A not so fabulous part of the creative process is Creative Block. Every creative has felt it at one point in their lives (and most likely multiple times). This experience is an overwhelming feeling of being stuck, making you unable to move forward in existing or new projects. The cause can stem from a number of reasons; stress, perfectionism, self-doubt, decision fatigue, etc. So what are we supposed to do to get over this slump?
Before we jump into remedies, I want to stress that this blog is covering Creative Block and not Creative Burnout - a more persistent state of creative exhaustion that lasts a longer period of time. Check out my article next month to learn more about this. And now back to your regularly scheduled program.
According to Joy Harjo (Native American Poet Laureate) you can try adding a more playful aspect to your creative process by trying new mediums: doodling, freewriting, even breathing exercises. “Having a sense of play is where I have found the most profound poetry.” (masterclass.com) This allows your brain to shift gears and stop ruminating on the block.
You can also change up your environment, instead of being cooped up in your office, head out to a coffee shop, public library, or a co-working space. I did this recently. My best friend belongs to a co-working space and invited me to join him. The vibes were immaculate and being around other creatives was invigorating. (10/10 will be going again.)
Talking about being around other creatives, take a break and check out other artist’s work for some inspiration. Visit the library to flip through books, hit up a gallery or museum, or just browse the websites of your favorite artists. This can help spark ideas to incorporate into your project. Maybe you never thought of certain color combinations or cropping an image a different way. Whatever it may be, take that idea and make it your own. Check out my article, How to Find Inspiration, for more ideas.
You can also create a stockpile of inspiration. Whenever creative inspiration strikes (which seems to be at the most random times), write it down or save the image in a designated folder. This way when you’re having a block you can reference these pieces to help refresh your creativity.
Another option, if you’re not on a tight deadline, is to temporarily step away from the work. This is helpful if you’re overthinking the project, allowing you to breathe and get a fresh perspective when you come back to it. “Sometimes we don’t have the right perspective. So how do you get that? You put it away for a few days. Sometimes for a week.” (masterclass.com) This has helped me more times than I can count.
There’s no shame in having a creative block. When you’re creating things completely from your own imagination, it’s understandable that there may be a struggle at times. We’re only human.
What are some ways you deal with creative block?