Here at Мusic Gateway, we understand that even a creative job is a real job that can have its own difficulties. We are all too familiar with writer’s block, and how problematic it can be dealing with it. How to overcome writer’s block is no easy task.
In fact, while any creative activity is supposed to be relaxing and fun, doing it professionally is very challenging. This is due to the fact that you’ll most likely have to constantly create or provide content. It can be music, artwork, novels, you name it. Some days are great as a creative and ideas simply pour out of you. Some other days can be very challenging and not productive at all.
Consider this article the ultimate guide to writers’ block help. We will go through what it is and what helps writer’s block.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, then keep reading!
What Is Writer’s Block?
Writer’s block is best described as feeling stuck and overwhelmed by the task at hand during the songwriting process. It is the feeling that you don’t have the ability to progress or write anything new.
As mentioned before, when you do a creative activity full time, it is your obligation to provide content. Also, quality content really matters. So, as an artist, you need to constantly provide good quality content. That’s pretty tricky and as you can guess, you can feel under a tremendous amount of pressure.
If you are reading this article, you may be a music producer or involved in other creative work. Your daily routine is perhaps writing and producing rock songs that could fit the needs of music libraries. Sometimes you are getting asked to provide some specific content, according to briefs sent by your music supervisors.
Even if you can produce a great album with great music, it does not necessarily mean that it’s going to be what music supervisors are looking for. Producing an entire album can take a few weeks. And even then it’s not even guaranteed that you’ll find a place for it. Or at least not any time soon.
Needless to say, the fear of creating a work that may not find a place in the market is very daunting and can be overwhelming. It can cause you to feel creatively blocked.
What Causes Writer’s Block?
Insecurity, fear of not being good enough, is definitely the main causes of writer’s block.
Writer’s block kind of feels like the fear of doing something wrong; it’s a strange sensation that makes you feel unconfident about what you are doing. When your brain is under pressure, continuing can be truly challenging. Every creative person has been there.
There is no magic formula that works for everyone to overcome writer’s block. But, for sure, there are some things you can do and we can share with you some suggestions to deal with it.
How To Overcome Writer’s Block
We think that the best way to deal with writer’s block is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
The good news is that there’s something you can do about it! Healthy habits, consistency, hard work and application. Let’s dive a bit deeper.
Daily Habits & A Healthy Routine
Creating habits will steer you away from writer’s block. Sometimes you really need to dive into your creative process. You can stay there for hours, for days, night and day, stressing yourself with endless sessions without any break and pauses.
But, if you are a creative, most likely you are not doing a 9 to 5 job. So you can have a flexible day, with a better and healthier routine. Stay focused on creating a healthy daily routine and writing schedule.
For example, if you are a musician, a little break every 40/50 minutes is good. It will give your fingers a rest and also your ears.
Take A Break, Refresh Your Mind
Taking a break and refreshing your mind is supposedly an easy step. But it can also be the hardest. This is because the chances are that you’ll feel guilty somehow.
As a music producer, for example, you might be able to write down and have the drum and bass tracks done. Then in the afternoon, you could polish the tracks, add guitars and give a main listen to the whole rhythm parts within the day.
You should listen to your previous work the day after. Then perhaps add leads and other rhythmic parts. Then you could work on the overall mix and close the song during the third day. This is a good example of a daily routine.
If, for example, after the whole morning you’ll find yourself still stuck on the drum part or not having any idea of where to go with the bass line, or the guitar tracks… or things are going slower, quitting and going away from the studio can be the smartest decision.
The most important step is being able to recognize when you are not being really productive. It’s not useful to stay hours in front of the screen without really writing for long periods of time. If, despite the effort, you cannot make it, the best thing is just take a break. It’s as simple as that!
Some physical activities would be great, even just walking outside or working out if you are gymrat! Needless to say that physical activity will help bump up the production of your brain wellness and get the creative juices flowing.
Baby Steps, Achievable Goals
Setting some goals is very important. Achievable goals. Even if you are an artist, you need discipline and a daily songwriting routine. Having some goals to reach will keep you more motivated and hopefully, you’ll be far away from things that cause writer’s block.
Goals to reach will also give you the real perception of your productivity, and understanding where you can improve your routine. It’s very important to set goals that you can reach. Thinking big is fine. But be careful and realistic, otherwise not seeing results it’s gonna be frustrating.
Start with something easy. Then, try to raise the bar a little bit until your goals are still achievable but more challenging. This is something really helpful to keep your mind active and motivated.
You can also give yourself a reward every time you reach a particular goal. It’s going to boost your confidence, your mood and it will strengthen your routine.
Don’t be too hard on yourself just in case you are unable to reach your goals. Simply just try to adjust them, and try to understand what’s preventing you from achieving them.
It’s also a good exercise to find which are your weakest points and where you can work on yourself to improve your productivity. That is the best way to learn more about yourself, to become more self-confident, and again, staying as far away from writer’s block as possible.
Keep Creating, Even When (You Think) It Sucks
Do not underestimate this part! There are so many very talented people that have never finished anything or showed any of their creations. This is because they are scared of not being good enough.
The truth is that most creative people are never 100% satisfied with their own creations. Trust us, this is very very common, and it’s normal! The main mistake is stopping yourself and thinking that what you are doing is not good enough.
If you stop the songwriting process you’ll never improve it. So the biggest favor you can do yourself is to keep creating. Even if the final result is not as good as expected. You will perhaps realize that maybe your creation was not so bad. And also the next time you’ll have more experience on your back.
You’ll soon realize that your progress will make your routine faster. Your work will get better and better, and this will help you become more confident and motivated.
Avoid Panicking & Overthinking
This is a key point to consider. DO NOT overthink and DO NOT panic!
Writer’s block happens mostly because of fear; the fear of not being able to create something good enough. It’s not easy. But the first thing to deal with is to be able to recognize those moments.
You just need to know that everyone has been there sooner or later. It’s normal, it’s part of the process.
Being able to recognize those moments when your productivity is lacking is a very big step. With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to accept that it is what it is and move on.
Of course, it does not mean that you have to stay unproductive for long. But simply take a longer break when it’s really necessary.
Our Final Thoughts
That was our guide on how to overcome writer’s block! Keep in mind that perhaps not all of these will work for you as everyone is different. However this is a good starting point.
Something very useful that you can do is work on yourself, on your own discipline, and your personal growth in order to keep that writer’s block as distant as possible. The trick is to be able to prevent writer’s block, and eventually don’t fear it when it happens.
Time and consistency, daily application, daily habits, will help you be able to recognize it, and deal with it.
Of course it does not mean that you will not face any one of those unwanted moments but when they happen, you will know what to do.
A very last suggestion working for many creatives is taking a short vacation or meeting new people. Start a new sport or visit a place where you’ve never been. This can give you more inspiration and something new to tell, write, or paint!
DO NOT feel guilty, take your time when it’s needed and then let’s start with new energy! And don’t forget to keep working on a daily healthy routine, if you can find a good balance between all those things, we can tell you’ve found the key to overcoming writer’s block!
Have you ever experienced writer’s block? We’d love to hear how you overcame it in the comments below. Also, be sure to share this article across your socials and tag us @musicgateway!
If you enjoyed this article why not check out another on our blog? Here are our articles on How To Overcome Stage Fright, How To Write A Song and Top 10 Best Songwriters to get you started.
Are You A Musician Or Artist?
Now that you have learned how to overcome writer’s block, allow us to help you amplify your music, collaborate with others, and get your music in TV, film and more. Why not try Мusic Gateway for free?
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