Inside Creative Writing

Boredom and Creativity: A Writing Superpower

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BOREDOM AND CREATIVITY:A Writing Superpower

— a podcast episode —

Why is boredom important for writers?Boredom gives the brain space to reflect, wander, and make creative connections. Without constant distractions, writers can tap into deeper ideas and story insights that often remain buried beneath the noise of modern life.

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    Table Of Contents
    1. Formatted and Edited Transcript
    2. What Does This Have to Do with Writing
    3. Story from a Bored Childhood
    4. The Nerdiest Election Ever
    5. It All Grew from Nothing
    6. The Gift We Didn't Recognize
    7. Why This Is a Problem Now
    8. Stillness Leads to Stories
    9. The Same Is True for Writers
    10. Boredom Made Us Human
    11. The Shower Epiphany
    12. Making Space for Creative Thought
    13. Wise Words from Other Creatives
    14. This Week’s Challenge
    15. The Opposite of Hustle
    16. Final Thoughts
    17. Talk to Us!
    18. Share This Resource

      19. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing has nothing to do with your keyboard. In this thought-provoking episode, Brad explores how boredom can actually be your secret weapon when writing a novel. By leaning into stillness, cutting distractions, and giving your mind space to wander, you unlock deeper insights, clearer ideas, and stronger connections to your story.

      In a world constantly filled with noise, this episode makes the case for building boredom into your writing life, not avoiding it. Through personal stories, classroom experiences, and scientific insights, you’ll learn how to reframe boredom not as a productivity killer, but as a vital part of the creative process.

      Key takeaways include:

      • Why boredom is crucial for creative breakthroughs
      • How constant content consumption drowns out your unique voice
      • Simple ways to build quiet, intentional boredom into your daily life
      • What the “default mode network” is and why it matters to storytellers
      • How your childhood creativity was fueled by boredom, and still can be

        • Whether you’re stuck in your novel’s early stages or trying to rediscover your writing spark, this episode will help you reconnect with your own imagination.

        If you want even more clarity on where your novel is headed, be sure to grab the free Story Rescue Checklist or explore the How to Write a Novel page for more essential tools.

        Formatted and Edited Transcript

        Did you know that you have a writing superpower that you’re probably not using? On today’s podcast, we’re talking about the awesome power of boredom. Let’s get started.

        OK. Before we jump in, I want to warn you that I may sound like an old man at times during this podcast. There are going to be some good old fashioned “back in my day” stories, so be prepared for that.

        With that in mind, I want to start with an experience I had going back to college to become a teacher. This was probably about 2014. I took a class on the psychology of adolescence. One of the textbooks we used was old, like pre-Internet old. One of the chapters was all about how important boredom was for the formation of the adolescent mind and how essential it was for the exploration and disc

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        Inside Creative WritingBy Inside Creative Writing