We are creatives. We bring our thoughts, emotions, and dreams into fruition by manifesting it into something tangible. As songwriters, we do that through translating what’s on our minds into words and music. So what happens when that creative fuel stops flowing? We try our very best to create anything at all to find that it’s hard to finish or even start a song. This is a creative block.
Creative block is the hopeless feeling of being unable to create something that you are happy with. It is also when you feel a lack of excitement or inspiration when participating in your craft. Creative block appears in many different forms and leads to a frustrated artist who feels exhausted over their fruitless efforts.
Unfortunately, all creatives experience a block at some point in their artistic career. Even though it is inevitable, we don’t need to be silent to its tyranny. Let’s explore creative block a little more to more fully grasp what we’re dealing with and how we can beat it.
How does creative block happen?
Creative block affects everyone differently, so there is no telling how or when you might get the next block. However, there are behaviors that may trigger the start of writer’s block or intensify a dry spell.
One big killer of creativity is perfectionism. Think of it this way, if you’re working with someone else and they begin to nitpick your work, dismissing your ideas saying “it’s probably no good”, and being overall unsupportive of your creative process before you even contribute, then you wouldn’t really want to work with them anymore. You may even feel insecure about your own work and be discouraged from creating. This is no different than if you treated your own work this way. You can kill your creativity just as much as anyone else can. And if this becomes a habit, it will inevitably lead to writer’s block.
There are many other triggers. Chances are if you know your triggers, you’ll be able to identify them and properly deal with the upcoming creative block before it becomes a full-blown force to be reckoned with.
When you get Creative Block, how do you fight it?
First and foremost, the best thing to do is to just take it easy on yourself. Further pushing yourself during this time and self-criticism will only make the creative exhaustion worse. Take breaks if need be. Go focus on another hobby for a little bit then come back when you feel refreshed. Don’t force yourself to make the magic happen.
Second, you just have to work with it until it loosens its grip on you. Between taking your breaks, you can partake in activities that may spark your inspiration again. This can be journaling, collaborating, or spice things up by creating something different from your usual.
Generators like LyricStudio and MelodyStudio can be useful tools for overcoming creative block by providing inspiration and helping to spark new ideas. When you’re feeling stuck and unable to come up with fresh concepts for your music, these types of generators can be a helpful resource for jumpstarting your creativity.
One way to use generators like LyricStudio and MelodyStudio is to input specific themes or ideas that you want to explore in your music. The generator can then provide you with a variety of lyrics or melodies that are related to the theme you’ve chosen, giving you a starting point to build upon. Alternatively, you can simply let the generator work its magic and see what it comes up with on its own, potentially leading you down a path you might not have considered before. Either way, generators like these can be a valuable tool for breaking through creative block and getting your musical ideas flowing again.
Conclusion
There is no instant cure for Creative Block, but there are tools like MelodyStudio and LyricStudio that can help you push through it. As discouraging as it may be, the important thing to remember is to not give up. Don’t listen to the critical voice telling you that the art you create is not good. Eventually time will pass, and you’ll find that the mean voice has become insignificant. Soon, you will find that you will be ready to go out into the world once again and do something wonderful.
