The Best Way to Solve Creative Problem is to Get Started

I picked up the first draft of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Resurrection to start revising it. I said I was going to work on an idea for an iPhone app, which I did, and it’s almost ready for the App Store. However, the time came to return to my novel, and the temptation to do anything else was strong.

I picked the story back up anyway and I immediately warmed to it. It’s similar to how I felt when I went to the gym this morning - the last thing I wanted to do was lift. However, as soon as I got under the weights, I woke up and felt much better for it.

It feels like I’m still trying to convince myself of this truth: if you have something you don’t want to do, but need to, just get started and give it fifteen minutes. Promise yourself you’ll stop if it doesn’t get better. Sometimes, it doesn’t and you just need a break. You need to take some time to do something else. Other times, you get into the zone and you’re grateful that you stuck with it.

I knew there were problems with my story (duh, it’s the first draft) and I didn’t have good solutions. It was tempting me to procrastinate, but the trick is always to think with your fingers. Ideas came to me once my hands were on the keyboard and motivation showed up after I got started.