Imagine this. You’re standing on the edge of an unexplored jungle in South America. Yep, South America (which Ellie in Up so succinctly described as: “It’s like America, but south!“). You’re all kitted out with safari hat, pocket laden vest, nifty quick-dry trousers and humongous backpack. Ready to set forth on an adventure – to find the lost treasure of kleptomaniac Mayan King Illtakethatifupleaz.

Clichéd, I know, but bear with me.

Your trusty guide for this occasion is: Macgyver. Or Indiana Jones if you prefer. Must be someone with incredible survival skills and the unmatched ability to outdo any baddies by the end of the episode/movie.

With me so far?

You turn to your trusty guide, and you have the following conversation.

YOU: So, Mr. Trusty Guide of my Choosing, sir. Where are we off to?

TRUSTYGUIDE: We’re off into the depths of this disease and baddie-ridden rain forest. Ready?

YOU: Um…Well, I’m not so sure really. Will it be safe?

TRUSTYGUIDE: Of course! I am <insert name of Trusty Guide of Your Choice> and I always find my way out of these situations, with my sidekick intact (unless you’re the kind of sidekick who turns out to be a spy in the third act). My methods may be unorthodox, but the result is always the same. Success!

YOU: Will we encounter quick sand?

TRUSTYGUIDE: Very possibly.

YOU: How will we get out?

TRUSTYGUIDE: There’ll probably be a vine nearby. Or I’ll use my gun. Or there’ll be a docile, nonvenemous snake you could throw me.

YOU: Well? Which one will it be?

TRUSTYGUIDE: Won’t know till we get there.

YOU: What about the baddies? They’ll attack when we get close to the treasure. It will look like we’re not going to make it. There’ll be booby traps and double crosses. What will we do?

TRUSTYGUIDE: I’ll figure it out. That’s what I do. It’s no fun if you know all the answers before you get there.

YOU: But we have to be prepared! How will you fix things if you don’t have a paperclip, duct tape and a matchbox on your pocket to begin with?

You contemplate this conversation as you study the passing rain forest floor, now bound, gagged and slung over your Trusty Guide’s shoulder.

“I would never say those things,” you think. “I’d be so excited to be with my favourite hero I’d be jumping at the chance to set forth. I trust that he will always get me out of trouble. That’s what he’s known for.”

Notice that word? Trust. We trust that Macgyver, or Indiana Jones or countless other action heros will eventually come out on top because that’s what must happen. Good triumphs over evil.

Does this always happen in the real world? Not always. In fact hardly ever at most levels of government, but let’s stay on topic here…

Just because things won’t go as expected, doesn’t mean you should sabotage your adventures before you leave by questioning how you’ll handle every little occurrence.

For instance, have you ever had this conversation (or a thought process like it) when contemplating a story idea?

YOU: I’ve got a brilliant idea for a story!

CREATIVITY: Do tell?

YOU: A super computer takes over the world and begins bumping people off because it feels the population has become unsustainable. You have action, you have moral dilemmas, and I’ll add an autistic boy to provide the answer with a little help from a dashing  hero who falls for the boy’s mother.

CREATIVITY: Cool! Let’s get started.

You and Creativity have several long discussions about how things are going to pan out and so on and so forth. Then you start writing. About three chapters in, you start having this discussion.

YOU: How am I going to solve this?

CREATIVITY: We’ve already worked that out. We’ll…

YOU: Yeah, I know what we’ll do at the very end, but what about the baddies? What about the bugs in the code? What about the end chase? What about…

CREATIVITY: You’re on chapter three. We haven’t got there yet. I’ll tell you when we get there.

YOU: I can’t write it if I don’t know where I’m going!

And you leave in a huff. Creativity bangs head against wall. The manuscript becomes silverfish fodder.

At this point I should say that I appreciate it is very important to know where you’re going when you begin a project. And it’s very important to map out in some level of detail how you’re going to get there. Some people need to have everything all scoped from beginning to end before they put pen to paper. Other people just write. Either way, you need to trust your Creativity.

All Creativities will have moments where they’re not sure what to do. Macgyver and Indiana Jones have their moments of surprise, confusion and indecision too. But give them all long enough in a situation, plus enough paper clips or rubber bands, and they’ll begin making connections. Perhaps your Creativity sees something that he/she can use. Perhaps he/she realises a change needs to be made earlier for all of this to fit together.

Whatever the case, don’t take away your Creativity’s chance to stand in the room and look at the problem.  Instead of hesitating at the edge of the rain forest, asking for answers to every problem, let your Creativity get stuck in the quick sand, navigate the booby traps and discover the double agent in ‘real time.’ Not necessarily while you’re writing, but perhaps while you’re planning. Give your Creativity opportunity to get in and get messy. To try different things. To live in the moment.

This doesn’t just apply to a creative writing setting, it applies to any problem you’re trying to solve. Creativity needs time, input and the opportunity to play around with the situation. Take away any of these things, and your adventure stops before it’s even started.

So give it a try. Step into the rain forest. The leeches are lovely and warm this time of year.

Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art