You’ve hit a wall. Nothing feels right. You lost motivation.
That’s okay.
Writer’s block is a very common occurrence for creators of any kind of art or media. There’s no reason to get discouraged. This happens to everyone.
The real question is what does one do to fix it. Everyone gets burnt out at some point. All you have to do really is reignite the spark. A little can go a long way. Maybe you need to take a small break and come back with a fresh mind. Alternatively, you can push through and keep pushing until you break through.
Take a Break
I think both methods have their pros and cons. One the hand of the former, a small break could lead to a longer hiatus. Maybe that’s what needs to be done. Sometimes we aren’t in the right field and need a change of pace. I know that I’m not very good at knowing when something has run its course but sometimes we are trying to force a puzzle piece into the wrong place.
However, I do believe in coming back with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. Taking a small break for a breath of fresh air and some rest, maybe even a change of perspective, can be the difference between a frustrating and painful experience and a pleasant and challenging one.
Pushing Through
On the side of the latter, pushing through a block can eventually cause further burn out and make you loath your work. You might experience mental exhaustion and end up not liking what you made regardless of how hard you worked.
But, I have to say that sometimes pushing yourself to get through the block can be the most rewarding feeling. Coming out of the recording studio after five consecutive hours with a complete song is one of the most freeing experiences for me.
I have employed both of these methods. Sometimes I’ll spend hours writing a song and it’ll be time for me to vacate the studio. Being mentally exhausted and frustrated, I’ll likely not want to leave until I finish but I have to. When I return the next day, suddenly everything that was going wrong and I was struggling with becomes much easier.
Motivation and Support
One thing that I know works best for me as a musician is to remind myself why I love doing what I’m doing. Listening to specific songs that get the creative juices flowing and the drive to learn and play and write as well as some of my favorite artists tends to be my biggest motivator. It also never hurts to have a hype-person at your side. I know that my friends and family being my biggest supporters helps me remember that I’m not alone and that I have people who believe in me.
It’s important to know what will work best for you. There are factors that need to be taken into consideration. Have your equipment or materials all been cooperative or have you been pulling your hair out just trying to make everything work properly? Have you been working for several hours without rest already? Have you been taking care of yourself properly? Working for hours on end without any food or rest is never good for anyone.
Don’t break your back trying to make something work. Take your time and feel your way around. Do what feels right but don’t abandon your work if you have even an inkling of passion toward it. Something beautiful will come from the hard work and effort. And don’t forget that you are not alone. Even if you don’t always know it, someone is rooting for you to succeed and be happy.
— dj dragonfly
