What keeps you up at night (in a good way)? If you’re anything like me, you’ve got one or two grand ideas, big-picture creative projects you can’t stop thinking about.
And if you’re anything like me, you also sometimes feel like the project is too exciting to start.
The good news is, there are some easy things you can do to get started! Here are some of the things that help me start a big creative project.
Tell someone about your creative project
I’m someone who feels motivated by others, even if they’re not specifically waving cheerleader pom-poms at me. Telling a trusted person about my creative idea helps me to feel like it’s real. Plus, sometimes I get some valuable early feedback.
Uncover the main driving vision behind your project
What was the spark that lit up this project in your brain? What is the main idea you want to explore? Keep this creative vision in mind when you’re planning out your next steps.
Break your project down into manageable pieces
As a novelist, I find it necessary to write an outline, hitting at least the major plot points. Then, I have some clearly-defined things I can visualize, which helps other things fall into place.
Start with something – anything!
Sometimes, there is no ideal first place to start with a big creative project. If that’s the case with you, start anywhere! You might find that something gets unblocked within your creative mind. For example, when I’m planning a day of photography, I can get overwhelmed by thinking of all the shots I want to get. So I might start with writing out a list of what I need to bring. This frees up my brain to think of other things a bit easier.
What are some of the ways you get yourself in gear to start a big-picture creative project?
Still need some creative inspiration? Check out these 7 out-of-the-box ways to boost creativity!