Yes to all of those. I'm one of those people who pretty much only writes when the muse is hitting her over the head with a 2x4. I seem to have all sorts of ideas when I'm in the car or somewhere without a laptop or pen and paper handy. I can create one helluva story in my head when there's no place to put it. Here's a few blocks that come to mind:
Stress--The one biggest thing that blocks my creativity is stress. Things that are weighing down my mind. Stuff that sucks the life out of my energy and enthusiasm. Life has been stressful for the last 2-3 years and I've done very little writing.
Self-doubt--I always have that damned inner-editor turned on and it's sort of like spell-check. Everything I write is figuratively under-lined in red.
Lack of ideas--That's a big one for me. Everyone always has dozens of great ideas floating around and I'm the opposite. I struggle for ideas. When I get a good one, which happens pretty rarely, it almost demands to be written. Unfortunately, this is not a frequent occurrence.
Deadline panic--Some people are not bothered by this. They are actually stimulated to work harder. Again, I'm the opposite. Deadline panic sets in and I find it difficult to focus. I feel all scattered and I might as well pack it in and so something else.
Too many projects going--Luckily this is one I don't have an issue with. If I had several things going, I would be completely overwhelmed. I'd feel stretched too thin and I would not be happy with anything. When I have a project, I like to focus on one thing and see it through to completion. It's a good thing I don't depend on writing for my livelihood. I would starve to death before I finished.
Ways to Fix:
Walk or workout--Good for clearing the head and re-focusing.
Read or watch something--Sometimes a break is needed and one can come back with a fresh perspective.
Talk to someone--It can help a lot to get a bit of a pep-talk from someone. It can build the self-confidence back up and quiet the inner-editor.
Do what feels right--If you have difficulty with deadlines, try to finish early, so you aren't in the position of feeling up against the wall or backed into a corner. Get started ahead of time and give yourself lots of time before the deadline is looming.
Limit yourself to what you know you can do well--I have to do this. If I can only do one thing at a time, then I work on that one thing and try to make it absolutely perfect. Obviously, nothing I do would ever quality as perfect, but it's a good mindset to imagine that it can be.
Look for inspiration--I can find inspiration in nearly everything. Something someone says on a tv show. A conversation with a friend. A beautiful sunset is always inspiring to me. Depending on what mood you want to induce, go to what puts you there. Reading a well-done, sad fic can bring up all the feelings and you can take those feelings and channel them into your own sad story. Same with an epically gorgeous, love-scene.
Write what you love to read--If you can manage it, try to write what you love to read. Reading something that is worded exactly the way you love it is a wonderful way to inspire yourself to write a beautifully worded piece. Tall order, but definitely worth a try.
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Date: 2012-07-03 11:42 pm (UTC)Stress--The one biggest thing that blocks my creativity is stress. Things that are weighing down my mind. Stuff that sucks the life out of my energy and enthusiasm. Life has been stressful for the last 2-3 years and I've done very little writing.
Self-doubt--I always have that damned inner-editor turned on and it's sort of like spell-check. Everything I write is figuratively under-lined in red.
Lack of ideas--That's a big one for me. Everyone always has dozens of great ideas floating around and I'm the opposite. I struggle for ideas. When I get a good one, which happens pretty rarely, it almost demands to be written. Unfortunately, this is not a frequent occurrence.
Deadline panic--Some people are not bothered by this. They are actually stimulated to work harder. Again, I'm the opposite. Deadline panic sets in and I find it difficult to focus. I feel all scattered and I might as well pack it in and so something else.
Too many projects going--Luckily this is one I don't have an issue with. If I had several things going, I would be completely overwhelmed. I'd feel stretched too thin and I would not be happy with anything. When I have a project, I like to focus on one thing and see it through to completion. It's a good thing I don't depend on writing for my livelihood. I would starve to death before I finished.
Ways to Fix:
Walk or workout--Good for clearing the head and re-focusing.
Read or watch something--Sometimes a break is needed and one can come back with a fresh perspective.
Talk to someone--It can help a lot to get a bit of a pep-talk from someone. It can build the self-confidence back up and quiet the inner-editor.
Do what feels right--If you have difficulty with deadlines, try to finish early, so you aren't in the position of feeling up against the wall or backed into a corner. Get started ahead of time and give yourself lots of time before the deadline is looming.
Limit yourself to what you know you can do well--I have to do this. If I can only do one thing at a time, then I work on that one thing and try to make it absolutely perfect. Obviously, nothing I do would ever quality as perfect, but it's a good mindset to imagine that it can be.
Look for inspiration--I can find inspiration in nearly everything. Something someone says on a tv show. A conversation with a friend. A beautiful sunset is always inspiring to me. Depending on what mood you want to induce, go to what puts you there. Reading a well-done, sad fic can bring up all the feelings and you can take those feelings and channel them into your own sad story. Same with an epically gorgeous, love-scene.
Write what you love to read--If you can manage it, try to write what you love to read. Reading something that is worded exactly the way you love it is a wonderful way to inspire yourself to write a beautifully worded piece. Tall order, but definitely worth a try.