How to Overcome Creative Roadblocks as Content Creators
We’ve all been there, whether you are a photographer, videographer, blogger, or influencer, you are working on an exciting project, and you hit a creative wall. Whether it’s suddenly feeling uninspired by the work you are creating, or the vision isn’t coming together the way you had imagined it to- creative roadblocks can be both time consuming and disheartening.
With deadlines to be met and clients to appease, sometimes you can’t afford to wait around for inspiration to strike, so you need to find other ways to keep the creative momentum going. We’re sharing some tips on how you can overcome creative roadblocks as content creators, and re-engage yourself to continue creating amazing work.
Step back
Taking breaks when you reach a wall, and forcing your mind to stop thinking about the project for a few moments can be a really effective way to achieve focus. Going for a quick walk, working on something else, or talking to a creative colleague can be a fantastic way to re-inspire your creativity. Sometimes, forcing an idea can only make it worse, so try finding a creative outlet to take your mind off things for a few moments before you pick it up again.
Need an inspiration refresh? Check out our Pinterest for mood inspiration.
Surround yourself with creative people
Visit your local cafe, join a coworking space, or go to your favorite museum or art gallery and simply start talking to people. Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you, and have different or better skills is a great way to intrinsically motivate yourself to be better. Collaborate with other creatives in different fields, and talk about your ideas. Chances are, they’ve been there and experienced the same fallbacks, and can help put suggest some solutions to get you past your roadblock.
Look to other artists for inspiration
Get inspired by artists in genres different than your own to bring a unique perspective to your medium. If you’re a landscape photographer, take a look at a landscape painter and get inspired by how they paint a composition. If you’re a commercial videographer, look at cinemagraphs, gifs and other moving pictures to see how they capture motion. Check out these creative communities who are using various platforms to discuss creative industries around the world.
Take a class or workshop
MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are free online courses available for anyone to enroll. These are fantastic courses to learn new skills, try a different educational experience, and try new experiences you might otherwise not have tried. Otherwise, join an online or in-person workshop to learn more from creative artists around the world who specialize in your genre, and are sharing their business tips and creative processes with you.
Be patient
Creative roadblocks happen to the best of us, and they are not the end of the world. Think of them as small hurdles to becoming a better, more creative content creator. Roadblocks can provide you with new opportunities to explore other avenues of work, and the time to try new experiences to further yourself as a creative artist. It’s all a part of your creative journey.
There are so many different strategies that you can use to get around creative roadblocks. If you have some that work for you, feel free to share them by leaving them in the comments below.
We’re constantly on the lookout for new contributors to join the
Shutterstock Custom Contributor Community!
Are you a photographer or videographer interested in working with us?
Apply to start creating stunning visuals for the world's top brands!
Stay creative!
- The Shutterstock Custom Contributor Community Team