A quick guide on how to combat creative block in the midst of adversity
Everyone encounters creative blocks that stop those crucial creative juices from flowing once in a while.
Having empty thoughts? One of the best ways to combat this is by consuming positive media, or whatever form of content inspires you.
If you’re struggling to make readers engage with your stories, you could try using literary devices – like metaphors, symbolism, or allegories – to create powerful and compelling stories. Scribophile mentions that literary devices are the techniques that turn a literal, step-by-step retelling of events into a rich, engaging, and memorable piece of literature.
If you’re an artist, writer, filmmaker, or some other kind of content creator, lacking ideas or drive to create is an issue that affects us all. Thankfully, here are some resources for keeping your wellspring of inspiration going.
writing.prompt.s
Writing.prompt.s is an extremely useful resource for any writer out there. It is a great source for some instant ideas, general writing practice, or even just a fun read with the way their prompts are worded.
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With a wide variety of prompts ranging across genres such as fantasy, horror, comedy, and more, writing.prompt.s has a multitude of concepts that can act as a great catalyst for a new story.
What makes them especially great is how creative and even unconventional some of the prompts can be. This is super useful for any writers looking to veer away from tropes and try to explore a new direction in their stories.
Whether it be through a brief synopsis, dialogue exchange, or opening line, writing.prompt.s is sure to help any creator get inspired with a new idea! Check them out here on Instagram!
Art Fight!
The annual event of Art Fight truly exemplifies the art of war. Art Fight places contestants on opposing teams where they “attack” and “defend” against the other team with only one weapon: their artwork.
Don’t worry, this isn’t a blood sport by any means. On the contrary, it’s a great way to have an excuse to draw on a frequent basis, practice your art, and receive gifts of artwork in return. Contestants on each team, the theme of which varies each year, draw various original characters that belong to members of the opposite side.
If you don't know what Art Fight is, check out our official about video, explaining how to participate in the fight! https://t.co/cMziCGtrY0
— Art Fight (@theartfight) May 31, 2020
The goal of the event is this: members draw a character belonging to a user on the opposing team as an “attack.” This art attack can either be countered with a “defense” sent back to the original sender, or a recipient can attack another member of the opposite side. Each piece of art creates a point for a team, and the team with the most points wins.
One of the joys of being a content creator of any sort is the opportunities you have to surround yourself with other creative individuals. Art Fight provides the chance to do exactly that.
Not only do you get to inspire others by drawing art of their own original characters, but you’ll get to see others draw your characters too! Nothing beats the happy feeling of someone taking the time to draw something inspired by your work.
The start and sign up deadline for the event is July 1 and lasts for the whole month. Check out Art Fight’s official website for more information and the latest updates on this yearly event. You can also find them on Twitter and Discord to connect with other artists involved in the event.
ZenWriter
ZenWriter is a fantastic resource for writers, especially if you have issues with getting distracted by other things on the internet. It’s an online program meant to provide a distraction-free writing workspace.
The site may look like just a simple writing program at first glance, but a quick click of the sidebar reveals the features that set this site apart from most other word processing software. Not only can you change the color scheme of the website to a day or night theme depending on your visual tastes, but you can also alter your font, choose whatever fire music you want, and even have a sound effect play with every letter you type. Do you want to pretend you’re typing on an old typewriter while listening to soft, classical music? Go for it.
ZenWriter’s minimalist layout also helps in reducing the chances of losing your focus while writing and makes the website easy to navigate. The site even allows you to title, save, and even export your pieces by making an account. And the best part, all these features, and ZenWriter are completely free.
Check out ZenWriter here, get in the zen zone, and have fun getting to work on your latest story.
Commit to the Craft
As much as we content creators would like, we can’t make art or writing out of thin air with sheer willpower just yet. Everyone needs to find time to sit down and work on that latest project at some point. Don’t worry, you can get through it. The key here is breaking things down and keeping things consistent.
Whether you’re an artist, a writer, or another form of creator, getting into the habit of producing or at least practicing making your content on a semi-frequent basis is a great way to recover your motivation. These hardly need to be massive goals. On the contrary, small goals are actually more effective.
Like any exercise, creative or physical, you need to train yourself to work up to the pace. You might work on your current creative project every day, every week, bi-weekly, or every month. What’s essential is staying on track so you can keep your creativity flowing.
Work(shopping)
Putting your work out there is scary by itself, and workshops and critiques may seem that way too. No need to enter a workshop like it’s a trial by fire. If you take some easy steps into the world of sharing your work, you’ll see it isn’t really all that terrifying.
Getting criticism can always be intimidating, especially if it’s a mentor or a nitpicker. Your best defense, in either case, is to build up a thick skin to rejection, critique, and learn how to take them with grace. By slowly and consistently getting exposed to opportunities for feedback, you’ll find yourself sharing your creative and artistic passions in no time.
Sharing your work with one to three friends or family members is a great way to start. You don’t need to ask for feedback yet. Try presenting your work to your inner circle, and get some exposure. Own your strengths! If you want, ask your group if they have any clever commentary to give.
As you get more comfortable, try to start asking questions about what may not be working out. Remember to take a step back and let your audience indulge in the piece. When viewers see your final product, you won’t be there to give context, as much as we creative people might want to.
Remember, the things people say about your work aren’t set in stone. No matter how good or bad people may think a piece is, that doesn’t determine everything about your skill as a creator. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and everyone has their opinions. You’re not measured by how other people react to you.
Think of critiques and the opinions expressed in a workshop as weapons in your creative toolbox. They’re all available to you, the creator, but you’re the one who ultimately decides which ones to consider.
Try starting these habits
Now that you’ve got these great resources to help you, try putting them into practice. If you can combine them somehow, even better.
Look for a way you can create with friends, get feedback, and get some great content in your life. Try collaborating in a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly scheduled exchange. If you’re going to cash in those creative anxiety checks, it helps to do it in a fun way at least. This way you can not only get practice and feedback but also you can enjoy the content your friends have made.
Sharing the resources above is also a great way to grow your own community of creators, get connections, and develop more consistent creative habits.
So get out there, get creating, and have fun.