Etsy Success: Beating Creative Burnout

I am a frustrated creative dabbler and a full time vintage addict. I get my creative boost by enjoying the amazing talents right here on etsy.

Fantastic! I really needed this right now! Thank You!

great insights on artistic and productive practice. :)

Wonderful advice! Thanks!

Wonderful article. It's nice to see who's behind OneClayBead :-) Love all your guys' work!!! Congrats on the feature.

Excellent, real advice for being true to yourself as an artist. We are not machines or factories; we are human, with needs that must be nurtured--especially when life's demands get overwhelming. If we're not taking the time to take care of ourselves, our business will suffer.

I've not experienced burnout--yet--but certainly will keep these valuable points in mind. With luck, perhaps I can sidestep it altogether. Thanks for this worthwhile article!

I am a mom with young kids and sometimes have a hard time finding the time and the energy to be creative. I realized that doing creative things was something that I had put aside after having kids. Now that I am back into creating things, not only do I feel more energized, it is something that I love doing and that makes me feel like my old self again.

I so needed this. Thank you!

Great article. I, too, have problems with staying in the flow. I work part-time in the afternoons, which I find is the time I create best, so just when I find the flow- it's off to work.

What a wonderful article. I really needed to read this today. Thanks

Wonderful topic & equally wonderful artists!

Thank you for the great advice!!

Thank you so much for this article...so good to hear advice on creative burnouts...I'm glad I'm not the only one that has experienced them.

I've more or less accepted my creativity makes no sense and is completely on its own schedule. I tap into it when it feels right, and do other stuff when it doesn't.

an incredible article by some amazing artists! I strongly believe in knowing your voice. When I first started selling on-line I thought I'd have to paint "safer subjects with broad appeal" in order to be successful, setting my Nudes aside. But people are my passion, and it shows in my work, and those are the pieces that keep selling.

Thankyou so much for the incredible advice. A brilliant, and useful, read.

Thank you so much Lee (and etsy amdimins) for this enlighting article. It really touched a sensetive point in all artists work. I'm going to addopt some of my teamies idea. And yes the goal is to keep the Joy.

its hard sometimes to be a salesperson, craftsperson, and ingenious all at the same time. i guess thats what everyone on etsy is working toward. thanks for sharing

Wonderful article on burnout by very talented artists-designers thanks for sharing, so true bout following your inner voice.....

Awesome!! I feel totally burnt out right now as well. I'm going to just concentrate on projects for my daughter over the next few months instead of the store.

Great article, Lee! I like Coleen's ideas on keeping ideas flowing and listening to the inner voice!

These are good words for the soul. Creativity must be nurtured, not exploited.

Very helpful. I have been there myself, having produced wholesale painted items in the 80's

Wow, what great advice! So many good ideas on getting the joy and creativity back into what you do. Thank you!! :)

What a great article! It is nice to hear someone say that if you can't do it all, then that's okay, to be able to slow down and take time to smell the roses (or coffee)! Thanks!

Thank you so much for this article! As a mom to a four year old and just starting out in this business, I can certainly relate. All the ideas, in the article and comments are wonderful, thank you!

Interesting article, I sometimes worry about this myself - what happens when you go from being part time to full time. I think we all experience burnout every now and then. Sometimes its best to step back and just relax.

Good stuff! Thank you

Such a great article. So often it is hard to step back from the work to just play and be creative. Great to hear reminders that if you do what you love best, it will show in your sales.

I've found that too much custom work gets me in a rut... because I'm doing what someone else wants me to do instead of pleasing myself. I can deal with it for a week or two, but then I need to put all the custom orders aside & just make whatever I feel like making, in whatever way I please. Before long the custom orders no longer look like such a chore & I can start them again with a happy heart. The passion & cheerfulness that we experience as artists is an integral part of what we produce. When I'm in a rut, & making things feels like a chore, I'm never happy with the finished article... it has no joy in it, no zest, no life. So I go & play, make a protoype of something I've been planning for a while or haven't got round to trying yet, or something special as a surprise for a friend. You have to work with love in order for it to show through your work...

