Rec
Recently I went through a rough patch for a couple months where I was only filling about one page of my sketchbook every week and it felt like buns :(
However, a couple weeks ago I started hyper-fixating on Transformers and I’ve drawn so many of those stupid fucking robots I’m not even lying to you. So basically what that means is try and find something that would appeal to you and draw inspiration from that!
Expanding on the inspiration piece- for embroidery, I have a huge Pinterest board of things I’d like to put on my jackets/jeans/shirts. There’s no shame in taking inspiration!!!!
Finally, if none of these things work (and I know it’s easier said than done) literally just force yourself to do one creative thing a day. When I‘m bored at school I draw random faces and people passing by. Just by forcing yourself to get back into the habit, hopefully that will encourage your brain to return to its former creative glory.
Good luck!!!!!
However, a couple weeks ago I started hyper-fixating on Transformers and I’ve drawn so many of those stupid fucking robots I’m not even lying to you. So basically what that means is try and find something that would appeal to you and draw inspiration from that!
Expanding on the inspiration piece- for embroidery, I have a huge Pinterest board of things I’d like to put on my jackets/jeans/shirts. There’s no shame in taking inspiration!!!!
Finally, if none of these things work (and I know it’s easier said than done) literally just force yourself to do one creative thing a day. When I‘m bored at school I draw random faces and people passing by. Just by forcing yourself to get back into the habit, hopefully that will encourage your brain to return to its former creative glory.
Good luck!!!!!
Apr 18, 2025
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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
😃i have the same issue but i think alot of the times starting small helps me. just grabbing a pen and notebook and doodling until i feel the creativity start to flow again or even just grabbing some paper and scissors and cutting out shapes, just the morion of creating if that makes sense. also, looking at my old projects motivates me alot and inspires me. or even other people i admire, going through all their work, seeing all the things they’ve done and are doing will help spark me back to life creatively :p and sometimes you really just have to force yourself to start something, self discipline perhaps. but also, creativity works in so many ways and is not constantly flowing so dont beat yourself up if u really really arent feeling it even after trying to start something. love you 😽
Rec
📝Unfortunately there's no solution that works for everyone all the time. (If there was, I'd be published by now🙈.) BUT here are some things that I sometimes do to try and conquer the block:
•Let it sizzle: This is my least favorite suggestion, so I'm getting it out of the way first. Sometimes that project/idea/etc. needs time to marinate before you can keep going. This is especially a good idea if you've been working at it relentlessly, and possibly grown fatigue. If it loses its novelty and stops impressing you, you're gonna be less inclined to WANT to keep going. Leave that doc alone for a week or two, and return when your mind is fresh. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find inspiration/have a shower thought that prompts you to go back.
•Put canon aside for a sec: Start with a writing prompt. This can be a one word prompt, or an absolutely ridiculous scenario to put your character in. Allow yourself to write a non-canonical or semi-canonical snippet/oneshot around this prompt. This is something I usually do begrudgingly, but it HAS helped me get in my characters' heads, further establish their voices and mannerisms, and learn a lot about how my worlds operate outside of The Plot.
•Delete the section that's stumping you and rewrite it from memory: This is a weird one, but it's helped me before. If you're stuck and can't move forward from a particular spot, it might help to (momentarily) cut the text out. Attempt to rewrite it from memory, and see where it takes you. It may land you in the same dead end, but every so often you'll end up with something better than before.
•Write out of order (write what you want): I always do this anyway, but mad respect to anyone who's structured enough to NOT jump around all the time. But uh... this is sometimes what you NEED to do, I think. I've started writing where I can, and putting placeholders like <THIS HAPPENS> <TIME PASSES> <IDK WHAT'S NEXT> where I can't. Sometimes, by skipping around and writing that one special scene, I simultaneously create the context needed to fill in some of those gaps.
•Change up your text, visually: I think this is a tip I saw on Tumblr of all places. Taking what you've written and changing the font is something that will quite literally alter the way you look at the text in front of you. Nothing may come of it, but it may psychologically trick you into reading it from a different perspective. Try a more whimsical font, or one that matches the tone and theme of the work. Make it bigger. Smaller. Change the color. Change the background color. You never know what might help🤷♀️
•Make a playlist: This actually hurts me more than it helps, because I'll focus on doing stuff like this OVER writing my thing. But it can be fun to make a playlist of songs that remind me of my story. Whether that's songs to embody my characters and their personalities, songs that I think they'd listen to, songs that fit the mood and ambiance of my story, songs that remind me of certain scenes or locations, songs that would play in a theoretical soundtrack/AMV, etc.!!! Once you've compiled 'em, listening through could conjure up ideas to get you back in the game. Doesn't hurt to give it a go!
