Creative blocks

We were born creative. After all, we are a creation. We just forget that our creative juices need squeezing from time to time to keep them flowing.

'Human language is like cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, when all the time we are longing to move the stars to pity'. Gustave Flaubert

In short, you've got to feel it. If you do others will - and music is the most complete form of expression because of its physical dimensions, both in performance and appreciation.

So, every morning when your psycho toxins are at their lowest you are going to dive right in and turn your creative muscle on. You are not trying to write a song or novel or poem - you are just expressing yourself fully, drawing on as many senses as you can. How did it look, feel, smell? What sensations were you feeling? What memories did it evoke? What was the soundtrack? What is it similar to? Write that down.

You are diving. Writing with totally free abandon for 10 minutes. You don't have to finish anything. It doesn't have to make sense. Give yourself a different title each session and go for it. If you're a Norse god that's ok. Or do you do flower arranging for the Blairs? Or bemoan what the 21st century would be like without fleece. Its all ok - just let it flow - and STOP after 10 minutes. You're training your tap to be turned on anytime.

You also need a regular spell of this with your instrument. No practice - no licks. Dive in - make your heart moan or zing and capture the music when you've got it at its peak state. You don't need to write a song, you're training your creative muscle to flex at will. Any style.

NB: YOU MUST HAVE AN EASY TO SET-UP RECORDING DEVICE TO HAND - ALWAYS!