How to Conquer Your Creative Writing Constipation

Brains are stupid. I spent all day today trying to write. I set up a cute little writing station for myself, made some tea, and got all cozy in my robe and… nada. Zilch. I didn’t write a single word. I love being creative, but creating feels impossible sometimes. It’s taken me a while to learn this, but you’re not less of a creative person when you are not in the headspace to create. You are doing fine. It’s all going to be okay. You just need a minute to get your head on straight.  

To quote Hannah Montana, “Everybody has those days.” 

The best way to escape from your creative constipation is to create right on through it. Here are some tips to get through creative blocks. 

I know. I know. Comic Sans is the jester of fonts. But sometimes magic happens when you’re not taking yourself too seriously. For me, Comic Sans actually frees my mind. I can focus on just making words, because I’m not taking myself too seriously right now. This draft right now is being written in Comic Sans. It will be edited in Comic Sans and then changed to Garamond once this writer feels more seriously about it. Making things for creation’s sake is the mark of a true artist.

Sometimes you need a kick in the pants to get anything done. That’s what deadlines are for. 

So if you’re having trouble starting a creative project, give yourself a deadline! 

Set a timer for 15 minutes and create as much as you can. Then wash, rinse, and repeat until you have a project in the works. It doesn’t matter if it’s good. What matters is that it exists. What matters is that you’re putting in the effort to be productive and create a little bit each day. The power of word vomit compels you. 

Being a creative person isn’t easy. It’s hard to always find the drive to create, to make something out of nothing. There’s an idea that our work defines us, but I believe that the opposite is true. We define our work. We’re the one who deserve communities filled with love for our creations. What every artist needs is support. Without support, creating anything feels impossible. But by finding your people, by building a community, you learn how to trust your own instincts. 

Written by: Hannah Morley