I created the first draft of this at Atlantic Center for the Arts, many moons ago. They have a terrific, diverse program, well worth keeping an eye on. I had an Associate Artist in Residency with Jessica Abel as the Master Artist in Residence and it was quite the experience.

Coming home to losing my job on the Monday I could manage, having Trump get elected that week was a bit too much and the creativity hasn’t flowed much since. But hope springs eternal, and sometimes creating anything is more than nothing.

Transcript
Strategies to Stay Creatively Focused
Sip through a straw or eat crunchy food.
Take a break by going outside or talking through an idea with a friend.
Small regular breaks are often the best kind.

Boot: I set a timer.

Writing clear tasks the night before to clear your head and provide direction.

Mayara writes:

• Practice 4 ball juggling
• Sketch 5 different costume ideas
• Watch choreography video

Try music that is non-verbal, in a language you don’t speak, or music so familiar you don’t hear the words anymore.

Play Shatner of the Mount for hour and hours.
Music plays “to hug the mountain... envelop that mountain... why is he climbing the mountain? Because he is in love... with the mountain.”

Endonote
To raise money for the Clarion Write-a-thon one year I wrote a short story in 3-4 hours (I can’t remember which!) while listening to Shatner of the Mount.
https://youtu.be/HU2ftCitvyQ