Excellent article!

Excellent advice to keep in mind, and an honest look at creative burnout. We all have things in our lives that stifle creativity, I think it's great to keep a few ideas such as these handy to help shake things up a bit and get the flow moving again! Thanks for sharing!

Wonderful article and so very timely. In the midst of this myself. Thank you!!!

Oh my goodness, this article couldn't have come at a better time--Ever since the holidays I've been struggling with burn-out from doing custom portraits. Definitely need to organize and LIMIT my commissioned work!

Nice article. Thanks.

really happy to be part of this amazing theme!:D awesome article..

What great references at the end of this post, especially the book by Pink! I can't wait to read it. I'm a big fan of Julia Cameron's Artist Way books...I push and push myself so much that I often snuff out creativity completely and exhaust myself. Cameron's books remind me of the importance of slowing down the mind, relaxing, and engaging in playful creative activities.

Great insight! I use food and nature as inspiration, so just taking a walk, or browsing through cook books helps me.

Thank you for sharing these insights -- just what I needed to hear. Balance is so hard to achieve. Cheers, Mandy

what a great post!! and those references are fabulous. thank you so much for including us!

A wonderful article! Burnout happens to all of us, so it's great to see that support and kind words!

Such a wonderfully inspiring article, chock full of truly worthy advice! The subject matter is one many of us have experienced but do not discuss. Thank you Lee for putting this together!

I copied your last paragraph and put it out there with a link for my Facebook fans and friends. Those words were sorely needed today! I have been thinking much on this subject; not on burnout per se, but on authenticity. I like that you challenged us to mine the depths, and to dig deep. There's always more! XO! Thank you for sharing!

Awesome advise Lee ! Thanks so much !

What do you do when all of that doesn't work? I'm closing in on almost a whole year of a lack of creative fulfilment. I've made things but give or take the odd piece, I haven't feel a genuine joy for a really long time. I've turned to selling antiques in the meantime, but it's hard to plan your creative life when your flow has totally dried up!

Such intresting reading, I think we all share these experiences.

Great article! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

Love the article and I'm not looking forward to any burnouts....

very helpful. thank you for this post

Thank you for sharing your good experiences and most importantly the bad ones too! so much to learn! The tips are really good :)

faginsdaughter says: What do you do when all of that doesn't work? I'm closing in on almost a whole year of a lack of creative fulfilment. I've made things but give or take the odd piece, I haven't feel a genuine joy for a really long time. I've turned to selling antiques in the meantime, but it's hard to plan your creative life when your flow has totally dried up! ......................................... You aren't alone, and your muses truly haven't deserted you for good! I can't say enough about The Artists' Way- checkout the link- as a recovery process for creative burnout. The process takes 12 weeks, and each week unlocks a new door.

This was just what I needed to read today. Very good advice from all the sellers and it's good to know I'm not alone in my struggles.

I love the reminder that "joy is not optional!" I have two children who are now at school, so I do most of my work during school hours, but a couple of years ago when they were around more - and when they demanded more attention while they were around - I found it really helpful to educate them that what I was doing counted as work just as much as Dad going off to the office counted as work. I did that by making something explicitly for them - essentially on commission to their specifications - and having them walk through every step with me. Not only did they gain a real appreciation for what I do, but it was an absolute blast for me, too, and really sparked all kinds of creative joy.

Joy is at the heart of what we do....it needs to be nurtured and kept safe from demands of mass production.

excellent article Lee!

very encouraging, thank you!

Thanks you for these words of wisdom. Everything you have said is so true. I just needed to be reminded. It is too easy to stop loving what you do and just as easy to fix it. Thank you.

I found myself "chasing the holidays". Quick - Halloween is coming up. Now Christmas. Now Valentine. But wait - make something aqua-marine coz that's the next big color. I found myself so far from my original intent, putting pressure on myself that didn't need to be there.

This was incredibly informative and inspirational. Thank you so much!

