by Lisa Tolin

When Tara asked me to contribute to this year’s Storystorm, my initial response was panic. Who am I to give advice? What do I know?

There’s a reason I had that response. We’ll call her Brenda.

Brenda is the judgy editor in my brain who tells me my ideas are bad. She’s not very nice, and she’s there all the time.

You need a Brenda, or you wouldn’t get anything done. But you also need her to pipe down so your goofy side can come up with ideas.

The humor writer Scott Dikkers calls these two sides the editor and the clown. But there’s a real basis for this in the brain, where two main systems are at play. One of them—the default mode network—is responsible for mind-wandering and imagination. The other—the executive control network— supports focused attention and goals.

You need both, and you need them to talk to each other. But some of us have overactive executive networks that may help us achieve our goals, but also shut down our dreamier side.

Dikkers suggests writing stream-of-consciousness morning pages to quiet the editor. Julia Cameron, who popularized the idea of morning pages in THE ARTIST’S WAY, told me she calls her inner critic Nigel and when he’s getting mouthy, she thanks him for sharing and moves on.

Shutting Brenda (or Nigel) up is basically the whole point of Storystorm—allowing yourself to be creative and jotting down ideas without judgment. So go ahead and name your inner critic, tell him to take a vacation, and try these sort-of science-backed techniques to bring out your inner wild child.

  • Guided daydreaming.
    Walking or showering can get your mind wandering. Instead of doing it aimlessly, start with a simple idea or thought-starter, like “a character who is a fish out of water” or “what would happen if…?” Let your mind wander and jot down ideas. (You can even invest in a waterproof notepad for those shower ideas.)
  • Procrasti-clean.
    There’s no motivation for cleaning quite like having something else you should be doing. Fortunately, cleaning is a “mildly engaging” task (like walking) that psychologists say boosts creative thinking. The idea for my last book, CAN YOU IMAGINE? THE ART AND LIFE OF YOKO ONO came during Storystorm while I was clearing out the basement and found a clip of an old interview I had done with Yoko Ono. Maybe you’ll discover some treasures in that clutter.
  • Think different.
    Okay, that’s a grammatically questionable Apple slogan. But if you want to think of a new idea, it helps to get out of your usual patterns. The legendary producer Brian Eno created an “oblique strategies” deck to goose creativity that he used with artists including David Bowie and David Byrne. Some of the suggestions are specific to music, but try out a digital version and let your creative brain try something new.
  • Play.
    If you have kids who are young enough to still want to play with you, get on the floor! Or maybe playing for you looks like doing a puzzle, sketching, or trying an improv exercise. They say Einstein came up with his best ideas while playing violin.
  • Mix it up.
    Take a look at some books on your shelf, or a magazine. Pick a few words from different book spines or headlines that intrigue you and combine them into something new. What would that story be? (You can take that question on a walk or to the shower.)
  • Rest.
    There is something magical about that moment before sleep, or the calm mind that follows meditation. But you can also benefit from just a few minutes of unstructured time staring at the ceiling. Apparently doing nothing is trendy now.

I hope something here knocks an idea loose—but if not, at least you’ll have a clean basement. (Thanks, Brenda.)

Lisa Tolin is a children’s book writer and the editorial director of PEN America. Her debut picture book, HOW TO BE A ROCK STAR, with Daniel Duncan, was a Junior Library Guild gold standard selection. CAN YOU IMAGINE? THE ART AND LIFE OF YOKO ONO won the Society of Illustrators Silver Medal for illustrator Yas Imamura. Find Lisa on Instagram @ltolin or BlueSky @lisatolin.bsky.social or sign up for irregular updates on Substack.