Rec
General hell yeah to the previous recs. I mentioned The War of Art earlier today and it addresses specifically this question, if you feel reading a book would help.
I'm a creature of habit so having a routine is vital for me. An hour or two right after work is my create time everyday. I do my best to eliminate distraction by writing drafts out by hand or typing on my ipad mini + portable keyboard combo. And you need to get to a place where you can accept that unproductive create time is not wasted time. Staring into the middle distance is vital to the creative process.
Reduce friction so you can't make excuses to not create! That means keeping that camera on you AT ALL TIMES. Keep pen and paper on you AT ALL TIMES. Whatever you need for your project it needs to be with you or easily accessible otherwise you won't make space for it.
And feed your brain. Read, watch, listen, play, and experience as much as you can.
I'm a creature of habit so having a routine is vital for me. An hour or two right after work is my create time everyday. I do my best to eliminate distraction by writing drafts out by hand or typing on my ipad mini + portable keyboard combo. And you need to get to a place where you can accept that unproductive create time is not wasted time. Staring into the middle distance is vital to the creative process.
Reduce friction so you can't make excuses to not create! That means keeping that camera on you AT ALL TIMES. Keep pen and paper on you AT ALL TIMES. Whatever you need for your project it needs to be with you or easily accessible otherwise you won't make space for it.
And feed your brain. Read, watch, listen, play, and experience as much as you can.
Apr 11, 2024
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war of art is such a good book name. will check it out
i think i am not a creature of habit but i think you are right, a routine is pretty necessary. reduce friction point is so real too. i've thought about getting a more portable camera for ages (mine now is too big to carry around everywhere) and you are inspiring me! pen and paper always
i appreciate your thoughts !
Apr 12, 2024
In general I think the best way for developing self control is to remove as many barriers as possible from doing anything else but what you’re supposed to/want to be doing!!!
Apr 11, 2024
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Rec
✍️I can make my home office space as comfy, cool, great as possible, but I just physically can NOT get myself to start on my creative work at home. I write, so depending on your craft, this can be different, of course.
I like to go to a park/green space with a notebook for idea generation, then a cafe to lock in and get a draft done. If I'm stuck on something, I go for a walk with a thematic playlist to see if I can work it out in my mind before going back to the page.
All of this to say - I need to be out of my living space. I have notes on notes on notes of ideas, excerpts, etc. but as much as I think about getting started, I find ten things I have to do at home (and sometimes, I just sink into a video game).
My advice is less about overcoming something, and more just getting outside of your space and going somewhere else with the express intent on Getting Started. Everyone works differently, so find the flow that works for you, but going to a new place with this intent gets the brain working (I think, anyway)
All of this to say - I need to be out of my living space. I have notes on notes on notes of ideas, excerpts, etc. but as much as I think about getting started, I find ten things I have to do at home (and sometimes, I just sink into a video game).
My advice is less about overcoming something, and more just getting outside of your space and going somewhere else with the express intent on Getting Started. Everyone works differently, so find the flow that works for you, but going to a new place with this intent gets the brain working (I think, anyway)
Jun 29, 2025
Rec
🎨First things first: it doesn't matter the quality, the quantity, or the end result. If you create, you're a creative, full stop! Don't tell yourself you're a copier, think of it as adopting little pieces of the things you love and using them as inspiration to drive you. As long as you're not straight-up plagiarizing, there's nothing wrong with using something you love as a stepping stool to grow your own abilities, or as a palette with which you paint your own world.
Also, it's totally normal to feel stuck in a rut, or unoriginal, or to fall out of love with something you've made, or to feel doubt start seeping in. And it sucks! I'm often stricken with the realization that I'm one voice in a sea of millions, and I feel insecure that people will see me as lesser. Or worse: overlook my creations entirely. It makes me lose momentum in my creative process, and makes me feel more disheartened and nervous to put my stuff out there in the first place. "What if I put my heart and soul into this and nobody sees it?" "What if I bleed onto the pages and the consensus is "it's mid"???" "What if I'm wasting my time, and come back in two weeks and think this is utter garbage?" "What if people think it's too close to <other person's work>?"
