anti-Al loose, or something. I also set myself deadlines. Never failed me yet. Worse comes to worse, you can write about how uninspired you are---which will get you writing about times you ARE inspired. The drawings help me sometimes to focus a theme---and on a very few occasions, the drawing precedes knowing what I'm writing about. I imagine your photos can work the same way.--Al

-- Al Schroeder (al.schroeder@nashville.com), October 17, 1999.

I couldn't say that it is directly an aid to creativity, but I find the site "www.delacour.net/lajaponaise/incomparablethings/" quite intriguing. There is a certain randomness to the site and to the material displayed that really makes me think. You might give it a go if you haven't before. It is also curious to go back to again, as the data seems to be displayed in a different sequence. One downside is that it takes awhile loading (possibly because of the japanese symbols). Ciao.

-- Tom Vaughn (TLVOLDCOOT@aol.com), October 18, 1999.