I am sewing more then 12 hours in a day and weekend too , because I am designing , going fabric store, other material store , sewing, cutting, ironing, packaging, shipping alone, I need to answer my emails with my poor english :) alone, i need to prome my work and my friend s work alone ! tired but happy artisan, but bit i need to time for me too , I will think again and again what can I do :)

Thanks for the inspiration! My biggest thing is relaxing enough to create something new. Love your stuff!

Needing this right now as a matter of fact. Thank you Lee! Good and informative read.

This is an ever-timely topic. Periodically we forget and need the reminder to let joy in and nurture it, as it is crucial to our creativity. Thanks to all the creatives in this article for their loving, heart-felt reminder!

I enjoyed reading your thoughts! Being a Creative person in my day job also, I am well aware of deadlines and I don't like this, and change that....so, my Etsy shop is pure, do what I want to do! I only create when I my mind can dream! I Love ETSY and I don't ever want to get tired of it! Setting limits is a good thing....keeps us fresh and happy!

great tips here and things that made me think! thank you! xox

Thanks for the pep talk! im tired... but not that tired.. ;D Back to work i happily go! rock on fellow Etsy-ians! keep making the worlds best handmade goods! Cheers! <3

Great article!! realy interesting ^_^ thanks!

Fantastic article and great insight from the artists here!

wow. i found the comment about having time and space to process an idea or inspiration very true. with three little ones at home, i find it hard to have time to process the ideas i come up with (that usually come during one of my many night time feeding sessions). it's good to hear it is normal and part of other creators' lives.

Terrific article Lee!

What a great article, Lee! I'm in the same boat as the Belinda and Jen. This is such a tricky but wonderful journey.

What a great article. I really respect every artist you quoted and all of you give some fantastic advice. Thanks so much!

thanks for your honest openness and sharing your tips.

This is such a great article!! I think all of us as artists/sellers go through this to some extent! Great suggestions for keeping us fresh and out of the slump! Thank you so much! ~Sarah

Thank you! This is just what I needed to read today.

Great article! Thank you.

This resonated so much with me! I used to take jewellery classes to unwind and socialize, and now, even though i adore it, it has lost its hobby charm! Thanks lee for this fabulous article!

THANK YOU! - I feel like this article came at such a crucial point for many of us artists - after the busy hub bub of Holiday sales and now a rare glimpse towards spring...how to balance what produces sales and what brings us true joy to create, that is indeed what I struggle with most often. ♥ I have gained so much insight, wisdom & straight forward advice from my fellow artisans in this thread - truly, my heart thanks you all!

Great article, Lee! Thank you for writing this! Something we all need to hear.

This is wonderful Lee and so inspiring! Thank you!

loved this article! thank you for putting it together for us!

thank you thank you thank you!

Thank you for giving out this information. We all need to help ourselves in all we do. Enjoyed.

thank you for this. It is nice to see other people in the same boat.

Thank you so much for this informative post. I believe strongly that living passionately is important.You are right...joy is not optional!!

I'm in slump! This article was perfectly timed! Pink Velvet Bird

It really helps to hear the theory in terms of actual individuals experiences. And lovely items!

Great article! Thank you :)

Great article to read, I had a similar burnout a few months ago making things I thought would sell at a local market. Felt cheap and not as creative. But Now I am back in the swing of things. What creative boost helped me was joining Swap-bot and doing some crafty paper crafting swaps and other artsy swaps.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for sharing...I LOVED reading this post...I felt really connected. xoxo

thank you, thank you, thank you. I was feeling this about a week ago and then I realized I needed to stop for a day or so and do somethingIi wanted to do so I delayed my orders for a week and made myself a nice crochet book bag.

Well written! Thank you for sharing.

Wow, so profound. I have been in a serious creative slump for a long time. Lots of unfinished paintings and half ideas. Keeping a sketchbook helps me quick scribble in "ah-ha!" ideas in the moment for later use. This quote from loopyboopy was inspiring "I've learned that it takes a bit of bravado and courage to dig deeper and trust that what is still within you, waiting to be created..."

