Hey everyone, Pixel here!

As you might know, me and a handful of other users received our News Team badges about one week ago now. I'd like to start with a big thank you to the News Team for a warm welcome, and to Fiskarna for this amazing layout. Because of this tiny badge behind my username, you guys will now hear from me weekly - if you so please. This badge also granted me another thing: unlimited creative freedom. I am so excited to be writing articles for you, creating content that you will hopefully enjoy to read and discuss. Yet today, I found myself spacing out with my eyes fixated on an empty Word document. "What if I can't come up with anything to write about?" I asked myself. "And if I do, will they like my writing at all?". Beads of sweat were forming on my forehead. It felt as if the empty document was mocking me. I found myself staring face-to-face with a creative block, or in my case - a writer's block. All the ideas that ran through my head when I wrote my application for the News Team seemed to have vanished.

I decided that there was only one thing to do: I needed to turn these doubts into an article. I have noticed that a lot of you have creative interests, and I've seen so many stunning artworks on this site. Drawings, videos, poems, songs - you guys leave me so impressed. Yet, I've seen a lot of you struggling with the exact same thing as I did today: you have the freedom to create whatever you feel like, and yet you can't seem to get started.

This is why I gathered a bunch of tips on what to do when you get stuck in a creative process. I've created a list that I hope might be useful to some of you. If you have more advice to share, feel free to leave a comment about it.

⬛ Take time off
Of course, this only applies to those who aren't in crippling deadline-induced pain. But if you can afford it, take a break from your project. Clear your mind in a way that works for you. Take your dog for a walk, watch some Netflix, whatever you do to unwind.

⬛ Try free writing or drawing
Sometimes, the hardest part of a project is getting started. Whether you work digitally or traditionally, a blank sheet can feel almost intimidating. Often, if you manage to get anything down on paper, things will get easier. My advice is to try some free writing or drawing. Draw or write about whatever you see around you right in the moment. It might not be useful to the project you're working with, but hopefully it will spark your motivation.

⬛ Choose a lower difficulty level
You might have a grand picture in your head of what you want to create. It's going to be a mesmerizing artwork that leaves people in awe ... but you have no idea where to begin. If that is the case, you might not be ready to create this artwork yet. Lower your demands, and choose a project that is more manageable at your current skill level. If you're still dead-set on creating a highly-complicated artwork - break it down into smaller pieces. Make sure you take time to learn how to do every step of the process. Look up as many tutorials as you can find.

⬛ Find new inspiration
Looking at other people's work might give you the needed inspiration to continue your own. There are lots of websites dedicated to displaying inspiring works of art. If you want to stay off the Internet, you could even visit a local museum for some inspiration - or just browse through some magazines. Getting some new perspective may help you avoid getting trapped in your own mind. Just be careful to maintain your originality, and don't steal someone else's artwork.

⬛ "Finished, not perfect"
I believe this quote is a good mantra for any artist. It's not unusual to be very critical of one's own work - which is perfectly understandable, as it is a great feeling of satisfaction to create something that is exactly like you imagined it. Still, it's not good to abandon every other project halfway in because you aren't happy with your progress. In time, this will make you lose motivation. Try to finish at least nearly everything you start creating. Even if you're not satisfied with the finished result, you'll learn a lot from the process, and thereby get better in time. As you look back at your older projects, you'll see your own improvements too. You could even re-do older projects as your skills improve.