Finding Inspiration - Climbing Over Creative Blocks

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

There I was happily writing along, working on my little e-book, and then 50 pages or so later......screech! A dead stop. Just like that. Total block. Not like I ran out of ideas, but I had too many.  I was stuck between this or that.  Up or down. Front or back.  Stuck in my own indecision and whirlwind of thoughts.


{The Art of Writing print from Emily Ann Designs


That was two weeks ago. 


I find the same thing happens when I create new things...I get gobs of ideas; many are written down, many are sadly forgotten, and eeks! many more are lost to total paralysis.  How in the world does this happen? And better still, how in the heck can I get out of it? 


I'd really love to hear how you handle these situations.....here's five things I do to get out of a creative mess: 


1. Walk.  Away.  I simply put things down and come back to it later. Sometimes for an hour. Sometimes a month. It usually works out. 


2. Sleep. Things have a way of figuring themselves out this way. 


3. Look.  At fabric, mostly. Though I must admit, this can often make things worse....creating even more ideas. But staring at a pretty little bundle often does the trick. 


4. Go.  Sometimes if I just start cutting the fabric or going to my writing place good things happen.  (sometimes they don't ;) 


5.  Listen.  To great music. To my friends. To other crafters & indie business owners. Sometimes to my husband (wink, wink).  It's easy to miss all the words of advice, encouragement & inspiration. But, when I really stop to listen I can usually find a sense of calm &  renewal. 




do share how you work yourself out of a creative conundrum!

3 comments :

Heather A said...

Somehow completely removing my thoughts from creative work frees up more space for creative energy and ideas. I free up space by getting together with friends doing any number of things or reading. Reading is total escapism for me in a way that music, which I love and listen to all the time, isn't.

A good sleep and some good dreams help, too.

Good luck recovering your creative mojo. Thankfully, creativity is never gone long, right?

markjacobs said...

Wink!

I like to curse.
:)
Exercise too.

allisa jacobs said...

Great ideas Heather! I agree reading is definitely a time to escape for me as well....nothing like curling up with a good book :)