You Might Want to Try Being Less Creative
A personal reflection on the creative process suggests that borrowing from existing works and following established patterns can help overcome creative blocks. The author describes how collaborating with a friend helped them finish a song by embracing simplicity over perfectionism.
Why it matters
This perspective challenges the 'tortured artist' trope and offers a practical, iterative approach to creative work that can be applied to various fields.
I tagged along to Secret Studios with my friend Jon for a jam session and realized why I’d never finished a song as a teenager.
I left a little ashamed of how I’ve gotten in my own way, but also inspired by what I now feel empowered to do.
The first thing Jon and I did was triangulate towards something that was alive for both of us that day. We talked a lot about flow. For me it was writing, or breaking . For Jon it was music and skating. We loved the moments when we were totally absorbed and everything else just faded to the background.
“ It all just falls away ” became the foundational hook for our chorus.
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