Don't get hung up on originality. Austin Kleon, a writer and artist from Texas, received some attention from the artistic community on the Internet with a March 2011 blog called, "How to steal like an artist (and 9 other things nobody told me)." He tells his readers is not get hung up on originality; everyone is inspired by something. Certainly, no one is telling you to go out and plagiarize, but don't shy away from an idea just because someone else already did it. Find your own take on an idea and go with it.
Talk about what you're working on with other artists in your field. Communication with other artists and authors helps to foster creativity in yourself. Joining online writing communities, going to art clubs and attending entrepreneurial associations are all good ways to meet with other people, share your ideas and get feedback on them from other perspectives, and get charged up to go back at it.
Exercising is key to creativity: it helps stimulate the brain and makes it stronger, healthier. In addition to the positive health effects, uncomplicated routines like jogging or walking leave you free to mull over ideas and brainstorm. Bring a small notepad or hand-held tape recorder so that you can keep track of any ideas you have.
Expose yourself to ideas. Austin Kelon says that artists gather inspirational ideas to sift through. The more writing, reading, listening, watching that you do of other people's work or ideas, the more potential ideas you feed into your brain. Take notebooks or sketchpads with you when you go out to dinner. Make scrapbooks of images, articles, and other things that inspire you.
Take a creativity break and shut out the rest of the world. Taking a retreat, either solo or in a group, is an important part of getting the creative juices flowing, but whether you shut yourself up in the basement for a few hours, go sit in a hotel room for a week, or take a trip with friends to an isolated location where you can all work together, the important thing is to make sure you are not distracted while you work.