Breaking Creative Blocks: Strategies for Unleashing Your Imagination
Creative blocks are something of a common ailment amongst artists, poets, writers, and designers. It's hard to know where to start when you're devoid of any ideas.
A lot of creative block strategies are designed to tackle laziness or a general lack of inspiration. However, the more specific issue that is blocking your creativity may be something else entirely and these methods may or may not work for you in such a situation.
In this blog post we will discuss common causes for creative blocks, how to combat them with different strategies and approaches as well as some tips on how to get back on track if all else fails.
Link : How To Break Creative Blocks
Article Title: Breaking Creative Blocks: Strategies for Unleashing Your Imagination
Abstract: In the second of a two-part blog post series, I explore how to break creative blocks and unleash your imagination. By way of illustrations, I highlight common causes for creative blocks and provide practical ways to combat them. In the next part of this series, I will present a selection of tools and resources for supporting your creativity.
Introduction
In the second of a two-part blog post series, I explore how to break creative blocks and unleash your imagination. By way of illustrations, I highlight common causes for creative blocks and provide practical ways to combat them. In the next part of this series, I will present a selection of tools and resources for supporting your creativity.
Many artists like myself have struggled with creative block; it's an ailment that can be temporary or it can turn into a chronic problem. Sometimes these blocks are outwardly expressed as negative thoughts or feelings, sometimes they're more subtle and harder to identify. Regardless of the form, creative blocks can be a huge problem for artists.
I've struggled with creative block in the past; usually it comes in the form of writer's block. There was once a time when I'd get stuck on what to write next and I couldn't figure out how to start. These days, I don't really get writer's block unless I'm tackling something really difficult or new, but there are other kinds of creative blocks that are worth paying attention to.
Parts One and Two of the Creative Block Series
In this post, we will be discussing strategies for breaking creative blocks and unleashing your imagination in order to reverse negative spirals that hinder your creativity . We will be discussing in more detail what the popular terms 'the creative drought' and 'creative block' mean and how we can better understand them.
The process of overcoming creative blocks can be as simple as just getting yourself to do some creative work, but there are also a number of strategies and approaches that can be taken in order to lift these burdens. It's also worth noting that merely working through your own creative block isn't the only way to kick-start your imagination again. There are various tools you can use to assist this process.
We are all different in our own ways, but sometimes it's good to explore what makes us tick as it's only when we understand our processes that we can do things differently. People develop creative blocks for both physical and psychological reasons and while this is often impossible to determine, there are some common characteristics of people who develop these problems. Sometimes these blocks can be overcome simply through understanding the identities and backgrounds of people who have similar issues.
In the next part of this series, I will discuss a selection of tools and resources that I've worked with in order to improve my own creativity; some tangible stuff and some more psychological methods. These methods have been developed over time and while there may not be a magic bullet, there are practical and useful tools that can assist you in getting your creative juices flowing again.
The first post of this series ' Breaking Creative Block: A Summary ' provides a summary of some key terms related to creative block and an overview of the contents of this blog post. The second post ' Breaking Creative Blocks: Strategies for Unleashing Your Imagination ' contains the following sections;
1. Defining Creative Blocks
In order to understand creative block, it's important to know what it is and what it isn't. Some people use the term creative block lightly to describe the feeling of being stuck with what they're doing and it can be hard to discern whether or not this feeling is a true creative block. Therefore it's worth understanding what creative block is and how we can recognise it;
2. Ways of Breaking Creative Blocks
When you hit a creative block, don't assume that you have to continue battling with it indefinitely. I provide some practical ways that have worked for me breaking through these negative spirals and how to keep them from occurring in the future.
3. Reducing Your Creative Block By Taking Time Off
Sometimes all you need is a break from your usual routine . Taking a break can refresh your mind and give you some time to work on other things. I've experienced this in the past where I've forced myself to take a few days away from my normal creative routine and it resulted in an outpouring of creativity.
4. Reducing Your Creative Block By Changing Your Environment
Sometimes your creative block is caused by factors that are external to you; the environment or your current physical circumstances might be causing you trouble; something as simple as changing your setting can be enough to get you going again. There's no 'correct' environment for creativity, but there might be factors that prevent creativity from flowing freely, so it's worth looking into what those things are.
5. Reducing Your Creative Block By Using Your Imagination
Another way to unblock your creativity is to use your imagination . Sometimes all you need is a spark of imagination and a few ideas that are more outside of what you usually do. I've used this method many times in the past and it works, but it's not a guaranteed way to break through a creative block.
6. Reducing Your Creative Block By Using Mental Exercise
Use your imagination or take time out from your normal routine in order to change your mind-set . Think about something else; exercise your mind by trying something new or taking up-skilling .
Conclusion
It's worth noting that creative block itself can be caused by psychological or physical reasons, so it can be quite difficult to distinguish between the two. However, using this information on what causes creative blocks and what we should know about them will help you to keep tabs on your own creative process and understand your own artistic processes better. I'd encourage you to pay attention to your own process in order to identify when something is going wrong and take the appropriate steps if you want to avoid getting stuck again.
Next time, we'll look at some tools and approaches that may have helped me escape my creative block in the past; things I've tried or things that have helped others in similar situations.