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
Related Recs
Rec
āæPull a joni mitchell and engage in arts that differ from your primary to inform it at a later time.
If you lean more toward visual arts try poetry, song writing, music making, acting/performances for the self, crochet, clay, claymation, videography, sound collection, whistling, discovering new sounds you can make etc.
Often when i want to create but i feel tired or uninspired i try to use still life or my surroundingsā BUT If thats boring i ask myself a question and let my train of thought ramble -> connecting that rambling to my pen on paper
Honestly setting your inner critic to rest and creating things that are imperfect is actually incredible!
More often than not letting first drafts be final for a moment allows you to discover what you crave to create.
Rec
šæi dont know if this will be helpful. Or confusing. But when i experience writers block i like to live with it (?) i think that its natural and you have to ride the wave. i think art comes to you. Not the other way around. Yes it is fun to create. but inspiration must naturally strike
I would get an ounce of an idea and i would push it and stress over completing it. And then get so frustrated And then its not fun anymore.
but now when i get an idea i transfer it to a physical medium and once i get stuck, i leave it alone. Until it comes back to me again. Or not at all. And thatās ok too. Not everything has to be completed
Keeping creative endeavors in the back of your mind can let them marinate and get nice and lovely. easier said than done but try not to get discouraged that youāre not writing right now. There is some kind of beauty in its absence
I would get an ounce of an idea and i would push it and stress over completing it. And then get so frustrated And then its not fun anymore.
but now when i get an idea i transfer it to a physical medium and once i get stuck, i leave it alone. Until it comes back to me again. Or not at all. And thatās ok too. Not everything has to be completed
Keeping creative endeavors in the back of your mind can let them marinate and get nice and lovely. easier said than done but try not to get discouraged that youāre not writing right now. There is some kind of beauty in its absence
Feb 11, 2025
Rec
šØRecently 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 Iāve drawn so many of those stupid fucking robots Iām 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 Iād like to put on my jackets/jeans/shirts. Thereās no shame in taking inspiration!!!!
Finally, if none of these things work (and I know itās easier said than done) literally just force yourself to do one creative thing a day. When Iām 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 Iāve drawn so many of those stupid fucking robots Iām 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 Iād like to put on my jackets/jeans/shirts. Thereās no shame in taking inspiration!!!!
Finally, if none of these things work (and I know itās easier said than done) literally just force yourself to do one creative thing a day. When Iām 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!!!!!
Top Recs from @amanda_townsend
Rec
I'm so sorryā¹ļøš©·. My friend group of 10 years just split unexpectedly this past week: it's a harrowing and complicated kind of heartbreak and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.
Here are some movies to help you through some of the feelings you might encounter (apologies if I got any of the years wrong) :
ššš
If you're feeling unhinged or directionless about subtracting this person from your life; if you're feeling ashamed, guilty, neglected, or exiled; if YOU were the one who was friend-dumped; if you're having a hard time giving up the memories and facing your new reality: Here are some on-the-nose recs for films to help you feel vindicated, and give you the strength to embrace self-care and having fun on your own (especially if there's the teeeensiest part of you that wants to prove to them that you CAN have fun and be okay apart from them. Like a platonic revenge bod):
ā¢FRIENDSHIP (2025)
ā¢THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (2022)
ā¢MURIEL'S WEDDING (1994)
___š§___
If you kinda saw the breakup coming; if the friend was becoming someone you didn't recognize; if you've been ruminating on the issues and trying to trace back to where it all went wrong; if you're mostly feeling numb:
ā¢I SAW THE TV GLOW (2024)
ā¢FOX AND THE HOUND (1981)
ššš
If your friend ever made you feel shut-out or betrayed; if they were a lowkey a-hole; if you feel strongly that they're the one in the wrong; if you feel like you got the short end of the stick; if you're insecure that they're thriving while you're hurting:
ā¢THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)
ā¢THE LAST FIVE YEARS (2014)
š„š„š„
If they were a fake friend; if they were changing you for the worse; if stuff was getting toxic; if you're better off without them and you KNOW it; if you're burning that bridge to BLAZES:
ā¢HEATHERS (1989)
ā¢MEAN GIRLS (2004)
ā¢JENNIFER'S BODY (2009)
š¤¬š¤¬š¤¬
If you're angry; if you're feeling like hurting someone or punching something; if you're hurt and thirsty for revenge:
ā¢SERIAL MOM (1994)
ā¢JOHN WICK + BALLERINA
ā¢KILL BILL (or pretty much any Tarantino)
š
š
š
šāāļøšāāļøšāāļø
If you don't want to think about your friend at all; if you just need a distraction or some background noise for comfort:
ā¢INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009): Watch a bunch of nazis die gruesomely!!!
ā¢THE MUMMY (1999): Classic treasure hunt adventure
ā¢WAITING FOR GUFFMAN (1996): Mockumentary about a small town community theatre production.
ā¢GAME NIGHT (2015): one of the funniest modern comedies out there, imo. ā¢BULLET TRAIN (2022): action comedy with a quirky cast of characters. A really fun time and a go-to comfort film for me. ā¢A MUSICAL MOVIE (if you're into that): For a feelier, cry-it-out experience try "Tick Tick Boom," "Les Mis," or "La La Land." For pure unbridled joy, go for "Mamma Mia!" or "Mary Poppins." ā¢A CONCERT FILM! My personal favorites are MCR's "The Black Parade is Dead" in Mexico City, and of course Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" Remember, there's no correct way to be feeling, and no one-size-fits-all way to grieve (or celebrate!) Take your time to process this in a way that suits you, and allow yourself extra attention and special care as you navigate your feelings. Wishing you the very bestš©·
ā¢GAME NIGHT (2015): one of the funniest modern comedies out there, imo. ā¢BULLET TRAIN (2022): action comedy with a quirky cast of characters. A really fun time and a go-to comfort film for me. ā¢A MUSICAL MOVIE (if you're into that): For a feelier, cry-it-out experience try "Tick Tick Boom," "Les Mis," or "La La Land." For pure unbridled joy, go for "Mamma Mia!" or "Mary Poppins." ā¢A CONCERT FILM! My personal favorites are MCR's "The Black Parade is Dead" in Mexico City, and of course Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" Remember, there's no correct way to be feeling, and no one-size-fits-all way to grieve (or celebrate!) Take your time to process this in a way that suits you, and allow yourself extra attention and special care as you navigate your feelings. Wishing you the very bestš©·
Jul 13, 2025
Rec
A triumphant riot!! A dysfunctional family roadtrip dramedy following a girl named Olive and her family as they race across the country so she can compete in a pageant. It's as preposterous as it is relatable, and as heartfelt as it is funny, with BRILLIANT performances, and thoughtful incorporation of serious themes and social commentary. I cannot recommend this movie enough to anyone who hasn't had the privilege of experiencing it.
Jul 18, 2025
Rec
Here's my wig from when I went to a convention as Tracy from Hairspray. I DIY'ed this honking mass of foam and cardboard as the piece de resistance. It's goofy-looking and deviated a bit from the blueprint in my mind, but I'm happy with the end result! (I wish these photos showed the whole diameter of it: it's LARGE)
6d ago