As a creative person, you might be tempted to think that fear of the blank page is the primary problem you're facing. But I'd like to make the argument that it's actually a symptom that's manifested in your life. Of what you might ask? Well it can be lots of things, but in my opinion it boils down to these three primary things -- an overactive inner critic, a fear of failure, and not enough creative play in your life.

Caring for our creativity is like keeping a vehicle in good condition.

Similar to how a car needs regular maintenance to stay in peak performance, our creativity also thrives on continuous care and attention. Neglecting this vital upkeep can lead to the development of an overactive inner critic, a paralysing fear of failure, and a creative life devoid of playful experimentation. Eventually, the dreaded fear of the blank page can creep in, leaving us feeling utterly blocked.

Imagine what it would be like to open your sketchbook and effortlessly fill its pages with beautiful and playful sketches, free from hesitation. Or envision starting a blank canvas with the initial layers of a painting with confidence. Picture yourself sitting down to write, and the words flow effortlessly onto the empty page, like a tap that’s just been opened. That would be the definitive sign that you've conquered your fear of the blank page.

With all that said, let’s explore how to overcome this fear by addressing your:

• Overactive Inner Critic

• Fear of Failing

• Lack of Creative Play

Overactive Inner Critic

If you haven't already met, allow me to introduce someone – your inner critic: the arch-nemesis of creative endeavours.

We all grapple with a pesky inner critic. Some of us wrestle with it more than others, but I genuinely believe that most creative individuals have one. I delve much deeper into the topic of the inner critic in another video, which I'll link below if you'd like to explore further. But, In a nutshell, the inner critic is the negative inner monologue holding us back from creating.

This inner critic can be particularly harsh at the outset of a creative project or piece. It's the most daunting part, after all!

You might hear it saying things like...

"Who do you think you are? You can't paint!"

"As if this will turn out; you have no original ideas. You're a fraud!"

So how do you corner off that nasty inner critic long enough so you can start filling up the blank page? Well one helpful way is by firmly talking back to your inner critic. So for example, your inner critic says:

"Who do you think you are? You can't paint!"

You might say back to your inner critic:

"Be quiet. Your input is not useful at this time. Go away".

This may seem extremely simple, but if you get enough practice at telling your inner critic to go away, you might find they shut up long enough that you can get started on that blank page. What do you think? Reckon you could give that a go?

Fear of Failing

It seems to me that so much of what’s wrapped up in our fear of the blank page is a fear of failure. Think about what a blank page represents. It’s fresh, clean and completely without mistakes! To someone afraid to fail, that page had better be perfect or it may as well stay empty. It could also be very closely linked to being a perfectionist. Perfectionism demands you execute everything perfectly, your artworks included. It demands that you circumnavigate all the messy exploration and experimentation that's inherently part of the creative process, which, in turn, necessitates making mistakes. If you'd like to explore this topic further,you can read this blog where I delve deeper into strategies for outsmarting your perfectionism.

For the purposes of this blog though, let’s consider how you can work through this fear of failure.

The first way to tackle this issue is with a mixture of self-compassion and a pragmatic attitude of “getting on with it”. That is to say, just start and accept that mistakes are going to happen. This isn’t revolutionary advice but it is the most straightforward. You must accept that there will be mistakes on your canvas or paper and that your skillset may not be where you desire it to be. However, improvement only comes by filling one blank page after another. There are no shortcuts to this.

If that blank page still intimidates you need to, "unblank" it deliberately. I know many artists who paint their canvases a different colour before starting. Other artists I know will loosely pour a watercolour wash over their paper, lay down loose marks, or even distress the surface they're working on. This removes the intimidation of the stark white surface and makes it less daunting.

Following this, if fear of failure lingers, remember that it's just a piece of paper or canvas. Don't become overly attached to your work. Sometimes as artists we can get so attached to the work we’re doing. Maybe it's going well, so we’re afraid to ruin it. Just remember the real treasure is you, the creator, not the artwork. If you've made something once, you can do it again, likely even better the next time. Materials are part of the process too, so don't be too precious about them either. Even if it doesn't work out, you've learned and experimented, which is invaluable.

Lack of Creative Play

You know that saying “You get what you put in”? Well I adamantly believe this applies to creative things too. You simply cannot walk up to a blank page and confidently fill it without having done a lot of creative stuff before that. The best way to do this is through creative play.

It’s in the process of play that our creative confidence is built. As artists we need to be testing ideas, playing with techniques, pushing concepts and all round just playing. I personally keep a sketchbook handy for exactly this.

This is the space I keep that can be messy, erratic, imperfect. It’s the space I come to test new ideas and push the boundaries. It’s my happy playful place. The more I've engaged in this kind of play, the less I've feared the blank page. Your approach may vary, but I genuinely believe that regardless of how you do it, the more you engage in creative play, the less you'll fear the blank page.

If you'd like more information on how play connects to ongoing inspiration,you can read this blog I created, where I explore the intricacies of this topic.

Takeaways

• Fear of the blank page is a symptom of:

• An overactive inner critic,

• A fear of failure

• Not enough creative play in your life.

• These areas of our creativity require ongoing care and attention

• Doing so, means we don’t become creatively blocked

What's Next?

1. Download your free PDF workbook below.

2. Unlock access to this and other free resources by joining "The Creativity Cafe".

3. Watch my free creative block masterclass.

4. Get on the wait list for my upcoming sketchbook workshop here.

Unlock access to this roadmap by
joining "The Creativity Cafe"

This roadmap lays out every roadblock you may come across when trying to find your way back to daily creativity. As I know from personal experience, this journey can be a long one, so it’s best done with a roadmap in hand.