But then I remember... we're kind of ALL out here, putting our hearts into stuff, trying new things, throwing around ideas, and hoping something sticks. And that's how pretty much EVERY work of art is made! And while it's awesome to get outpourings of support on the things you make, and recognition makes your work feel worthwhile... nothing is going to make you feel more fulfilled than putting your heart and soul into something you're passionate about, and seeing it through to YOUR satisfaction. Ultimately it's not about what other people think, it's about keeping that passion alive in you, and cultivating it so that it never dies.
So what can we do about burnout? Or lack of inspiration? Or when the hope levels are too low? Unfortunately all my "tips" are more abstract than practical step-by-step fixes.
Personally, I recommend steadily and eagerly engaging in the things that you tend to "copy" in the first place. Stop for a moment, and picture the word "enthusiasm." What comes to your mind? What makes you feel that way? Chase that feeling down like it's your most treasured keepsake floating away in wild rapids! Watch shows with artstyles you aspire to. Listen to songs that get you daydreaming. Get out in nature during the sunrise/sunset. Go see animals in a zoo/aquarium, or go people-watching in a mall/park. All the while, don't stop THINKING and MAKING THINGS. Doesn't have to be cute, or fleshed-out, because the beauty is in the moment. Snap candid photos, sketch freehand vignettes of what you see, jot down prose inspired by your surroundings, do whatever you can to keep your momentum without losing the joy associated with it.
The more you let yourself create freely, the more comfortable you'll be in the future when faced with the dreaded Block, the bumps, the discouragement, or anything else that may try to slow you down. And honestly? If you still find yourself stuck, good news: you're still a creative! And that will hold true as long as you desire to be.
TLDR: Don't stop making beautiful things, and if you get to a point where you feel you can no longer make beautiful things, make "ugly" things and surround yourself with things you see as beautiful.
Also, it's totally normal to feel stuck in a rut, or unoriginal, or to fall out of love with something you've made, or to feel doubt start seeping in. And it sucks! I'm often stricken with the realization that I'm one voice in a sea of millions, and I feel insecure that people will see me as lesser. Or worse: overlook my creations entirely. It makes me lose momentum in my creative process, and makes me feel more disheartened and nervous to put my stuff out there in the first place. "What if I put my heart and soul into this and nobody sees it?" "What if I bleed onto the pages and the consensus is "it's mid"???" "What if I'm wasting my time, and come back in two weeks and think this is utter garbage?" "What if people think it's too close to <other person's work>?"
But then I remember... we're kind of ALL out here, putting our hearts into stuff, trying new things, throwing around ideas, and hoping something sticks. And that's how pretty much EVERY work of art is made! And while it's awesome to get outpourings of support on the things you make, and recognition makes your work feel worthwhile... nothing is going to make you feel more fulfilled than putting your heart and soul into something you're passionate about, and seeing it through to YOUR satisfaction. Ultimately it's not about what other people think, it's about keeping that passion alive in you, and cultivating it so that it never dies.
So what can we do about burnout? Or lack of inspiration? Or when the hope levels are too low? Unfortunately all my "tips" are more abstract than practical step-by-step fixes.
Personally, I recommend steadily and eagerly engaging in the things that you tend to "copy" in the first place. Stop for a moment, and picture the word "enthusiasm." What comes to your mind? What makes you feel that way? Chase that feeling down like it's your most treasured keepsake floating away in wild rapids! Watch shows with artstyles you aspire to. Listen to songs that get you daydreaming. Get out in nature during the sunrise/sunset. Go see animals in a zoo/aquarium, or go people-watching in a mall/park. All the while, don't stop THINKING and MAKING THINGS. Doesn't have to be cute, or fleshed-out, because the beauty is in the moment. Snap candid photos, sketch freehand vignettes of what you see, jot down prose inspired by your surroundings, do whatever you can to keep your momentum without losing the joy associated with it.
