“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” – John Maynard Keynes

Sometimes, getting out of a creative block requires escaping from the gravitational pull of old ideas, other times it might require diving into them to get re-inspired. Below, we’ve shared a variety of perspectives, insights and advice on how to overcome creative blocks.

Matt O’connell|

Committing myself to doing one thing creative every day, even if it has no connection to a project I’m working on. Cooking, playing music, exercise. The more I grow as an artist, the more I’m compelled to stay active and curious all the time. I used to believe that creative practice should only happen organically. Like you could only devote yourself to your craft when inspiration struck. And if I wasn’t “in the mood” to do the work, I’d avoid it entirely. Read More>>

Morgan Hamilton-lee

This is a question I’m asked a lot. Writer’s block is no joke, and it can cripple you creatively. Inspiration comes from the strangest places. Taking a walk and clearing your head, going for a drive, talking about the story issue out loud. There are a million methods, but the one that has worked most for me in the long run for me has always been to absorb new stories. Whether it’s watching a movie, reading a book, reading a script, a podcast, or even music. And I find it best to take in stories that aren’t similar to yours. It’ll get your head in a different brain space, and maybe spark an idea. Could be a good idea, or a bad idea, but it gets you back to your story with a new idea. Read More>>

Lonnie Mounts

I really don’t deal with writers block. However, being an Indie Author, I deal with ‘Lack of time to create/write.’ The biggest difference between an Indie Author and a traditional Publishing is the promoting. I’ve had four different publishers from 2000 to 2018, and I’ve been independent since 2020. Read More>>

Ema & Jade

Creativity blocks are often inevitable, but we’ve learned that pushing through them starts with changing things up. When we feel stuck, we take a break, whether it’s getting outside, having a conversation, or shifting our focus for a bit. Inspiration often comes when we’re not forcing it.

We also make a habit of writing down any ideas we have leading up to filming an episode. Even if they don’t seem like much at first, they often spark something bigger when the time comes. And when all else fails, we remind ourselves that done is better than perfect. Sometimes, you just have to start and let the creativity flow! Read More>>

Ellen Hoil

Overcoming a creativity block is among the hardest things to do as a writer or artist. We bleed over every word on those days, assuming we even get a word down on paper.
The advice we hear over and over is “get words on paper.” Good advice in general, buy is it realistic? In my opinion, not always. Read More>>

Frances Matassa

I’ve found that experiencing creative blocks is pretty common for me; one moment, ideas flow effortlessly, and the next, they dry up completely. During these challenging times, I remind myself that it’s essential to produce a lot of ‘bad’ work to eventually create pieces I’m proud of.

I faced a particularly tough period of creative block after my first solo show. That year began with a loss in my family, and the combination of that loss and the pressure to produce gallery-worthy art led to a creative drought, making it difficult for me to enter the studio. To combat this, I decided to remove the pressure of creating meaningful work. Instead, I focused on painting for the sake of creation, allowing myself to explore without expectation. Read More>>