Wonderful article! Thanks for sharing with us!

Love this article! Thank you for sharing!

Great article, Lee. Thanks for sharing your experience, your advice and of those you have interviewed. I learn a lot from this.

I feel creatively more inspired and motivated than ever before, but the thing I get burned out on is seeing my Etsy shop go nowhere. If I don't list and relist every day, the traffic slumps off to zero almost immediately. For me, Etsy is secondary to my freelance graphic design and community volunteering work. All of my items are one of a kind... and it has turned out to be impossible to maintain a "casual" presence on Etsy. You have to be on here 7 days a week, active in forums, treasuries and listing everyday or you are quickly buried under the mountain of new listings. Anyway, just ranting, frustrated that I cannot maintain a quality-over-quantity boutique shop because of all the mass-producers & mass-listers on Etsy. Maybe my stuff just isn't good enough for prime time yet.

Good to know I am not the only one out there! I loved BellaPuzzles tip- I have this habit of accepting all customer orders, then I wonder why I have no time for creativity (or to myself)! I like the idea of blocking out a section per week for each: creations and new designs, orders, etc. Will hopefully organise this asap!

So glad I took the time to read this article. Thanks so much!

What a great article. "Joy is not optional" - love it! Now I just need to remember it!

Awesome job Lee!!!

good interview ! thank you ! now i know i'm not the only one ! ;)

This was really wonderful to read! xoxo, Carol

The Artist's Way is truly brilliant. I went through it last year, and Ms. Cameron is quite the motivator. Morning pages and artist dates are where it's at!

Great article, thanks for sharing.

I love the last line about joy. So true!

WOnderful article! I have recently decided to take on a very limited amount of custom orders and I feel like a huge weight has been lifted, leaving room for the passion and creativity to emerge once again!!

This is right on time! I'm sitting in my studio trying to decide..sketch or organize papers?! Thanks for sharing :-)

YES! This is JUST what I needed to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, I totally love the clothespin easel type thing. Never would have though of it!

Yay! a great article Lee and I love to see all lovely feature here:)

Lee, I can feel you know what your talking about, Fantastic Article!!!

Great article! Thanks! When I have some moments of inspiration flowing I try to write the new ideas down, so when the sales slow down a bit I can look at them and create new items. But if great ideas just come and I feel really strong about them I just go and turn them into reality as soon as my kids give me a break! Looking at what the other etsians are creating are also very inspiring or in other words, CONTAGIOUS!!!

I LOVE this article. I needed it, too. Thanks so much!

just what we need right about now.. a boost!

Good article and some great ideas to ofset the creative slump! Thanks!

This was super helpful! Especially the part about putting a limit on custom orders so that one might be able to enjoy some breathing room. Brilliant!

Great article.Thanks for sharing this!

What a wonderful article, and amazingly timely for me. :) I have had some "knitter's block" recently. Between making duplicates of items that sell well, and being in the throes of beginning several new lines, I have felt that "flow" waver. Reading this is exactly what I needed today, and has really energized and inspired me. THANKS!!!!! :)

Oh gosh - did I ever need to read this now... thank you so much.

Awesome article I think many can relate to!

This is very timely for me, too. I am working on trying to weave quarterly weekend creative retreats into my annual schedule.

THANKS

The timing of this is perfect. Thank you for sharing.

Very helpful, thank you!

Great tips! Thanks.

Thanks good advice. I have a problem when I am working on a large custom order that takes a long time to complete. I try to stay fresh but doing a smaller "fun" piece at the same time, that way I have the instant gradification of getting it finished and I don't have to wait so long while I'm working on the large piece. I always have a few side small things going on when I'm doing a big one.

Wonderful article Lee! Beautifully written with lots of good insights!

What wonderful ideas! You have made my life much easier. Thank You!

very nice!

this was really worth reading. thanks!

"joy is not optional. it's at the heart of what we do." well said. love that. beautiful.

