As a writer, I love my work. When my creative energy is flowing, I feel like everything is in sync. My ideas are fluid and I have the motivation to execute them. But there are times when I can’t even put my pen to paper.
Have you ever sat down to work and end up staring at a blank screen or page or canvas for hours? You tell yourself that you’ll work on it the next day, but when the next day comes, you’re still stuck? Or have you ever had a day where ideas are floating through your head, but you have no motivation to execute them? When inspiration fades or the ideas aren’t coming as they used to, you’re experiencing a creative block.
Creative blocks are the bane of my existence. They’re aggravating. They’re overwhelming. And they can be damaging to your confidence in your work. But I’m here to remind you that you’re not alone. As creatives, we’ve all experienced these at one point. Let’s face it, creative blocks come with the territory. When working as a creative, figuring out our next step is never easy. Our paths aren’t linear and we have endless options for how to improve our craft. But too many options aren’t always a good thing. Too many options can become overwhelming and make it hard to do anything. Creative blocks are inevitable, but there are ways to work through them.
Tip #1: No Need for Perfection
I am 1000000% guilty of letting my perfectionism get in the way of my creative process. This blog is a perfect example of that. I sat on the idea for this blog for two to three years before actually doing anything. I thought that the only way the blog would be successful is if I made sure that everything was perfect. I wanted the website to look perfect, I wanted my topics to be perfect, and I wanted a perfected writing schedule. This need for perfection led me absolutely nowhere. Before I knew it, two years had passed and I had nothing to show for my ideas. My advice to anyone sitting on an idea is to just do it. A friend of mine once said, “If you’re going to fail, fail forward.” Your idea may not be perfect but it’s always worth trying. If you do fail, you’ll learn and grow from that failed experience.
Tip #2: What’s Your Trigger?
The first step in getting past a creative block is understanding what is causing it. Are there external factors (drama, relationships, mental health) that are affecting you? Are you overthinking? Are you trying to make your ideas perfect before moving forward? Acknowledge whatever is triggering your creative block and it will help you understand how to work through it. This may lead you to take a hiatus to work on yourself or try to get out of your own head or go somewhere new for inspiration.
Tip #3: Be Intentional
Make sure that whatever you choose to do next is going to be beneficial to your overall creative process. If you decide to take a hiatus, understand that you need to prioritized reflection, realigning, and doing whatever is necessary for long term growth. If you go somewhere new for inspiration, jot down all the ideas that come to you (even the bad ones). If you want to stop overthinking, remind yourself why you enjoy your craft so much. It’s all about reaching the end goal.
Tip #4: Find a Release
Here’s a news flash for all creatives: you don’t ALWAYS have to create. A friend of mine told me, “You’re human. Be less “being” and more human.” I think this is especially true when it comes to creatives. Just like everyone else, you’re going to need a break at some point. Allow yourself to just be without acting on your ideas. Be gentle with yourself. Invest in self-care and take time to relax. Find an activity that doesn’t require much out of you like meditating, cooking, or listening to music. Allow yourself to just be present.
Tip #5: Find Your Tribe
Surrounding myself with other creatives has been key for my personal growth as a writer. The ability to be honest about my relationship with my craft with people who get it is incomparable. Through these people, I have gained so much insight into who I am as a creative and what I want my craft means to me. My tribe even inspired me to write this post while I was dealing with my own creative block earlier this week. Find a tribe and allow yourself to be motivated.
These tips have helped me get through some pretty bad creative blocks, but we’re all different. Try to find the ways that will work best for you.
If you have any tips you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them! Take a moment to comment below.
