Creativity requires very little. Its only real prerequisite is inspiration. This is especially true for social media and content creators Social media is a hobby for most of us, and by the time we can sit down to create, we’ve had a full day of working and juggling other aspects of our life. We’re drained, and if we don’t have the inspiration or motivation to create, we won’t. So nailing down your inspirations, either for your entire creative process or for individual videos, is important.
Additionally, your inspirations will inform or change your creative flow. We’ll get to that later in the article; for now, let’s cover sparking inspiration.
Finding Your (Overarching) Inspiration 🤩
Quite a few creators come to social media with a clear idea of what and why they want to post. A musician will post to connect with and learn from other musicians, and an interior designer will post to share decorating tips. But a lot of creators figure out why they want to create content as they post it, which is perfectly fine! Sometimes we don’t know what keeps us going until…well, it literally keeps us going.
While we can’t tell you what your inspiration is or should be, we can help you discover it! Below are some guiding questions that might lead you to your inspiration.
Are You Passionate About Something? ❤️🔥
This is where most people’s inspirations will fall, and it’s pretty reliable! If you start with something you love or already know a bit about, creating content around it will be so much easier. This passion can be a creative hobby or project, a career or experience that will help others, or anything you find yourself talking about often.
What Content Do You Want to Create? 📸
You don’t just decide that you want to create on social media without having some idea of what you want to create. Start there! Jot down the videos you want to make, the trends you want to follow, and the kinds of content you’re interested in. Since something is already sparking inspiration, go ahead and follow it.
Is There Something You Want to Share? 🎁
Most artists will fall here, even if they’re passionate about their art and are looking to connect. Are there any creative projects or pursuits you’d like to share? Songs or books you may want to market?
What Kind of Content Do You Love? 🥰
Is there content or niches you find yourself gravitating towards? Are there communities you want to be part of? Try creating some content specifically for that community and see how you feel about it.
Harnessing Creativity in Everyday Life ⭐
Once you know the overarching inspiration behind your content, you’ll need to start thinking about individual inspirations for your videos. Even if you have a passion or interest that motivates you, it can be hard to keep up and stay inspired. There’s quite a few techniques to help spark inspiration and motivation in your content creation routine, and most of them are accessible and free! Let’s get into some of our favorites.
Engage With Your Audience ✨
Your followers provide valuable insight into your content. Pay attention to the comments, feedback, and suggestions you receive. They may give you a few exciting ideas you want to explore.
Keep Up With Trends ✨
Trends are ever evolving, bringing new ideas and inspiration with them. One trend can spark several new ideas, and they help introduce you to a wider range of content.
Look Outside Your Niches ✨
Inspiration can come from a variety of places. Don’t just limit yourself to one content niche. See what others are doing and if you’re able to apply any of their ideas to your content.
Follow Industry News ✨
Staying up to date with the latest news and industry trends will provide you with a wealth of inspiration for your content. Try following newsletters or or conducting regular research.
Jot Down Any Idea ✨
Keep a journal or digital page where you write down any and all ideas you think of. Don’t worry if they seem silly or small; you never know what might spark a larger concept.
Go for a Walk, Take a Break ✨
Sometimes all you need is to step away from your creative mindset. Go for a walk to give your brain a break and get yourself moving. Hitting pause will spark a bunch of new ideas.
Read, Listen, and Watch ✨
Different types of media and stories can spark new ideas, offer new perspectives, and provide different ways of thinking. Plus, it’s a good way to feel productive without actually working!
Surround Yourself with Creatives ✨
Follow other creators you like and slowly build a community of creative people. Seeing other people constantly coming up with new things will inspire you, too!
Creative Flow (or Process) 🔥
All inspiration, big and small, contribute to creative flow. Creative flow is essentially your creative process, but more refined and generative. It often includes heightened focus and productivity, where you can really tap into your creativity and get a lot done. And inspiration kick starts all of it.
Just like inspiration, we can’t tell you want your creative flow looks like. It varies from person to person and may look different depending on the specific platform or project you’re working on. But we can help you find and develop your own flow!
Finding Your Creative Flow 💡
What’s Your Current Process? 🤔
You’ve probably already started creating. Jot down your current system and the process you use to create your content and examine it. What works? What don’t you like? How does it leave you feeling?
When Do You Have Time? 🤔
It’s a good idea to get into a creative flow when you’ve actually got time to create. Look at your schedule for the day (or multiple days if it fluctuates) and see where you have time to fit in some creativity.
When Are You More Focused? 🤔
Some creators feel more focused in the morning, before the rest of their day has started. Others like to settle in at night once they’ve accomplished everything.
How Much Planning Do You Like? 🤔
You may be a creator who wants to plan their videos in advance, or you may do your best work with little to no prep. The answer may lengthen your process and mean you need more time.
What Are Other Creators Doing? 🤔
You don’t have to copy other creators completely (in fact, we don’t recommend you do!) but knowing how and why they create can help you find your own system.
All of these will contribute to your creative process in the beginning. But it’s not so easy as sitting down to create. You have your inspirations, you know when and how you want to create, but now you have to set the mood and perfect your environment. Now you have to develop your creative flow.
Developing Your Creative Flow 🏗️
This stage is some trial and error, and mostly involves creating! Creative flow is ultimately getting into a creative mindset and finding an effective process. When you’ve got the perfect flow, creation can feel effortless. So, once you have the basics above, it’s time to experiment and see what else works.
Find the Perfect Environment 🎶
Where do you create the best? Do you like having music or background noise, or do you need silence? Does feeling cozy make you more creative, or do you prefer a more professional approach? When planning, do you like coffee shops or your couch? Try out a few environments to find the one that works best for you.
Test a Structure 📝
Some people have better luck creating if they can sit down at the same time every day. They need a process to kickstart their own process. Others find spontaneity makes them more inspired and prefer to work in some creation where they can. Try out both and see if there’s one you prefer.
Eliminate Distractions 🎧
No matter what you settle on, we recommend limiting distractions as much as you can. Sometimes that’s not possible: we have kids or pets or notifications we have to tend to. But do try to create an environment with fewer distractions so you can really focus in.
Meditate or Practice Mindfulness 🧘
Mindfulness techniques like meditation can help you focus on the task at hand. They can help to eliminate any anxieties or mental chatter and make it easier to enter into a creative space. Starting your creative process with a quick meditation may help you feel more focused and energized.
Set Goals and Deadlines 🎯
At the beginning of your creative session, set some goals for what you’d like to accomplish. Knowing what you want to achieve helps focus your attention and channel your energy toward meaningful tasks. Keep your goals realistic so you feel motivated but not overwhelmed.
In Conclusion 📖
Don’t be discouraged if your inspirations or creative flow don’t come to you right away. Or if, in time, they just don’t accomplish what they used to. We change and so do our processes. Give yourself the time and the space to try out a few new things and see what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to adjust your creative flow or reexamine why you want to create.
And, since your inspirations and flow are your own, don’t feel pressured to do something just because other creators you look up to are doing so. Find what works for you and what helps you create your best content, and focus on that.