This content has been automatically translated from Ukrainian.
Empty screen. A blinking cursor. And you seem to be staring into the abyss, where something new is supposed to be born. Familiar, right? Every content creator, whether in design or script, has faced the fear of a blank page. What does Google say about this: “The fear of the blank page is the fear of starting a new task, writing text, or creating something new, which can lead to paralysis and indecision. It arises from uncertainty, fear of making mistakes, or lack of confidence in one's abilities, and this is something representatives of various professions encounter.”
In fact, overcoming it is very simple — just start. But more on that later.
I have been a designer for over 5 years, so of course I have faced this more than once. When you have an ultra-important project, a deadline in an hour, and you have nothing, just emptiness on the screen and in your head. You get nervous because you have to submit work that you haven't even started, and because of the nerves, you can't even think. Ugh... It’s impossible to list how many times I dragged it out to the end. We won’t go far — the identity for “I Was Here.”
I had a rough sketch in my head even before I joined the project. I had ready references and a rough action plan. But even that didn’t save me. When I showed the team examples and the first sketches of the logo, I decided that it was completely insufficient for a full understanding and immersion in the project. I developed a design concept presentation, where I gathered references not only for the design but also for the overall vibe. It was a kind of ✨unique✨ brief, where I interviewed two co-founders of “I Was Here” and received a not very clear, but still mood board.
It would seem that I have a clear strategy to move forward, just gather everything together and do it. But. It happened. The fear of the blank page. I looked at the paper (I always start logos with sketches in a notebook) and didn’t understand where to go. In conditions of limited time due to my main job and the deadline (set by me), I was caught in paralysis, so I had to push the submission of the identity back. For. A whole. Month. However, about two weeks before the discussed date (when I was supposed to submit the work), I sat down and forced myself to do something. I opened Pinterest with graffiti fonts and started redrawing, fortunately, many letters from the English language can be adapted to Ukrainian. After making the first sketch, second, third, I realized that it wasn’t as scary and paralyzing as it seemed at first glance. After that, working with colors and fonts wasn’t so painful. Well, now you see my efforts everywhere design is present.
So, practical advice, as promised.
- Start.
That’s it.
Okay, I’m joking, but this is really the main thing. A blank sheet is only scary when it’s blank. Start with something, be silly, draw/write some nonsense. You can always erase it. And now, the real list.
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Don’t be afraid of experiments. You have the opportunity to create countless variations of your work. You are not a surgeon (I hope they don’t have such fears), your actions won’t ruin someone’s life. Yes, not even yours.
- Seek inspiration. I still believe that motivation > inspiration. But it can also be invoked. Act according to the circumstances. Need an article/essay — open a blogging platform and read others' thoughts, something will resonate with you. Need a design/drawing — open Pinterest, Behance, Instagram and start by repeating.
- Try changing your environment. Get out of bed and sit at a table. Go to your favorite café or park. Anything to fill your brain with a bit of novelty around, so to speak, to kickstart it.
- And, finally, just start. Let the first, second, third versions be unsuccessful. Let them be. But then you will create something incredibly beautiful.
So, conclusions! In fact, this paralysis is completely normal, and if you feel this way — congratulations, you are a living person. But it’s important to remember that we are the “blacksmiths of our lives” and we can control the situation and our emotions. If you feel scared, sad, anxious — let it out. You can even do it on that same blank sheet. I believe in you. And in myself too. And you should believe in yourself.
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