5 Ways to Battle Creative Blocks
What’s one of the worst things that can happen to you as a freelancer?
Besides a lull in contracts, it’s possibly a lull in creativity that can have you wondering why you gave up salaried work. Sometimes the work just doesn’t want to be finished, whether you write, design, code or do some other type of freelance work. You’ve tried exercises to get your creative juices flowing, but maybe the flow is just not coming. That’s when it’s time to battle your creative blocks.
Reasons for Creative Blocks
Before you can break a creative block, you need to be consciously aware of why they happen. Here are some of the reasons that I found, below.
- Stress.
- Health.
- Financial concerns.
- Preoccupation with non-work related issues.
- Lack of knowledge of a topic, or concern that you don’t know enough.
- Unclear on what you really want to say.
- Directionless: no plan for a specific piece of work.
Maybe you can think of other reasons that I might have missed.
5 Ways to Battle Creative Blocks
Most of the suggestions below are are written specifically for freelance writers, though some also apply–or can be extrapolated–for other types of freelancers.
- Brainstorm.
Brainstorm using a mind map. List as many reasons as you can about why you might be creatively blocked. Do not censor yourself, and worry about categories later. When you think you’ve listed all the reasons, cluster the ideas together with any logical/implied hierarchy. This will allow you to see related issues more clearly than if you use a linear list. You can also brainstorm a mind map about what you know about topic X, if you’re feeling that you’re not knowledgeable enough and that’s stopping you from writing. [See the section below for more about mind mapping.] - Read for inspiration.
We all have our favorite writers in a niche. Read those writers, get inspired. If you’re a designer or photographer, then view designs, images, websites, etc., for inspiration. Find what’s suitable to your type of freelancing and get inspired. Don’t be afraid to “cross-over” as well. Even writers get stimulated by visuals and vice versa. - Read topic-specific articles.
Read articles that cover the topics you’re trying to write about. Look at relevant diagrams, images, websites. Take notes about each article/item in a mind map. Record your own thoughts about each topic. Make a note about what you think needs to be expanded upon or was not even covered. Cluster these notes in your mind map if there’s any underlying hierarchy, and come up with a set of points that you can write about. You might even discover a series of articles in there. - Rewrite other work.
One method of creative block-breaking used by fiction writers is to take a portion of someone’s existing piece of work and to rewrite it in your own voice and style. You can do the same thing with other articles in your niche. The point is not to publish this work but to rather feel as if you have accomplished something by completing the exercise. You can do the same thing with logos, diagrams, website design or even code. - Make a journal entry.
If all else fails, maybe something is bothering you or even stressing you out? You might not even know it’s there, or have not admitted it to yourself. Go back to the mind map you created in tip #1 and check for possible sources of stress. It’s time to write about it. It can be in a personal journal or if you’re more daring, on your personal blog. Don’t hold back - write everything you’re feeling about this source of stress or anxiety. Until you release your thoughts on this topic, all other thoughts will likely be blocked. If necessary, you can even mind map this topic first, before writing your journal entry.
Repeat these steps several times, if necessary, until you succeed in breaking through your creative blocks. You might in fact have more than one block going on.
Final Thoughts
I can’t give you the reasons for your creative block, nor a specific solution. Each of us have our own unique combination of factors that build a creative block. You will have to find those reasons. However, you can try the methods listed above to break through creatively. Mind mapping tends to be especially effective.
Original post by FreelanceSwitch.com