“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse
Even with all the courage in the world, every creative will eventually run into a creative block, so we asked some of our favorite creatives to share how they overcome creative blocks.
Kimberley Chan & Linda Cajuste
There are many types of “creative blocks” – in our case, we’ve overcome two types: the first is when you experience a “blank page syndrome,” for example when you’re writing or need to come up with new ideas. The second is when you feel “blocked” in life; like you’re stuck in a routine, feel uninspired and not like yourself. Read more>>
Louis Supan
I’ve found that stepping away from the kitchen and exploring different cuisines, ingredients, and cooking techniques can help break through creativity blocks. Sometimes, taking a break to relax and recharge can also spark new ideas. Additionally, collaborating with other chefs or seeking inspiration from diverse sources like nature, art, or travel can reignite creativity. Read more>>
Alex Mazzucchelli
As a singer-songwriter, having writer’s block from time to time is inevitable. Much like we are never certain when inspiration will strike, the same goes for when we are stuck. Whenever writer’s block would rear its ugly head, the initial feeling was frustration but what came next was actually creative. I realized that I had to come up with clever ways to get what I wanted when the words and ideas just weren’t flowing naturally. Read more>>
Hao Sun
As a filmmaker, I often encounter creative dilemmas, such as running out of inspiration or grappling with illogical plot details. These challenges can result in the final work not aligning with my initial vision, which is particularly problematic in filmmaking where reshoots can pose significant logistical and financial obstacles. Read more>>
Rukayat Egbeyemi
I overcome creativity block by taking a break. I believe that when I get to a space where my creativity is not “flowing,” it is most likely because I have over exerted myself and I need to take a break. I set a guideline for this break, which includes the duration and what is off limit. Read more>>
Susanna Foppoli
Hello there! Thank you for the interest and…my pleasure! Creativity blocks are a common challenge for any creative, and I dare say they should be acknowledged almost as an integral part of the creative process. Shifting that attitude towards awareness and acceptance helps framing them less negatively. In an ideal scenario, such a shift of point of view should allow you to embrace your creative block, taking some distance from the creative process by indulging in healthy distractions that can change your perspective and get you exposed to unplanned sources of inspiration. Read more>>
Lisa Christopher
Staying “in flow” is hard to do as a creative person, but it is imperative. Keeping one’s self in s state of flow comes naturally when you keep creating from a place of authenticity. When you finally don’t care what others think about you or your creations, is when you break out of the “analysis paralysis” (I call it) and free yourself from the blocks which keep you tied to fear. Read more>>
Jamie Gehring
When I first started writing my book, “Madman in the Woods: Life Next Door to the Unabomber” I had a schedule for my creative time. I was juggling being a mother of three and my writing and I knew it was critical to carve out time for my project. Before everyone woke up in the morning I would grab a cup of coffee and sit down to write. Read more>>
Varada Sharma
As an artist and an amateur writer, I do face my fair share of creativity blocks. Here are some ideas that help me get out of a slump 1. Trying something completely new or different – sometimes the slump hits when I have done a lot of one thing – creating card projects all the time or using only one technique all the time and so on. When I feel like I am not feeling inspired to do more of that thing, I switch things up a bit. For instance, instead of cards I will make gift boxes or home decor or even jewelry pieces. Read more>>
Natalie Rankin
I think it is important to stay as open-minded as possible – anything can inspire you if you are open to it. Also try to be kind to yourself and rest when you need it. I know when I am tired and burnt out, I have less ideas, and that can lead to a bad cycle of feeling worse because I’m not feeling creative. However, if I take a step back and give myself some space to breathe, I will eventually get back to a more creative frame of mind. Read more>>
Lisa Anderson Shaffer
As creatives, we often like to overlook that simple fact that a creative process is just that, a process. And all processes take time. Nature acts as a beautiful reminder of what a creative process entails. A time of evident growth as we watch flowers burst from buds to blooms and a quieter more private stage of growth that occurs beneath the ground before we ever see evidence of what is growing. Read more>>
Chioma Iloegbunam
From a multitude of things! In hindsight, I think creativity is a really fun feat in that way. It looks entirely different for everyone, but it emerges in some of the most unexpected ways. For me, it’s about turning off that part of your brain that inevitably loves to overthink. Read more>>
Michael Inge
It’s crazy how a creativity block can make you feel that everything you ever did in your entire career has been one giant string of flukes! I try to remind myself to have fun and enjoy the process of creating. When we create we are dealing with the unknown and that often involves some degree of fear. We just can’t let the fear take control or stop us from creating anything at all. Read more>>
Chloe Spencer
I’m no stranger to writers block. I’ve had days where all I’ve wanted to do was write, and as soon as I’ve sat down to find the time to write, either my motivation or my ideas were gone. But over the years, I’ve discovered that there’s often ONE reason as to why you experience writers block: Read more>>
Learwinson Jackson
Overcoming creativity blocks is certainly a tricky thing to accomplish and it demands a multifaceted approach. That approach requires embracing a spectrum of strategies, such as engaging in freewriting sessions to spark ideas, altering the surrounding environment to stimulate fresh perspectives, utilizing mind mapping techniques to visualize connections, and taking breaks to recharge the mind, body, and soul. Read more>>
Timothy Braun
Finding your creative collaborators is key. Writing for the theater is unique from writing an essay, poem, or short story. You can’t “lone wolf it” when you are writing a play, in fairness, you can’t lone wolf it when writing an essay, poem, or short story either, but with a play you need to be vulnerable, and give up your work to actors, directors, and designers. If you can find the right collaborators, people you can bounce ideas off of as you fail in developing the piece, and try to fail better in rewrites, you can take risks. Read more>>
Claire Ibarra
Often times you hear professional writers talk about good habits, like writing consistently every day, even when they are not inspired. They approach writing like a job, and to be a successful writer, it is a job. They may set daily goals, like a certain word count or number of hours at the keyboard. I can’t say that’s how I always approach my writing, or other artistic endeavors, but the idea of working at my art, even when I’m not particularly inspired, has helped me stay productive. Read more>>
Indigo Moore
When I try to overcome creative blocks, I first ask myself “what am I trying to keep myself safe from?” Or “what fears are holding me back?” It could be pressure to do xyz or maybe it’s what others will think, and imposter syndrome floods in. Once I’m able to sit with and process to figure that out, I meditate and/or write about it. Sometimes it’s as simple as breaking my routine and/or needing to just sit and do nothing for awhile. Read more>>
