"Writer's block," while extremely frustrating, does not always fully represent the type of "stuck" I tend to feel creatively.
The phrase slips off the tongue easily and, yes, it does make sense at surface-level most of the time. However, I've found that being a creative and being stuck is so much more than just a blockage. It's time spent thinking about how you could be writing; you want to write but you're at a loss for what you could write about. In case it isn't obvious, that very string of thoughts is what got me writing again.
I suppose there was really no point in time that I stopped writing. I was just not producing the type of content that I knew I could produce. As someone who wants to do this for the rest of their life, that tends to be a huge insecurity and an endless cycle. Continuously creating things that are not exactly as I wanted can be draining. Mentally, I was at a loss.
I had no motivation.
And honestly? It's terrifying coming to that realization, but it's just the kick in the pants that you need to put things into perspective.
So then the fight to find that motivation begins. And, let me tell you, it's so worth it. Forcing yourself to go and work on something, anything, doesn't seem appealing at the time, but it can eventually become so rewarding. Personally, my first step is to get out of the house and spend a day in an environment where I know I'll be inspired. This is usually somewhere that I can stay caffeinated as well, but everyone has their own preferences. Then, you just work until you no longer can.
I've also been told to just always stay curious. Continuously question everything and never turn a blind eye, because you never know when the right idea will come along. This piece of advice that I've heard over and over again has been the one thing that I can always count on. Asking questions and finding answers have led to some of my best pieces.
Finding that motivation that will bring you out of a creative drain requires its own motivation. However, once you find it, take it and run with it. Just. Keep. Creating. I realize it's way easier said than done, but running on a creative high brings out your best work. You just keep writing and revising until you've come up with something that you can confidently say you're proud of.
It's those specific moments when I get excited about what I'm doing. When, after weeks or months of not creating the "right" type of content, I'm proud to put something out into the world. In the end, you have to create for yourself. I find that I tend to feel stuck when I write for others instead of myself. The feeling gets better when the people around you react to it. You can grow from there and that is so important.
