From writing essays to creating original synopses and music, at some point every author has experienced the condition of writer’s block. While it's perfectly normal for creative people, severe cases of writer’s block can disrupt people’s careers and send them into oblivion. However, writer’s block is not always an awful thing. Sometimes, it is just a brief struggle right before something great happens.
In recent months, Adele has been open about the writer’s block she experienced during the recording of her latest album "25." She has talked about how she was “over-thinking everything,” but that once she “chilled out,” everything fell into place. In fact, her hit single “Hello” was written over the course of six months, and its chart success indicates that the song was worth the wait.
Interestingly, some musical genres can be affected by writer’s block more than other genres. We live in an age where several Top 40 musicians, who don’t always write their own songs, can release new music at the rate of one album per year. For example, between 2005 and 2012, Rihanna released seven albums, all of which were huge commercial successes. The creative process can be more laborious, however, for those in more niche genres, such as indie rock and classical music. In the span of 20 years, one of my favorite singer-songwriters, Fiona Apple, has released only four albums, all of which have been critically lauded for their artistic cohesion. Similarly, in the classical world, the composer Richard Wagner took 26 years to complete his masterpiece "The Ring of the Nibelung," a cycle of four operas totaling 16 hours of music. The fact that both Apple and Wagner released their music when they wanted to means that they emphasized artistic integrity over commercial hits.
As a composer and a producer who has struggled with writer's block before, I value artistic integrity by never rushing or forcing inspiration. Inspiration comes to me at the most random moments, but it’s something that I seize each time that it happens. I would much rather have a short, concise body work that is only a few pieces or songs long than a tedious body of work with filler pieces. I spent three years working on my album "Aqueous" to make sure that every second and every instrument sounded right to me. As a student, I’ve made sure that I maintain a personal connection to every piece that I’ve written. Keeping that connection to my influences, while also being open to experimentation, is what keeps me pursuing the creative arts.
Often, when encountered with writer’s block, a creative person might feel tempted to quit their craft altogether. In that case, one method that helps is for them to remember why they loved pursuing their talent in the beginning. My advice to anyone suffering from writer’s block is to not get discouraged by it. Writer’s block is simply a phase, and anyone can push through it. It is a rewarding experience getting to share creative output with the world, so just hang in there.
