writer's block
- Thread starter Dr SNAKE
- Start date
Pencilcase
Artistic Toolbox
Yes. Take a break. That should do.
How long have you been in that writer's block? Happens to everyone. Some people might be an entire month without making anything and then come up with fire.
Just don't force it if itsn't coming out naturally. Take a break, listen to other styles of music to gain inspiration...
It's all about taking breaks really. Maybe one of these days you'll be listening to a beat and suddenly come up with some sick rhymes.
How long have you been in that writer's block? Happens to everyone. Some people might be an entire month without making anything and then come up with fire.
Just don't force it if itsn't coming out naturally. Take a break, listen to other styles of music to gain inspiration...
It's all about taking breaks really. Maybe one of these days you'll be listening to a beat and suddenly come up with some sick rhymes.
In my experience writer's block usually happens if I'm trying too hard. Sometimes I just write anything and then see where it goes then edit out the bad parts after. For the most part just try to work from inspiration. Write when you feel like it. (unless that means never writing)
chrismoore03211991
New member
Read and conceive... 
LordEnoch
LΔS† HƟVSE DVNGEƟN LƟRDZ
DO NOT TAKE A BREAK!!! you might not return if you get too comfortable in your break.
What I would strongly suggest is simply switch up your routine! Wake up EARLY in the morning before everyone else wakes up, THERE WILL BE NO DISTRACTIONS AT THIS PRIME TIME. Use that time to focus on nothing but writing. Switch up styles, write from different perspectives, write a story, write an expose. Just do NOT stop.
Best of luck!
What I would strongly suggest is simply switch up your routine! Wake up EARLY in the morning before everyone else wakes up, THERE WILL BE NO DISTRACTIONS AT THIS PRIME TIME. Use that time to focus on nothing but writing. Switch up styles, write from different perspectives, write a story, write an expose. Just do NOT stop.
Best of luck!
S
Strahls
Guest
There are tons of threads on this forum about writer's block, but all of them pretty much reiterate the same advice.
Fundamentally, I would say the most important thing is not to 'force' the creativity. This leads to frustration and inferior quality music-making. Instead, I would invite you to inspire yourself using slightly different music-related avenues: ie, listen to a genre completely different to what you normally listen to; use a VST, plugin or instrument that you never have before; experiment with different time signatures but don't necessarily do any of this with a view to making a track or writing a beat - that progression should come naturally when the inspiration hits. And when it does, you'll have so many new ideas upon which to draw the 'block' should disappear.
Alternatively take a break from music-related activities altogether for a few days - read a book, ride a bike, watch a film or series - inspiration can come in many different forms.
But don't force it. That's probably the least constructive route to take.
Fundamentally, I would say the most important thing is not to 'force' the creativity. This leads to frustration and inferior quality music-making. Instead, I would invite you to inspire yourself using slightly different music-related avenues: ie, listen to a genre completely different to what you normally listen to; use a VST, plugin or instrument that you never have before; experiment with different time signatures but don't necessarily do any of this with a view to making a track or writing a beat - that progression should come naturally when the inspiration hits. And when it does, you'll have so many new ideas upon which to draw the 'block' should disappear.
Alternatively take a break from music-related activities altogether for a few days - read a book, ride a bike, watch a film or series - inspiration can come in many different forms.
But don't force it. That's probably the least constructive route to take.
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djphenommusic
DJ/Producer/Pianist/Engr
For production I have nursed myself through several cases of "producers block" if you will and I always find ways to inspire myself. Read, movie, youtube, new music, take a walk, a drive, coffee break, call a friend/family, ect. Basically live life lol. Good luck!!!
triggerbeats
New member
Besides what everyone mentioned, try some black tea, blackberry flavored and sit somewhere quiet... or go to a nice coffee house, sit in a booth, just let the thoughts flow, trust me you'll be inspired
There is a famous quote attributed to Pablo Picasso: "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
I do believe a break can be constructive, but only for a few hours. After that I think some of the best things you can do are experimentation related. Try this: find a track/beat you like by another artist and try to remake it top to bottom. You'll not only learn a lot, but odds are that you will discover new things along the way that inspire you and you'll find yourself saying "I wanna make a track that uses that!" If the track you're re-making is something that really inspires you you'll be off on a tangent creating something original in no time.
Good luck and keep at it!
I do believe a break can be constructive, but only for a few hours. After that I think some of the best things you can do are experimentation related. Try this: find a track/beat you like by another artist and try to remake it top to bottom. You'll not only learn a lot, but odds are that you will discover new things along the way that inspire you and you'll find yourself saying "I wanna make a track that uses that!" If the track you're re-making is something that really inspires you you'll be off on a tangent creating something original in no time.
Good luck and keep at it!
Olie
Member
Writing when you feel like it is terrible advice and will land you broke. Treat writing as a professional career, turn up to work each day and sit there and do your best for a set period of time. I cant tell you how many times i felt uninspired or unmotivated and got good work done and in the process itself found inspiration.
