Alternate worlds for creative problem-solving
What Prince, a roofer, a scientist, or a chef might teach use about being creatively stuck
How do you handle creative stuckness?
The character is lacking agency, the narrative is flat, the ideas feel stale. Worse: you don’t even know what’s wrong. Things just feel off.
I had professional development funds to use or lose at work, so I asked to be signed up for a Design Thinking course at Harvard. I thought it’d be super easy and intuitive. I’m a creative person, after all, and design thinking is all about creative problem-solving. I teach this. I do this all the time.
Or do I?
I’ve spoken about DT before (always circling), but I want to introduce a new concept adapted from what I recently learned that might ring familiar to many writers: Imagining Alternate Worlds.
The curriculum suggested that in dilemmas, there are many ways to think about creatively designing a solution. This is just one, and its value is found in pretending to be someone else.
Let’s say you have a problem running a restaurant due the fast-paced nature of the work leading to inconsistent customer service. OK, then, let’s think about what other people who inhabit different roles and struggle with fast-paced work. Perhaps an employee at a hospital or a roofing team lead on a hot day. How might someone doing one of these jobs problem-solve in your restaurant scenario?
As writers, we’re always considering alternate worlds. Even in nonfiction, we can explore the interior and exterior as one, exploring perspectives from many angles.
But when we get stuck and are unsure what to do next—in our careers or in the story (or blog) we’re trying to write, we can implement this same kind of thinking as a solution.
What would others who are inventing things do if they were stuck? A scientist whose theory proved wrong. A hiker needing to traverse a wide creek. A chef who is missing an ingredient.
Then ask how they might move forward if they had to keep going.
How might a scientist respond to an explosion in the lab? How might a hiker use what’s around her to create a bridge? How could a chef experiment with ingredients? How might a first-grade teacher support a student who is struggling?
more questions …
How might your own character write this part of your book? How might a hostage negotiator deal with a publisher that disagrees with edits? How might a psychologist explore agency with your character?
Another way to look at this is adopting an alter ego.
When I think of alter egos, I think of Prince. He famously had many, including a symbol that I’m not sure the world will ever decipher.
One of his AEs was Camille, who he channeled when he wanted to sing in a high-pitched and transcendent way. He had others for song writing in different genres, and yet others for business.
Prince occupied many worlds for and with his art.
However you access the alternate, I think it begins with listening and trusting that we can use creativity to tackle creativity problems. Seems on-brand, right? Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
𓂃 ོ☼𓂃
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What great ideas here! Stuckness doesn't have to rule the day (or month, or year).
I especially like the possibilities of the alter ego. Wonderful enlightenment in this piece, Jen. Thank you.