'Burn Out Happens' Bumper sticker material here. hahaha I have been there many times and although it certainly does not feel good at the time, it does lead to change which is good. In my case, it might have to do with stuborness but I'll probably never admit it. Oh there it is again.... Sitting back to quietly reflect usually brings some new insight that had been hiding right in front of me. Richard Martin 'Trusting in God'

Thank you!

Thanks so much............I needed this pep talk today!!!

Thanks so much for sharing this, it couldn't come at a better time for me!

I found this article so helpful and encouraging. Thanks so much!

Wonderful and encouraging advice. Thank you Lee and everyone else who contributed!

I can totally relate to this! Great article, thank you! I too have resorted to making what sells at my shows, and that tends to stifle my creativity. It begins to feel robotic. Today I was working on projects for a punk rock picnic show and found myself fighting the urge to create what I felt like creating for fear it wouldn't appeal to my target demographic. It really made me clam up, feeling like I was creating for everyone else except me. Totally defeats the purpose of art! Thanks for the breath of fresh air!

Brilliant. Wonderful to know I'm not the only one, great to read your advice and the timing is perfect. Thank you!

Thank you so much for this article! I really appreciate how you were so honest, sensitive, real and open! As a newbie, following my instincts to create from my heart verses what others want me to create for them, has been an interesting journey in trying to hear my own voice and not get bogged down because I want the sell. Every time I do that,instead of listening to my sould, I began the anxiety ride and I don't want to be on that roller coaster. Thanks so much for sharing. From the heart to your heart, Smokin Mud Productions

Thank you for that Lee. Being new at Etsy, I haven't had much success to speak of, but found your story an inspiration none the less. I'll keep your tips in mind should I experience burnout. Thanks again for that.

Do what you love best! Good Advice.

This article came just in time for me! I've just begun to feel myself searching for creativity at a time when my shop has been doing well and there's that instinct to produce more of the same. Thank you!

thanks for the article. I love what I do and after an abusive job I'm thankfully out of, I'm turning to photography as a career. I've been wanting to do this my whole life and have been crafting for so long I'm just putting the two of them together. Getting out and around new people has been helping and know that although I'm new to Etsy I can do this! Thanks for the reinforcement!

thanks for the article. I love what I do and after an abusive job I'm thankfully out of, I'm turning to photography as a career. I've been wanting to do this my whole life and have been crafting for so long I'm just putting the two of them together. Getting out and around new people has been helping and know that although I'm new to Etsy I can do this! Thanks for the reinforcement!

GREAT article! I love the idea that a creative burnout is actually something deeper that needs to come out - and you just haven't found it yet. Nothing is actually lost, just that focus need to be redirected. Thank you!

Very helpful! I began creating collages less than 5 years ago during an Artist Way class! That class totally changed my life! I totally know what you mean about your creativity getting clouded by business stuff :) I am having my 1st solo show in 2 months and have had to create several large scale pieces in a short amount of time. If I run out of ideas, I sometimes take a whole day and just work on my "inspiration book" - collecting photos/pics of whatever inspires me. Magically, the next day, I have ideas for my next 3-4 pieces!!!

Great Article ! My winters get bogged down with custom orders for my Floppy Stocking Caps - which I adore making and so enjoy getting to know the folks who order them. One year they were priced too low, orders piled up like this year's snow, and the joy of knitting Vanished ! I learned the hard way that pricing/time/delivery date commitments are the balancing acts of creativity, self satisfaction, and business success. Learning to pace yourself is critical in avoiding burnout!

I think this is an ongoing struggle for all of us creatives...thank you for the suggestions and insights. All ideas in how to manage this are really helpful.

It's nice to know that I am not the only one dealing with these issues. Thank you!

What a good read full of common sense and perfect advice. Thank you.

Oh yeah gonna post off on creative sabbatical! Jk great pointers to keep a max of how many items you can make comfortably per week. Thank u for ur honesty I also too have felt like I was portraying something I was not when I stopped having fun. I started to do other things and incorporate them inti my shop. I'm nit allowed to play with say my watercolors until I finish a bag ;)...and I really want To play so I can get them posted... Hopefully this weekend mini watercolor pendants too excited ( see it works)! Thx again!