What ever you do don't google "how to get over writers block" because there are a bunch of misinformed ninnys writing some bullshit articles to make money off of. Motivation and inspiration are one of the same in the process, motivation makes you go to new places, inspiration is the result from finding something new there. Motivation is what you need which can be made through things that boost dopamine "inspiration" also boosts dopamine (think finding something new you were looking for) i.e. exercise, new fun activities, meeting new people, thinking about your goals, listening to new music, etc. etc.
and ofc the most obvious one, you force yourself to write until a half decent idea comes through then you get a hit of dopamine, which motivates you to write more, which gives you another idea and a hit of dopamine, which motivates you to write more and on and on it goes. You wont achieve a good idea unless you put your all into it though. Just writing is the easiest and most direct route to finding motivation to write.
edit:
evolutionarly it works like this: you see an apple tree in the distance and walk towards it and you get small hits of dopamine along the way to keep you going then when you finally reach it and eat that first apple you get a massive rush of dopamine.
Now imagine the apple tree is an idea with your goal being to reach it. dont set your goal as something crazy like writing a hit song that day. This is practise for when you're skilled enough to write one, otherwise any idea you reach you will disguard and it wont release the dopamine because you havn't reached your goal. This will leave you unmotivated and probably hating yourself.
What ever you do don't google "how to get over writers block" because there are a bunch of misinformed ninnys writing some bullshit articles to make money off of. Motivation and inspiration are one of the same in the process, motivation makes you go to new places, inspiration is the result from finding something new there. Motivation is what you need which can be made through things that boost dopamine "inspiration" also boosts dopamine (think finding something new you were looking for) i.e. exercise, new fun activities, meeting new people, thinking about your goals, listening to new music, etc. etc.
and ofc the most obvious one, you force yourself to write until a half decent idea comes through then you get a hit of dopamine, which motivates you to write more, which gives you another idea and a hit of dopamine, which motivates you to write more and on and on it goes. You wont achieve a good idea unless you put your all into it though. Just writing is the easiest and most direct route to finding motivation to write.
edit:
evolutionarly it works like this: you see an apple tree in the distance and walk towards it and you get small hits of dopamine along the way to keep you going then when you finally reach it and eat that first apple you get a massive rush of dopamine.
Now imagine the apple tree is an idea with your goal being to reach it. dont set your goal as something crazy like writing a hit song that day. This is practise for when you're skilled enough to write one, otherwise any idea you reach you will disguard and it wont release the dopamine because you havn't reached your goal. This will leave you unmotivated and probably hating yourself.
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bandcoach
Zukatoku - Mod Scientist
Two great creators have offered the same base concept:
Pablo Picasso: "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." (taken from above)
Ralph Vaughan-Williams: "I work as a composer therefore I must keep office hours to compose" (my own favourite quote)
Both suggest that the art of creating is not random or happenstance or moments of serendipity but one of hard work and application to the task of creating new material. Embedded in both but not clearly stated is the idea of study and reflection on the practice of creating in your specific field.
Scott Adams via Dilbert offers what appears to be a contrary opinion: "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to keep!"
However, embedded in that longer quote is the concept that you are constantly creating and sifting your work for diamonds in the rough (one of my old bands
) - i.e. you are still working constantly to create and discover the great pieces of your work
None of the above means that you must work consistently, but it is through consistent work and persistent self-analysis that you will come to your creative voice; to think otherwise is succumbing to the similar misconception that "there are no rules it's music" - yes it is music but even music has acquired, through accretion, expectations of where certain phrases and chords should go to next - these are our shared communal ideals of what makes good music, however, I would contend that such expectations do not lead to great music as there are several alternatives for continuing melodic and chordal movement that take it from the mundane to the sublime
Pablo Picasso: "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." (taken from above)
Ralph Vaughan-Williams: "I work as a composer therefore I must keep office hours to compose" (my own favourite quote)
Both suggest that the art of creating is not random or happenstance or moments of serendipity but one of hard work and application to the task of creating new material. Embedded in both but not clearly stated is the idea of study and reflection on the practice of creating in your specific field.
Scott Adams via Dilbert offers what appears to be a contrary opinion: "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to keep!"
However, embedded in that longer quote is the concept that you are constantly creating and sifting your work for diamonds in the rough (one of my old bands
) - i.e. you are still working constantly to create and discover the great pieces of your workNone of the above means that you must work consistently, but it is through consistent work and persistent self-analysis that you will come to your creative voice; to think otherwise is succumbing to the similar misconception that "there are no rules it's music" - yes it is music but even music has acquired, through accretion, expectations of where certain phrases and chords should go to next - these are our shared communal ideals of what makes good music, however, I would contend that such expectations do not lead to great music as there are several alternatives for continuing melodic and chordal movement that take it from the mundane to the sublime
AFriendlyGiant
New member
Yes. You have a writers block because you are not connectet to yourself. Connect with your emotions, from your emotions creativity comes. You probably have some "bad" emotions you do not want to feel, and as a result, you shut down your soul. In your soul lays creativity. Get in touch with yourself.