Un-Block My Song: How To Cope With Writer's Block
You might also try more structured assignments, like: describe something or someone in the room in musical or lyrical terms (ode to the couch), write a bad song about eating dinner, use a specific headline or news story or photo as inspiration. We’re not talking top-ten material here (at least I don’t think so, anyway…).
Peruse your old notes, work tapes, and/or titles, and try to tap into yourself when you were in a more creative mode.
Try to recognize your personal creative cycles, if you have them. Take advantage of downtime to work on the business end of the music business.
Collaborate. Two heads may certainly be better than one, especially when one of them isn't feeling all that inspired.
Meditate. This can help in terms of allowing nonjudgmental thoughts to flow in and out of your mind, which could bring you to a calmer, more observing, more understanding self. You may also find yourself visualizing in ways that spur your creativity.
You may just need to time to incubate, meaning a time to mentally/creatively formulate your ideas in order to musically or lyrically bring them to fruition. Recognize it as part of the creative process, because it truly is.
Start a journal, or write TO someone. The personal nature of these can give you insight into yourself, and a more freeing manner of expression.
Write in a different form or genre than you're used to, use a different instrument, use paper instead of a computer or vice versa, choose a brand new location in which to write. In other words, draw yourself in by throwing yourself off.
Be very observant, using all your senses, of all the details around you, and consider it to be part of creative food for thought. Take notes (the color of a woman’s hair, the expression on a child’s face). Note rhythms (the beats in a bird call, the tones of a passing train). See if you can take off from there.
Start small and/or easy in terms of time spent or amount accomplished. And don't be too hard on yourself regarding what "accomplished" is. Everything’s relative, isn’t it?
Realize that deadlines or the external demands that you or others put on you can quash the internal seeds of creativity. So, remind yourself (often!) why you write to begin with.
Try not to compare yourself to others.
Make a list of ideas you would want to work on if you “could” write. Because you can. That
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