Some authors don’t believe in writer’s block. I’m not one of those people, although I’d prefer to call it a creative challenge rather than a blockage.
There are many things that can arise to challenge our ability to be productive creators. Life has a habit of getting in the way, and it can be damned inconvenient! Those challenges can be disruptive. They can be stressful. But one thing they all have in common is our creativity takes a hit.
So how do we overcome the hurdles in our way? How do we continue, or (even much harder!) get BACK to being creative and actively producing? Many experts will tell you many things. Often they will tell you to just keep going. This is not great advice. For one thing, forcing creativity has to be the most insanely counterintuitive thing I’ve ever heard of! How do you force something that comes from your soul? This is not a “fake-it-till-you-make-it” scenario. Creativity is energy translated into tangible expression. You cannot fake that mojo, people. Creativity has to come from genuine, authentic inspiration, and inspiration is one of the first things to pack a bag and get on a bus out of town when life’s challenges come knocking. And when we’re left just hanging on, surviving, the last thing we can muster is creative energy.
I want to offer some hope. There is a way to talk inspiration out of leaving.
LET IT COME FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE.
Use prompts that are found on social media, from the news, from conversations overheard at a restaurant. Give your mind permission to seek creative hooks in the world around you. I know from experience (and this has happened a few times to me!), if I start doing flash fiction, or photo or art from prompts on socials when I hit a dry creative spell, I find it easier to make my way back to the work I want to focus on. When you seek inspiration out in the world, you’re letting your own muse off the hook for a while, and exploring what the world can offer as creative suggestions. It can be so much fun. It’s relaxing, and your expectations are limited to what your community online think of what you contributed to the prompt responses.
Another way to invite inspiration back in is to change things up. Inspiration is curious. She’ll naturally hover if there’s something different happening.
DO SOMETHING WILDLY DIFFERENT TO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING.
Changing things up often allows me to unburden my creativity. I find I can be productive in turns at a variety of pursuits, and it helps me to maintain a steady, if not always predictable workload. Helping others also gets the juices flowing, so be open to the idea of cooperative work, mentorship or other ways to connect with the creative community around you.
And if none of that works, lean into chaos.
WRITE ABOUT/SKETCH WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR CURRENT WORK SESSION INSTEAD OF STARING AT A BLANK SCREEN OR CANVAS.
This method is something I learned recently and while I’m still exploring what this looks like for art, it works stunningly well for my writing! In the process of articulating my expectations, the ideas begin to flow, the words come and before I know it, I have written some or all of what I wanted to write about. As far as art goes, doodles don’t really do it for me, but looking at my photos, looking back at my art, looking at other people’s art does help some. I need a lot more energy to get started with an artwork. My materials need to be on hand, the lighting right, and that isn’t always the case. And daily prompts only stress me out. It’s hard to make art on command and from random prompts. But that is not to say this way of producing doesn’t lead to more fulfilling and purposeful output, so it shouldn’t be ruled out entirely.
I do find plotting and preapring for my writing projects averts many of the worst creative challenges. I have spent some time working on a variety of tools that help me to be a more productive and successful producer of written work (it seemed presumptuous to say “successful writer”). You can find my PlotBox writing aids in my Patreon shop. I also offer a limited membership there for writers who want to connect and need help overcoming some of their writing challenges. Find my Patreon HERE.
You’ll notice I haven’t once said I manifest inspiration, but I’ll be honest, I am more a believer in the randomness of our universe than in there being any purpose to it all. This aside, I do encourage you to lean on your beliefs if they help with your creativity. Spiritual connection can lead to much inspiration and is in its own way a great comfort.
So, whether you find inspiration in external prompts, alternative points of view, spiritual or thoughtful contemplation, I do hope you can feel inspired by the suggestions I’ve provided in this article. I hope you find a meaningful and productive path through even the toughest of your creative challenges.