The more you let yourself create freely, the more comfortable you'll be in the future when faced with the dreaded Block, the bumps, the discouragement, or anything else that may try to slow you down. And honestly? If you still find yourself stuck, good news: you're still a creative! And that will hold true as long as you desire to be.
TLDR: Don't stop making beautiful things, and if you get to a point where you feel you can no longer make beautiful things, make "ugly" things and surround yourself with things you see as beautiful.
Jul 19, 2025
Rec
There’s a chart I added below that’s helped me become an overall better creative. Inspiration comes and goes and often times is so flimsy that you can’t even trust it once it arrives! But being in the habit of creating breeds consistency. Creating for the sake of creating helps you develop a more efficient system + allows you understand yourself better.
What happens when you create by habit is that eventually inspiration will hit and when it does you’ll have been expecting it and prepared for it. An inspired moment combined with a system built on habit breeds amazing, truly inspired works of genius.
As someone who picked up writing two months ago and is now doing 2-3 articles a week for a newsletter, I’ve learned that I have to write regardless of whether inspiration is there or not. And when I do that, I often find myself getting inspired in the process of habit.
Final thought is that someone once told me creativity ebbs and flows and to get the good ideas out you need to release the bad ones. This means you have to create over and over and over to push out the crap and get to the gold. This only happens if you get into a habit of creating.
Hope this helps!
What happens when you create by habit is that eventually inspiration will hit and when it does you’ll have been expecting it and prepared for it. An inspired moment combined with a system built on habit breeds amazing, truly inspired works of genius.
As someone who picked up writing two months ago and is now doing 2-3 articles a week for a newsletter, I’ve learned that I have to write regardless of whether inspiration is there or not. And when I do that, I often find myself getting inspired in the process of habit.
Final thought is that someone once told me creativity ebbs and flows and to get the good ideas out you need to release the bad ones. This means you have to create over and over and over to push out the crap and get to the gold. This only happens if you get into a habit of creating.
Hope this helps!
Apr 11, 2024
Top Recs from @lucius
Rec
Alright y'all, standards have gotten a little lax around here and rec quality has taken a dip (I'm including myself in this). Here are some pointers for High Rec Standards.
ANATOMY OF A REC: TITLE—This is the rec or recommendations. This is NOT a lead in. Type exactly what you're recommending here. What appears in the Title should finish this sentence, "I recommend _____."
BODY—This supports the rec and anything goes. Supporting statements, supporting essays, additional recs, you can get silly, you can pontificate. You can do anything you want. Except putting the main rec down here. Where does it go? That's right. In the Title 👆
IMAGE—No rules. Add one to preference. It can be relevant or a non sequitur.
LINK—I highly recommend links but it's not as important as the Title or Body. If you are recommending something that has an online presence (music, movies, websites, products, etc.), Piffies want to click on it immediately. Don't make us google. Be kind a leave a link.
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANTI-RECS: They exist and they are valid recs. "Anti-Rec: _____" clearly communicates this is something best avoided. But a better way format this type of Rec is to use a modifier or verb that flows with "I recommend _____." Ex. I recommend... Not Eating Tacks, Avoiding Area X, Leaving Off the Anchovies, etc.—(Formatting Anti-Recs this way first recommended by tyler the Creator)
ANATOMY OF AN ASK: TITLE—This is the question or topic of the Ask. Asks can solicit advice or start a discussion. You have some flexibility here because the Ask is expected to be expounded upon in the body if it needs more context. Just be clear. Again, this is not a lead in. Be direct and ask the question or state the topic.
BODY—Provide more context. Narrow the recommendation field. Add relevant links. Remember, the Ask goes in the Title 👆
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANSWERING AN ASK—Recs on Asks can break style as dictated by the Ask. If the Ask is looking for Recs, give Recs following style. If it's asking for opinions, give your opinion. Asking for links? Give links! Respond however you would respond some someone IRL. Asks start a conversation so you can be more conversational. But keep in mind that these Recs will appear in the main feed. So where you can maintain Rec style, do so.
Example: WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT LETTERBOXD TOP 4?
