okay, pay attention, it's a bit convoluted. here's a theory to improve the quality of your creative work and your understanding of creativity. emphasis on theory.

we start with "A". "A" is what's already there.

then we create "B".

the main shift in mindset is this: we focus on "A" while creating "B" in order to understand if "B" works with "A".

we hold an awareness of the context of something whilst creating it.

it is not what "B" sounds/looks/feels like. it is what "A" sounds/looks/feels like with "B".

and when we are satisfied with "B", "A"+"B" become the new "A", and the process repeats.

(note that "A" must still be fundamentally good on its own).

possible example in art: we should focus more on what is already on the paper while we are drawing "B", because it's ultimately about if "B" works with "A", not just if "B" works.

so perhaps your skill as a creator is being able to understand how "B" affects "A", and how much of "A" you can hold in your conscious mind.

on the how much of "A" can you hold in your mind at once: i imagine this becomes more and more difficult the bigger "A" gets. think a novel or a screenplay.

now, another aspect: "Purpose", or "P". if you're producing a certain genre of music, you're trying to create "B" with "A" with the purpose of the genre, and your skill depends on how well you can consciously hold "A", "P", and also being able to percieve the new "B" and its relation to the previous two.

that being said, i feel that the core of the theory is the focus on "A" while creating "B".

and the final aspect: input (or immersion). the mental library in your mind from all that you have been exposed to.

your ability to understand if what you are creating aligns with "P" stems from your mental library.

to improve your ability to do this, you simply need to expose yourself to more. more music in that genre, more art, more stories. this seems to simply come down to mass immersion in my opinion.

ultimately: everything is contextual.