How to be more creative

There’s nothing better than a new book idea, or the burst of energy that comes from an insight that you just know will make your story stronger. But in spite of initially sensing the muse on their shoulder, writers often ditch their drafts before they finish—and the most common reason I hear (to paraphrase) is, “I wasn’t feeling it anymore.”

Inspiration is a crucial part of the creative process. But so is persistence—and for more reasons than you might think. According to a new study in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, many people quit creative projects before they’re done because they don’t understand how creativity works. In a nutshell, they assume creativity is a string of “aha” moments—and when those are missing, they take it as a sign that it's time to throw in the towel. (This phenomenon is called “insight bias.”)

But according to the paper’s authors, who’ve studied creativity extensively, doing the work actually creates creativity. In fact, in another study they conducted two years ago, they discovered that people’s creativity improved, rather than declined, the longer they participated in a brainstorming session. They conclude that effortless insight—like coming up with the perfect plot twist while you’re in the shower—is important. But without persistence, it won't take you far.

So if you want to finish your book, stop waiting to be inspired ... and start working.