A response to this with High Rec Standards would look something like this: TITLE—Lists your current Letterboxd top 4. You are recommending these four movies. BODY—Free reign here. Drop your Letterboxd @. Talk about the movies. Make a quip. Emoji. Relevant links. Nothing. IMAGE—Optional. Screenshot of your top four. Frame from a movie. Dealer's choice. LINK—Add your Letterboxd profile only if you want to be found. EMOJI—Whatever. But it'd be nice if it was relevant.
DISCLAIMER: This is a living community document! These are only my recommendations for a foundation. Debate and Discussion of proper style are Encouraged. Any editions and changes to the PI.FYI STYLE GUIDE will be notated with attribution.
Changelog: 07.26.2024—Clarified a Rec is not limited to one recommendation. Recs can recommend multiple things. Thanks to shegoestoanotherschool for identifying the issue. / Added guidance for Anti-Rec format. 02.11.2025—Moved SpongeBob Bubble Blowing Technique video link from the top level into the body ("some pointers") so the embed wouldn't override the High Quality instructional graphic.
ANATOMY OF A REC: TITLE—This is the rec or recommendations. This is NOT a lead in. Type exactly what you're recommending here. What appears in the Title should finish this sentence, "I recommend _____."
BODY—This supports the rec and anything goes. Supporting statements, supporting essays, additional recs, you can get silly, you can pontificate. You can do anything you want. Except putting the main rec down here. Where does it go? That's right. In the Title 👆
IMAGE—No rules. Add one to preference. It can be relevant or a non sequitur.
LINK—I highly recommend links but it's not as important as the Title or Body. If you are recommending something that has an online presence (music, movies, websites, products, etc.), Piffies want to click on it immediately. Don't make us google. Be kind a leave a link.
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANTI-RECS: They exist and they are valid recs. "Anti-Rec: _____" clearly communicates this is something best avoided. But a better way format this type of Rec is to use a modifier or verb that flows with "I recommend _____." Ex. I recommend... Not Eating Tacks, Avoiding Area X, Leaving Off the Anchovies, etc.—(Formatting Anti-Recs this way first recommended by tyler the Creator)
ANATOMY OF AN ASK: TITLE—This is the question or topic of the Ask. Asks can solicit advice or start a discussion. You have some flexibility here because the Ask is expected to be expounded upon in the body if it needs more context. Just be clear. Again, this is not a lead in. Be direct and ask the question or state the topic.
BODY—Provide more context. Narrow the recommendation field. Add relevant links. Remember, the Ask goes in the Title 👆
EMOJI—No rules. Express yourself.
ANSWERING AN ASK—Recs on Asks can break style as dictated by the Ask. If the Ask is looking for Recs, give Recs following style. If it's asking for opinions, give your opinion. Asking for links? Give links! Respond however you would respond some someone IRL. Asks start a conversation so you can be more conversational. But keep in mind that these Recs will appear in the main feed. So where you can maintain Rec style, do so.
Example: WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT LETTERBOXD TOP 4?
A response to this with High Rec Standards would look something like this: TITLE—Lists your current Letterboxd top 4. You are recommending these four movies. BODY—Free reign here. Drop your Letterboxd @. Talk about the movies. Make a quip. Emoji. Relevant links. Nothing. IMAGE—Optional. Screenshot of your top four. Frame from a movie. Dealer's choice. LINK—Add your Letterboxd profile only if you want to be found. EMOJI—Whatever. But it'd be nice if it was relevant.
DISCLAIMER: This is a living community document! These are only my recommendations for a foundation. Debate and Discussion of proper style are Encouraged. Any editions and changes to the PI.FYI STYLE GUIDE will be notated with attribution.
Changelog: 07.26.2024—Clarified a Rec is not limited to one recommendation. Recs can recommend multiple things. Thanks to shegoestoanotherschool for identifying the issue. / Added guidance for Anti-Rec format. 02.11.2025—Moved SpongeBob Bubble Blowing Technique video link from the top level into the body ("some pointers") so the embed wouldn't override the High Quality instructional graphic.