•Watch or read something in the same genre: I'm not encouraging plagiarism or anything, but am saying that reading "Frankenstein" and watching "Nosferatu" really put me in the mood and mindset to forge on with my gothic horror novel. My mind was RACING with macabre inspiration. I think this sort of ties in with the playlist suggestion for that reason.
•Devote a notebook or bullet journal to this project: Use it for EVERYTHING except writing the actual work. Give yourself ten minutes to write as complete of an outline as you can. Make a list of everything that's stumping you. Be CANDID: admit when you're having a hard time growing fond of a certain character, or fitting in a certain scene, or overcoming a plothole. Make a list of all the things you need to research. Brainstorm dialogue. Paste in pictures from magazines that remind you of your world and characters. Go crazy!
Ultimately it's hard to know what will and won't work to get you out of your slump. Sometimes it feels like you'll never make it through. Every writer is different, and what works like a charm for one person can actively harm another's creative process. But keep trudging on, and look for inspiration everywhere. I believe in you, and wish you luck on your journey!
•Let it sizzle: This is my least favorite suggestion, so I'm getting it out of the way first. Sometimes that project/idea/etc. needs time to marinate before you can keep going. This is especially a good idea if you've been working at it relentlessly, and possibly grown fatigue. If it loses its novelty and stops impressing you, you're gonna be less inclined to WANT to keep going. Leave that doc alone for a week or two, and return when your mind is fresh. Sometimes you'll get lucky and find inspiration/have a shower thought that prompts you to go back.
•Put canon aside for a sec: Start with a writing prompt. This can be a one word prompt, or an absolutely ridiculous scenario to put your character in. Allow yourself to write a non-canonical or semi-canonical snippet/oneshot around this prompt. This is something I usually do begrudgingly, but it HAS helped me get in my characters' heads, further establish their voices and mannerisms, and learn a lot about how my worlds operate outside of The Plot.
•Delete the section that's stumping you and rewrite it from memory: This is a weird one, but it's helped me before. If you're stuck and can't move forward from a particular spot, it might help to (momentarily) cut the text out. Attempt to rewrite it from memory, and see where it takes you. It may land you in the same dead end, but every so often you'll end up with something better than before.
•Write out of order (write what you want): I always do this anyway, but mad respect to anyone who's structured enough to NOT jump around all the time. But uh... this is sometimes what you NEED to do, I think. I've started writing where I can, and putting placeholders like <THIS HAPPENS> <TIME PASSES> <IDK WHAT'S NEXT> where I can't. Sometimes, by skipping around and writing that one special scene, I simultaneously create the context needed to fill in some of those gaps.
•Change up your text, visually: I think this is a tip I saw on Tumblr of all places. Taking what you've written and changing the font is something that will quite literally alter the way you look at the text in front of you. Nothing may come of it, but it may psychologically trick you into reading it from a different perspective. Try a more whimsical font, or one that matches the tone and theme of the work. Make it bigger. Smaller. Change the color. Change the background color. You never know what might help🤷♀️
•Make a playlist: This actually hurts me more than it helps, because I'll focus on doing stuff like this OVER writing my thing. But it can be fun to make a playlist of songs that remind me of my story. Whether that's songs to embody my characters and their personalities, songs that I think they'd listen to, songs that fit the mood and ambiance of my story, songs that remind me of certain scenes or locations, songs that would play in a theoretical soundtrack/AMV, etc.!!! Once you've compiled 'em, listening through could conjure up ideas to get you back in the game. Doesn't hurt to give it a go!
•Watch or read something in the same genre: I'm not encouraging plagiarism or anything, but am saying that reading "Frankenstein" and watching "Nosferatu" really put me in the mood and mindset to forge on with my gothic horror novel. My mind was RACING with macabre inspiration. I think this sort of ties in with the playlist suggestion for that reason.
•Devote a notebook or bullet journal to this project: Use it for EVERYTHING except writing the actual work. Give yourself ten minutes to write as complete of an outline as you can. Make a list of everything that's stumping you. Be CANDID: admit when you're having a hard time growing fond of a certain character, or fitting in a certain scene, or overcoming a plothole. Make a list of all the things you need to research. Brainstorm dialogue. Paste in pictures from magazines that remind you of your world and characters. Go crazy!
Ultimately it's hard to know what will and won't work to get you out of your slump. Sometimes it feels like you'll never make it through. Every writer is different, and what works like a charm for one person can actively harm another's creative process. But keep trudging on, and look for inspiration everywhere. I believe in you, and wish you luck on your journey!
Jul 15, 2025
Top Recs from @kai_ser
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I love these movies dude I’m so serious
Rec
1) Recently have become more and more disillusioned with the big three religions
2) Agree with the Satanic Temple’s principles
3) The art of him is beautiful
4) Generally agree with his whole shtick of questioning authority and refusing to blindly follow anyone
5) HE‘S PUNK AS FUCK!!!!
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🪡I love up cycling things that don’t fit anymore and personalizing my clothes :)