Just went through a burnout phase that lasted for months! Quit painting for a bit and just did jigsaw puzzles until new ideas bubbled up from within. Now I am able to stay glued to the chair again. Spring is coming - warm weather make it really hard to stay at work. Sales are a good motivator though.

It is so true. When we are not in the mood nothing good coming out and insisting is loosing time.Sharing help to flow again.

A really great article with lots to ponder. Everytime I tried to make what I thought people wanted it failed to produce results. When I came from my heart and was true to myself, wonderful things happened. Thank you!

Fantastic article, and so much of that rings true for me - especially the lost ideas because I'm unable to potter off to create at a whim :) For a couple of years now, I've stayed true to what I LOVE, and the results speak for themselves. Not only has my product improved but I feel such immense joy and bliss when I work. I wish every person on earth could do something they absolutely LOVE.

I start every workshop with: "Paint what you love". It says it all. Thaks for the great article!

I'm grappling with some things at the moment and your insights and great suggestions are inspiring and super helpful. Thank you!

Great article! I am in the phase now that I need to work on orders instead of being creative. I have three full days to work on my orders and I try to be my creative self during my baby's nap and evenings. It is however hard for me to let go of the orders...

Can't recommend ' the Artists way' highly enough, one book that I keep close by, to remind me to step back and allow time for creating something just becaue I can, rather than thinking of whether or not it will sell.

I really appreciate your words of advice, including the way you structure your work week and price your work. I find to stay creative I must get out to enjoy nature. This and doing Tai Chi renew me. I have just started with etsy and have a lot to learn. Your words have given me much needed guidance. Thank you.

Lee, Such words of wisdom. I'm a potter, too and have been doing the art shows for about 10 years now. Just being on Etsy for the past year has sparked my creativity--I joined the Etsy Mud Team and they have been so helpful, just by giving feedback etc. I work alone in my studio, so it's been a shot in the mind to have some sense of a open studio. Also, posting my work on facebook opened myself to more ideas.....Thank you for putting it all down in an article.

A real eye opener and thanks for the tips. I've been working so hard just to be on top of it here on etsy, this was helpful. Thanks.

"joy is not optional" Thank you!!!

Love this quote, "Passion opens doors, it energizes us and that excitement is contagious and alluring." The entire last paragraph is truly inspirational. This is a very encouraging article. Thank you for sharing and motivating us!

Interesting article. I've experienced burnout from my design business but my etsy shop has brought my desire back, so I'm hoping both design and etsy will work together to keep me creative.

This is great information. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for posting something so deeply honest. I really needed to read this today and am so glad that I found it. It brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.

I agree with the idea of being yourself and do with passion what ever you do ... success is not far

Bravo!!! Lee! What a wonderful article/reminder! I only thought about my designs that need to be creative, never think about my business can be creative too! You gave me a great lesson. Thank you! Thank you!

Great article! Thank you so much!

This is a great article! Thank you for posting.

Thank you for the great ideas!

Fantastic article Lee!!!! Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you so much for covering this topic. It brings my feelings of self doubt and lack of confidence in my work into perspective. Its nice to know creative burnout is "normal" and there are ways to manage it. I find getting out of the city for the weekend and swimming in the sea very calming and energy boosting. I think healthy diet and exercise are hugely important to. We get out of our creative brains what we put in. Thanks.

This is a great article. I have also found that if I grow tired of making something over and over I "allow myself" to stop making it. Just because something sells doesn't mean something I feel passionate about won't! I love that the article mentions prices!! If your work has more steps/cost etc. I think it totally fair to price it higher than something similar. Sometimes higher prices attract a more discriminating buyer who will appreciate that we are not some yucky chain store too!!

Such a thoughtful piece of writing. Thank you for sharing. -Morna :-)

Great information.. You are absolutely correct in saying that if you dont make something with passion you eventually burn out..

Thanks for taking the time in your busy week to write this article...so appreciated.

