Chapter 2 – Curiosity Fuels Creativity
Curiosity is the spark that ignites creativity. It drives exploration, learning, and discovery.
"I've found that the joy I get from writing comes mostly from two sources. First, when writing non-fiction, it comes from finding fun facts and meeting interesting people. Second, when writing fiction, it comes from dwelling in daydreams and working people and places I've observed into my work.
OK. That's probably more than just two things. But if I told you had 12 sources of joy, I might have to get into areas that would take us out of the PG rating we're shooting for here..." Robb Lightfoot
Why Curiosity Matters
Curiosity
- opens new pathways
- increases cognitive flexibility
- reduces fear of failure
- encourages experimentation
"I think it's important to try new things and to remember that when we experiment, we're going to fail and fall flat on our faces or on our derrière. But many of my favorite books, such as Roger Von Oech's, encourage us to dial down our concern over what others think of us. I hope this work does the same." Robb Lightfoot
Types of Curiosity
- Sensory curiosity — noticing details
- Cognitive curiosity — asking questions
- Social curiosity — observing people
- Creative curiosity — exploring possibilities
Barriers to Curiosity
- fear of being wrong
- perfectionism
- rigid routines
- over‑scheduling
- lack of play
"My biggest problem is perfectionism, and this show up in wanting to get things right the very first time I sit down to write. I believe it was Anne Lammot who said that you must give yourself the gift of writing 'shitty first drafts' that no one else will see. If you can do this, and it will include not correcting spelling and punctuation as you go, then your speed and output will grow, and you can just fix or toss anything cringeworthy." Robb Lightfoot
Rebuilding Curiosity
You can strengthen curiosity by:
- asking “What if?”
- exploring unfamiliar topics
- observing without judging
- following small sparks of interest
"The two I hear again in again when reading about creativity--and I spend too much time looking for ideas when I really have most of what I need--are asking 'What if?" and "What next?". The other items above turn up, too. And the other big suggestion is to just write it all down and don't stop to worry about whether it will please others or is marketable or anything of the sort. Just write. Make yourself laugh, and you're more than halfway home." Robb Lightfoot
***
Contributors, please feel free to add material that speaks to these points. These can be brief examples of how these ideas have informed or helped your writing as well as snippets of stories. You can include links to your online blog that illustrates these ideas. Any links that take readers to purchase your books will be included in the back-material of the published book.
Thanks for contributing and making suggestions!
#humorlab
"I've found that the joy I get from writing comes mostly from two sources. First, when writing non-fiction, it comes from finding fun facts and meeting interesting people. Second, when writing fiction, it comes from dwelling in daydreams and working people and places I've observed into my work.
OK. That's probably more than just two things. But if I told you had 12 sources of joy, I might have to get into areas that would take us out of the PG rating we're shooting for here..." Robb Lightfoot
Why Curiosity Matters
Curiosity
- opens new pathways
- increases cognitive flexibility
- reduces fear of failure
- encourages experimentation
"I think it's important to try new things and to remember that when we experiment, we're going to fail and fall flat on our faces or on our derrière. But many of my favorite books, such as Roger Von Oech's, encourage us to dial down our concern over what others think of us. I hope this work does the same." Robb Lightfoot
Types of Curiosity
- Sensory curiosity — noticing details
- Cognitive curiosity — asking questions
- Social curiosity — observing people
- Creative curiosity — exploring possibilities
Barriers to Curiosity
- fear of being wrong
- perfectionism
- rigid routines
- over‑scheduling
- lack of play
"My biggest problem is perfectionism, and this show up in wanting to get things right the very first time I sit down to write. I believe it was Anne Lammot who said that you must give yourself the gift of writing 'shitty first drafts' that no one else will see. If you can do this, and it will include not correcting spelling and punctuation as you go, then your speed and output will grow, and you can just fix or toss anything cringeworthy." Robb Lightfoot
Rebuilding Curiosity
You can strengthen curiosity by:
- asking “What if?”
- exploring unfamiliar topics
- observing without judging
- following small sparks of interest
"The two I hear again in again when reading about creativity--and I spend too much time looking for ideas when I really have most of what I need--are asking 'What if?" and "What next?". The other items above turn up, too. And the other big suggestion is to just write it all down and don't stop to worry about whether it will please others or is marketable or anything of the sort. Just write. Make yourself laugh, and you're more than halfway home." Robb Lightfoot
***
Contributors, please feel free to add material that speaks to these points. These can be brief examples of how these ideas have informed or helped your writing as well as snippets of stories. You can include links to your online blog that illustrates these ideas. Any links that take readers to purchase your books will be included in the back-material of the published book.
Thanks for contributing and making suggestions!
#humorlab
#humorlab #thehumorlab
Some fun snippets from our contributors:
