What Inspires the Most Creative People We Know

Photograph: Reenie Raschke

Peggy Orenstein
Editor, speaker, and author of Cinderella Ate My Daughter

I often daydream about... Swimming. It's like moving meditation. While I'm actually in the pool, all I'm thinking is, Stroke, stroke. It's an activity that grounds me in the present.

I feel most creative when... I'm knitting. I feel like I'm part of a continuum of women who for centuries used whatever they had to care for their families. The fusion of creativity and caring delights me.

I'm inspired by... My husband, who's the most broadly creative person I've ever met. He's a documentary filmmaker, but he also paints and is an excellent cook. If there's a jar of olives and a box of cereal in the house, he can make a delicious meal.

Keep Reading: Peggy Orenstein on How to Unleash Your Creativity

Photograph: Courtesy of James Griffioen

James Griffioen
Photographer, writer, and main contributor to the blog Sweet Juniper!

I often daydream about... Moving to the country with my wife and two children. We live in the city, so I like to imagine being somewhere with lots of space and woods for my daughter and son to explore.

I feel most creative when... I'm blogging. It combines two of my loves: writing and photography. I can share things I make with an audience and inspire them to explore their own creativity.

I'm inspired by... The ingenuity of the people of Detroit, my home. Poverty is widespread here, but people find inventive ways to rise above it—whether it's something simple like an urban farm or a large guerrilla art installation.

Keep Reading: How James Griffioen Applies His Creativity to Parenthood

Photograph: RJ Shaughnessy

Miranda July
Writer, artist, and director of The Future, in theaters later this year.

I often daydream about... Sex. All types of fantasies are the foundation for creativity—it's about turning your longing and desire into something more productive.

I feel most creative when... I write down my dreams. It's the best way to start a day of artistic work. Writing sends a message to my mind saying, Creativity is important today.

I'm inspired by... Small things. While living in Berlin, I found a gum-ball machine that dispensed really weird items like a skull-and-crossbones earring and a little rubber baby—never the same thing twice. I imagined a whole story about the person who was filling that machine.

Keep Reading: Express Yourself with Miranda July's Un-Quiz

Photograph: Courtesy of Aaron Rowe

Aaron Rowe
Chemistry researcher and contributor to Wired, Discover, and The Scientist

I often daydream about... Food. I see myself wandering around Europe looking for the tastiest dishes—pasta in Italy and pastries in Paris. I'm also very curious about Southeast Asian cuisines.

I feel most creative when... I stay up late. At night I don't have as many distractions—there's no long to-do list weighing on my mind. I can just sit back, relax, and envision all the possibilities.

I'm inspired by... Inventors. I hope to someday bring a useful product into the world—a gadget, safety equipment, medicine. I obsessively read the news looking for problems that need fixing and keep a notebook of ideas.

Keep Reading: Aaron Rowe explores the creativity of science