This is a Great!! article and its so refreshing to here ideas to help beat those burnouts, I just recently read Flow by Mihaly-Csikszentmihalyi it was an awesome book, thought provoking and sometimes quiet hard to read, but it does move you and make you think of your life and come up with solutions to apply your own inner flow. thank you for sharing

thanks for the wonderful advice!

Very timely article for me. That little inner voice is pushing me to try something new. Guess I need to listen to it!

Wow, very well written! Joy is a requirement, amen to that!

Thank you for the article. It was most helpful. I'm a stay at home mom and I'm always struggling to find time to be creative, the longer I go the harder it is for me to get myself back on track! This definitely inspires me.

wonderful wonderful article!!! im a part time illustrator and full time tattoo artist, so the joy of going home and drawing is always ruined by the stress of deadlines and honoring the client's vision, when it used to be a treat for me in my youth... one thing that made a huge difference to me was getting a hobby that had nothing to do with visual arts. i started taking ukulele classes and it changed everything... i have something to look forward to that has no deadlines, and i dont hold up to a standard of perfection because i know too little about music to know what perfection is, i just have fun!... what i found really funny about it is, before he teaches his classes, my ukulele instructor takes a woodworking class. everyone should take a breath of fresh air from their main work and try new things, its inspiring!

Wow, I am so glad that is a normal feeling. My problem right now is that my creative drive is so consuming that I get swept up in brainstorming and playing that I forget to do the boring work stuff too, so now I have about 20 things lying around that just need one or two little adjustments or a clasp or glaze etc. but I'm too busy working on the next 20 things to finish what I've started!!! I have to get myself a routine and learn to balance. Having a set time reserved for creative play as well as for tedious boring work stuff (including posting listings and taking pictures and PRICING! That one always gets me.) Thanks for the article!

WOW I feel like this article was created for me! I have been feeling the same way. Thank you so much!

Wonderful article~! I so needed this, thank you =)

wise advice, thanks!

I so agree with this. Switching to something else, another medium perhaps, can unlock another idea, that may create something entirely new from something you learned there. I personally also like checking out odd places for new materials or to get style inspiration. Thanks to the author for sharing her thoughts and helping us through those blahs!

By far the best advice all around, especially as one prepares for large shows and events!!!

hhmmm, very interesting. Thank you for the article.

Great article, congrats SewnNatural and OneClayBead! :D

thanks. im feeling emotionally burnt out. i've been working non-stop to create more variety in my shop because i still havent gotten any sales... just trying to keep my head above water

An excellent and much need read. I do not yet have the success of too many sales but the complete opposite. So my burnout comes from having so many ideas that will get my products of the shelves and end up most times not starting any of them before moving onto the next. I need to try harder.

Thanks, thanks and more thanks! So much wisdom that I needed but didn't know it:)

This is so true. Exactly what I needed to read right now. Thank you so much***

great article, Lee! So interesting to hear all the different perspectives!

So pertinent for now!

Thank you SO much for sharing this!! I truly needed to hear the advice that was offered... I already feel more at ease & in my flow, thank you!

Great article! Puts many things in perspective.

Absolutely one of the best articles. It is very cathartic, to see in print what you are feeling.

Absolutely one of the best articles. It is very cathartic, to see in print what you are feeling.

Well done, Lee. It all comes down to is making time for yourself. Time to "chill out." Time to relax and let your mind drift. I know that can be a LOT harder than it sounds. We get into habits: some good, some not so good. Sometimes we form habits with the best of intentions: meeting schedules, making money (which can be kind of important ;) ), etc. The thing is: routine can devastate the creative process. The thing is: such devastation doesn't happen overnight. It creeps in slowly, unrecognizably until one day we wake up and - Wham! - we're stuck! Often we need to go through a structured rehab program like Lee suggests. But after the program's done, the challenges still remain. We still need to make money, meet production schedules, take care of the kids, house and so on. To me, the ideal solution blends the need for creativity with the demand to produce sale-able work. The solution I've found (for what it's worth) is to make a certain amount of quiet time every day to sit back and read. Read what moves you - whatever it might be. For instance, I'm a history buff - particularly early American history. I'm fascinated by how people lived 200 - 300 years ago. I love to look at drawings and photos of restored/preserved colonial homes. Next thing you know, I'm inspired to create pepper mills based on old wooden barrels. That rapidly expands to coffee grinders and matching salt & pepper sets. I see a photo of a candlestick cast circa 1750 and am inspired to reproduce it in wood. And so on. The bottom line is: keep it fun! Enjoy life! (It's all too short.) And all the time, recognize that you can easily fall back into the old grind. Sometimes it's a struggle to keep things real - but very well worth it. Great discussion! Have a fantastic, creative day!

