Why One Shouldn't Fear Writer's Block

[Mad_EP]

Hello.

Writer's Block / Creative Slumps / etc are a common topic around here... and I thought I might share some thoughts, having been around the block a few times.

I have been unable to write a new tune for several months. I lost count actually, cos I never thought to start the clock... but I can tell you it is the first time I've had writer's block for longer than a month or so in over 10 years of writing/producing. If I were to guess, it is probably about 4 or 5 months now...?

Sure, I have tweaked some tracks, worked on a few remixes... and certainly had no trouble doing some DJ mixes and my live set. BUT - in terms of my own tracks - right now, there's no blood going to it. However, I think this is a good thing.


For me - I felt I was getting too comfortable. I knew how to write what I wanted to write - and that is not a bad thing, but I didn't have the feverish flow of ideas like I used to. I am not saying all creativity needs to be a waterfall of virile ideas... BUT, whether you have been doing this for 10 years or 10 days.. it is easy to fall into patterns. Some patterns are good - they help with workflow and allow you to be efficient & productive. But other patterns lead to complacency... and that isn't so good. It's easy to talk about the importance of keeping one's own ideas fresh... yet we often find ourselves slipping into comfortable grooves.

And that is where a big ol' bout with Writer's Block can really be your friend. It isn't that I haven't had ideas - but it is rather that those ideas don't excite me. They feel too safe and familiar. I'm looking for new ideas, and I don't mind waiting and searching for as long as it takes to find it.

After all - what is the point in saying the same old shit I have already said before? If that is all I can say, why in the world would I or could I expect anyone to listen to it when they already heard it the first time?


I guess what I am trying to say is - Embrace Setbacks. They are what you need to break on through to something bigger. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

[3za]

Whats writers block

[ehbes]

can we just sticky this....

[jrisreal]

Exactly. I've had writers block a few times and eventually it just forces you to do something different...whether that be melodic, tonal, workflow alterations, or just a different method of mixing down. I went through writers block for the past few months and just got back up, now doing alot more bpm-independent stuff playing out directly on the keyboard.

[Artie_Fufkin]

Look up new words in the dictionary

[3za]

Whats a dictionary

[jrisreal]

look it up in the dictionary

[baddaBOOM]

In a way you sir are right. Ive hit writers block a few times, i just take breaks and wait until something nice to come through
great topic.

[Artie_Fufkin]

look it up in the dictionary

mind=blo-....no wait ill google define: dictionary

[cheshirebeats]

I had a very successful writer come into my english class at university one day.
I asked her if she ever experienced writer's block, and she told me:
"I don't have the luxury of experiencing writer's block, because writing is my career."

I don't think writer's block exists. There are never days where I sit down and am physically unable to put something down.
The truth is, you will not be able to produce or write your best material every session.
Thats life, so you might as well just try to have fun on those days and write something you like even if its not perfectly mixed and marketable.

To me, writer's block constitutes people coming to my room at school and bothering me, or my parents harassing me with text messages or phone calls, or bathroom breaks, or being hungry...
Anything that is preventing you from creating. But thats just my opinion.

[dickman69]

bathroom breaks

[cheshirebeats]

bathroom breaks

For some reason this reminds me of a certain south park episode haha....

[zeta]

In a bit of a creative slump now. I think 'true' writer's block doesn't exist, i.e. that there is absolutely no creative output at all - OP said himself he continues to tweak tracks and do remixes etc, but yeah in the sense that it's not as inspired or the output isn't as much.

I definitely feel you man, my writer's block is dissatisfaction as well with what I'm doing. It's mainly self-indulgent tinkering now since I want to find something fresh and innovative. Hoping to call up some musicians this week for some collaborations, maybe bouncing ideas and being inspired by others' methods might be what I need.

[Mad_EP]

I had a very successful writer come into my english class at university one day.
I asked her if she ever experienced writer's block, and she told me:
"I don't have the luxury of experiencing writer's block, because writing is my career."

Music is my career.

I know what the writer is saying - deadlines still have to be met, projects still go on, etc. I didn't say I was unable to write at all, I said that I was in a slump where I wasn't writing anything that excited me... and therefore wasn't putting any of it out there. It is still my career - so I am still doing live gigs, I am still doing DJ sets, (in addition to my teaching) etc. Some people still get paid, no matter what drivel they put out. I choose not to.

[MaZa1]

When i'm having a write's block, i usually just take some time off of the computer and do something else. Then i just go to computer and do something like a few bar drum loop with like million cymbals and weird things and don't even save it. Then i just leave again or i do things like take a snare and try eq'ing it and play around with some delay or something like that.

Also sometimes it helps to make something different like if i've been making tracks with lots of mid basses then i start a track with no mid bass at all, just drums and sub, maybe some pads etc. Then just build things here and there, maybe try some new things that i haven't done before

[Sonika]

Thank you so much for this, what you described is essentially what I've been going through the last few months

Cheers

[Artie_Fufkin]

Here's another idea if you find yourself stuck. Try grabbing any instrument you have around, guitar/drums/whatever and try to jam along with whatever you've already created or something that you want to springboard off of for ideas. Just jam until you've deviated enough to have something brand new and inspiring.

[cheshirebeats]

I had a very successful writer come into my english class at university one day.
I asked her if she ever experienced writer's block, and she told me:
"I don't have the luxury of experiencing writer's block, because writing is my career."

Music is my career.

I know what the writer is saying - deadlines still have to be met, projects still go on, etc. I didn't say I was unable to write at all, I said that I was in a slump where I wasn't writing anything that excited me... and therefore wasn't putting any of it out there. It is still my career - so I am still doing live gigs, I am still doing DJ sets, (in addition to my teaching) etc. Some people still get paid, no matter what drivel they put out. I choose not to.

Yeah I know what you're saying, didn't mean to offend you if I did.
Just thought it was an important thing to be said.
I agree though, sometimes you're just not coming up with anything new or interesting. I've hit those dry patches many times playing piano and I find mixing it up in some way is the best way to change things... But I also find that in the summers I'd take a couple months off because I wasn't doing lessons, and when I came back to it I'd be way more creative than I was before, and playing better material. I think there's such a thing as over practising, which can really just fry your creativity. Breaks are definitely important.

[cheshirebeats]

I had a very successful writer come into my english class at university one day.
I asked her if she ever experienced writer's block, and she told me:
"I don't have the luxury of experiencing writer's block, because writing is my career."

Music is my career.

I know what the writer is saying - deadlines still have to be met, projects still go on, etc. I didn't say I was unable to write at all, I said that I was in a slump where I wasn't writing anything that excited me... and therefore wasn't putting any of it out there. It is still my career - so I am still doing live gigs, I am still doing DJ sets, (in addition to my teaching) etc. Some people still get paid, no matter what drivel they put out. I choose not to.

Yeah I know what you're saying, didn't mean to offend you if I did.
Just thought it was an important thing to be said.
I agree though, sometimes you're just not coming up with anything new or interesting. I've hit those dry patches many times playing piano and I find mixing it up in some way is the best way to change things... But I also find that in the summers I'd take a couple months off because I wasn't doing lessons, and when I came back to it I'd be way more creative than I was before, and playing better material. I think there's such a thing as over practising, which can really just fry your creativity. Breaks are definitely important.

[Shum]

I had a very successful writer come into my english class at university one day.
I asked her if she ever experienced writer's block, and she told me:
"I don't have the luxury of experiencing writer's block, because writing is my career."

been there. still there. *sigh*