I'm willing to bet that every single one of you artists out there knows that feeling of sitting down, ready to make something new. It's the start of the process that breathes life into your creative soul, pumping your heart full of energy, priming your imagination to craft that next bit of art to share with the world.
After all, it's what we do. We creatives make something out of nothing, realize magic out of the ordinary. The very essence of our being dreams of the many possible fabrications that could be birthed into this dull world and bring some color to it.
So why is it so fucking terrifying sometimes?
Despite the many habitual times we've actually sat down to write a short story, or prep our camera for a documentary shoot, or design a new poster, there still comes those times when you just can't seem to get the production going.
It doesn't discriminate by medium. It doesn't matter the expertise level of the artist. Even people who wouldn't explicitly call themselves an artist can understand that feeling: of pressing down on the pedal and stalling, of pulling up the bucket only to not find a single drop. It happens to all of us.
It's a horrible feeling, isn't it? Losing inspiration to the void.
That's why I've tried to hold practices and have little reminders to help jumpstart my creativity and get me moving forward. I want to share some of them with you.
Find a Group of Other Creatives
"Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much."
—Helen Keller
It's always helpful to remember that you're not alone. Not only as an artist, but simply as a human being. It helps to find a community and talk life and all that you're currently working on.
Of course, for art, some mediums differ from others. For filmmakers, the process itself is very collaborative, one where you'll often be working with others throughout a production. But for a writer or an illustrator, there might naturally be some more isolation involved.
Even so, one can always go and find common-minded people and build that creative community.
If you are a filmmaker, go to the movies with other filmmakers or cinephiles. If you're a writer, start a book club or find a writing critique group.
Take a Break From the Creation
"All that is important comes in quietness and waiting."
—Patrick Lindsay
Sometimes it helps to sit back and relax. Especially when we get so caught up in the doing, that we cloud the horizon of the creative path we're trying to see. If you constantly choke the sponge, nothing new can be soaked up.
The next time you find yourself stuck, don't stress and bring any unnecessary anxiety into the mix. Try a little reframe: What if this feeling is a gift? Maybe it's time to put this project in the desk drawer for a couple of weeks and start something new. Or simply take some time to breathe or go for a walk.
Because when you come back from whatever time away, maybe something along the way stirred up an idea. Maybe you have fresh eyes to see new possibilities that were closed off before. Maybe you were getting too lost in the plot. Or maybe it was time for a new color.
Rest can definitely do an artist good. So go take one. I'm sure you deserve it.
Find Projects That Require Deadlines
"How did it get so late so soon?"
—Dr. Seuss
Sometimes, we've been sitting at the desk for weeks and weeks, chipping away and trying to formulate that new story that might capture a few hearts. And that desire to make a difference is never a bad thing. No, not at all.
Every creative should aspire to make something that might have an impact. Whether for yourself or for others. Something that has a gravitational pull or conjures a smile.
But when that next page or canvas stays empty, and the time keeps passing anyways, you might be needing to change up a few things.
Perhaps the problem is the lack of a deadline. It can be very helpful to have a time crunch. Yes, I understand the previous tip was about rest, but as with everything, there's a fine line. A beautiful balance. Because too much of a break can become laziness. Then idleness. Then emptiness.
I once worked at a summer camp, where I was a videographer on the media team. I, along with other friends, created a lot of videos for camp programming. We made funny short films and shot ridiculous interviews. Think SNL sketches, but a little more family-friendly.
But here's the thing: Before that gig, I didn't really know anything about Adobe Premiere or have any real technical videography training. Talk about "fake it till you make it." Sure, I was always the friend who took better mobile pics and videos than the rest of the group, but "professionally," I'd only shot two videos before the camp. And I edited them on the free iMovie software on my MacBook. The DSLR camera they handed to me on the first day was daunting. Even still, I knew I had to learn. I had stuff to make.
And that summer, I did learn. At the end of that camp season, I came back with a new foundational knowledge like I had a crash course in indie filmmaking. A three-month long film school under the scorching Texas sun.
The main reason why I learned so much was because we had literally hours to produce a video. Programming staff would come to us in the media office in the morning, we'd brainstorm some ideas, then shoot the bit an hour later. Then I had a few more hours to edit before it would be screened for campers later that evening.
Believe me, that timeline process seemed scary at first. Eventually, however, I acclimated. Then I began to thrive within that setting. I even started having more and more free time after the final cut was sent to watch stuff for more inspiration.
Since then, I've heard of something called the Parkinson's Law, which is the idea that "work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion." So if I had a week to produce one of those videos, I would've probably taken a week. Instead, I had hours. So I made it work. I had to.
I've appreciated a time crunch ever since. I've also learned that even if you don't have an external deadline, you can create one on your own. Or find a fellow artist and hold each other accountable. It seems simple, but it helps.
Immerse Yourself in a Different Medium
"You can paint your soul with any medium."
—Jeet Aulakh
I truly believe that life is too short to only focus on one medium of art.
The reason why I think like that is because I'm often inspired by artists like Donald Glover, a.k.a. Childish Gambino, who has mastered so many mediums like music, writing, film, and so much more.
Am I saying to force yourself to entirely pack up and do a 180? No—definitely not.
What I am trying to get at is that it can do any creative some good to dabble in a different art form. If you're a writer, try taking a photography lesson. If you're a filmmaker, go step inside a museum and explore. If you're a singer, try scrapbooking. Don't be so rigid with titles and lanes. Art is about freedom.
You've probably heard how learning a different language rewires your brain, right? Well, I don't have any way to prove this, but I think something similar happens with our creative spirit when we mix things up. When we turn the prism before us, we see the same light in new vibrant colors.
Not to mention that trying new mediums can also be a healthy, proactive way of procrastinating and resting like I talked about earlier. Delving into new formats of art might be the exact thing that changes your focal length and brings some new lenses to see your current project through.
Conclusion
There are so many things out there that can help you get unstuck and jumpstart your creativity. I've touched on a few that have been working for me. Whatever works for you, rock it. The main thing is to just keep going. Find something that helps you do that.
And most importantly, don't get discouraged. Because the few who trudge through the droughts are the ones that ultimately find their satisfaction through the creative process.
This piece was originally published on Medium in 2018. It has been revised and updated for this Cristian's Commonplace entry.
