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Hardwired to create! Feeling stuck? Try these tips to boost your creativity.

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Whenever she's writing a song, Allyson Chase anticipates the moment when "everything comes together and works." The 18-year-old from Fort Collins, Colo., says, "Having a challenge in front of you and seeing you can do something with it is really cool." The creative process--having an idea and bringing together familiar parts to express that idea (in this case, words and musical notes)--thrills Chase. But why is creativity important, and how does it work?

"That ability to make something new or solve a problem helps us survive," says Dennis Cass, author of Head Case (a book about understanding the brain) and a creative-writing teacher. Creative expression has also been found to boost moods; improve communication skills; and ease stress caused by mental and physical disabilities, illnesses, and trauma. "Whenever I'm in the middle of the creative process, I forget about my problems, and at the end I feel calmer," says Greg T., 17, of Baltimore, who composes classical music pieces.

The Creative Machine

How does your brain work when it's creating? The process involves different areas, says Dr. Kenneth Heilman, who teaches neurology and health psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville. First, the frontal lobes let you disengage, momentarily setting aside your favorite story, song, or...