In this post, I decided to do something different: an interview. I’ve never done it before here. And I have to say that it was a lot of fun!
I have known Prof. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle for quite a while, but mostly through reading her papers and newsletter. We met in person around two years ago at a conference, and we have been in touch from time to time to discuss projects, ideas, and creativity (of course) ever since.
If you don’t know her, let me introduce her to you. Prof. Zorana Ivcevic Pringle is a senior research scientist at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence studying creativity in all its forms, from that of artists and scientists to professionals at work to creativity in everyday interactions and relationships.
She recently wrote the book The Creativity Choice, so I seized the opportunity to ask how the process behind writing the book was. This opportunity is precious, especially when we are talking about creativity, because we normally only see the final result: the book, edited and published. But, how to get there (as she will explain) is the complicated part. And as one of my favorite quotes in the book goes, “creativity is fundamentally social even when the act of creation in itself is not.”
To start, I’d love to hear something more personal: What drew you to your field? Was there a particular moment or experience that led you to become a researcher, focus on emotions, and pursue an academic career? How do these different aspects (being a researcher, a writer, and so on) come together in your work today?
I first became interested in the study of creativity when I was an undergraduate student and considering a topic for a thesis. My approach was to read broadly to see where inspiration would come from. And I came across a line by Frank Barron, creativity scholar from the 1960s, which was the first golden age of research on this topic, spurred by the space race between the US and USSR. He said that creative individuals are, “occasionally crazier and yet adamantly saner than the average person”.
I found that so intriguing that I knew I wanted to study creativity and never looked back. For a long time, I was interested in conducting basic research about the nature of creative individuals and the creative process. With time, I noticed that much of very good scientific research is not translated accurately or effectively to the general audiences so that those who want to promote and teach creativity can do it with the best tools available. And that got me started on writing and speaking to everyone who is interested in creativity, but does not happen to be a scientist.
Now, and perhaps the most important question, why did you decide to write this book in the first place?
I came to realize that most things in life happen serendipitously. A few years ago, a colleague whose opinion I respected, mentioned that I should write a book. She recognized something that I did not yet – that I am able to communicate in ways that are accessible, but rooted in science. I started writing for Psychology Today and recognized that she was right. My writing struck a cord. In the book, I talk a lot about how we can harness the power of emotions to boost creativity. And I recognized that the excitement of putting out a regular a column is telling me that writing a book is something that I should pursue.
What was the writing process like for you? Were there any moments that surprised or challenged you along the way?
The writing process was hard. Because creativity that takes a long time, such as writing a book, is hard. It was made more difficult by the fact that I had a demanding full time job and a family and somehow had to make it all work in the same time. And the only way to do that was to reflect on how to take my own advice and use the tools I discuss in the book. I had to create a distance between my day job and writing and I did it by physically changing where I work; so much of the book was written at a local bookstore.I also reminded myself of the relationships between feeling and thinking and arranged my writing to take advantage of daily fluctuations in emotions. I am not a morning person and tend to be gloomy in the mornings; these moods facilitate critical thinking and are great for editing. So that is what I would do in the morning. My mood is sunnier in the late afternoons and that is when I would do new writing. And finally, I remembered that the strategies to get out of a creative block. Even when it felt I had no time to take a break, that is at times necessary to take the edge off from the feeling of being overwhelmed by frustration of being stuck.
Is there a chapter that feels especially personal or meaningful to you? What makes it stand out?
Two chapters are probably most meaningful to me because they deal with the aspects of creativity that are rarely discussed in other writing. One is the chapter on harnessing the power of emotions and the other the chapter on the creative block. Creative work is full of emotions, from anxiety in front of an empty screen to excitement of new ideas, to frustrations when facing obstacles. It seems intuitive to people to think that emotions are something that is in the way of clear and effective thinking, but the fact that emotions can be an asset and boost creative work is something rather surprising to many people. It might seem that creative blocks would be something commonly talked about, but rather puzzlingly, it is not. What I found most meaningful in writing about this topic is that these experiences are so difficult that we need to apply all the tools, especially those dealing with emotions, that are discussed in the rest of the book.
Which chapter was the most challenging to write, and what made it difficult?
It was most challenging to write about the creative block. And this is for a surprising reason. Although people engaged in creative work experience this state of being stuck to the point that it could be considered a common part of the creative process, it is rarely studied directly. I had to pull from different kinds of research and put it together in a coherent whole. It made it the most challenging, but also one of the most meaningful chapters.
Finally, I’m curious to know: did the process of writing this book change or deepen your own understanding of creativity? If so, how?
The process of writing this book made me see the different strands in creativity research in a more unified way. In the world of science, some people study the traits of creative individuals, others the emotional side of the creative process, and other still the social influences on creativity. Writing this book pushed me to consider not just each of these topics individually, but also how they fit together. And I came to an understanding that our beliefs and attitudes (especially about risk and how we think of our own creativity) are primary influences on whether we will even decide to act on creative ideas we have.
The tools for how to effectively direct our creative drive, how to use and manage emotions, how to identify, frame, and reframe problems are all strategies that enable persistence on long-term creative work. And finally, the social side of creativity – interactions with others who influence our work in ways implicit or explicit – constitute opportunities that make creativity repeatable. So that one success does not become a one hit wonder.
If you are curious to read The Creative Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action, you can order it on Amazon here. Zorana can be found on her website, Substack newsletter, LinkedIn, BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.