ah I soooooo needed this! I am bookmarking it for future reference too!

Wonderful article filled with some great advice! Thank you for sharing!

Great article! My shop is starting to really keep me busy and I'm struggling to find the balance between my day job, husband, family, fun, Etsy orders, custom orders, customer service (I like to be prompt), and my volunteer work. So, my jaw is tight most of the time and I'm realizing I need to lighten up on myself a little. So now I make sure I give status reports and estimated delivery dates based on what I have on my plate at the moment. I think (hope) that being clear about expectations will make my customers happy. Now I'm off to my day job!

Lovely article with inspiration to keep on creating!

Great article! I needed to read this today. It's a reminder that I am in the right place, and that if I focus on doing what I love, the business aspect will follow. Thanks!

Great ideas thanks so much! I needed to read this :)

Good stuff!

Great advice, thank you!

Another book about creative process that has exercises and a very positive approach is Fearless Creating by Eric Maisel. Juggle that hot potato!

This was exactly what I've been needing to read. Thank you!

This article is so timely for me. I am also a potter, experiencing exactly what you did. I have a business that won't stop growing and at the moment I am fried! I decided to take a break from the pottery (most of my sales happen during the summer season, so I can take the time right now) and switch my creative efforts over to something else for a few months. I am now making pinback button badges and having a great time! I feel so creative. I just can't stop designing the buttons and you're right the joy is important and I've got it! I even opened an etsy shop to sell them, so that has also given me something else to focus on. While it will be nice to sell some of them, the fact that I don't feel hampered by that monetary relationship you mentioned is really freeing. I am starting to feel more alive again and have the urge to get back into the clay soon (not yet, but soon! :). So I think you are so right about creative play, perhaps the solution is to switch gears for a while and let the excitement happen and hopefully it will spread to your 'old job' and you can approach it with a new enthusiasm! (Fingers crossed here. :) Good luck to all of us.

Great article! I can definitely relate. Here is a link to a blog post that I wrote about burnout and how to avoid it: http://madartistmusings.blogspot.com/2011/02/burnout.html

Great article. Thanks so much! At approximately 9:00pm last night I sat down at my work area to make some jewelry. I was in the zone. I'm reading and writing this at 9:45 the next day after having a fun, creative, time stopping frenzy. It feels good to get away from all the "other' work that has to be done in order to sell what I create. And create I must. I start to get burned out when I'm not making jewelry. I just have to stop the photography, description, listing, re-listing, promoting mania and get back to may first love. Before I put a price on it. Sometimes I get so blue because nothing is really selling in my shop....that's the time I stop and create. Because I have to...and that's the priority.

Wonderful piece! It can be disheartening to start doing what you love....only to find that what you love can sometimes feel like a lot of HARD work! Especially if you want to be successful from a business perspective. Thanks for the motivation and reassurance.

i'm not the only one who panics when they get inspired and can't yet go forward with it

This is wonderful and so much of it spoke to me. I really appreciate your honest writing style, the thoughts about a production calendar for commissioned work and your ideas about pricing. The real world does tend to intrude upon our creativity. These are some really good suggestions for how to keep focus on our creative process regardless.

Wow, perfect timing & thanks so much. Loopy Boopy's comment reminded me to let go and move forward when she wrote,"...dig deeper and trust that what is still within you, waiting to be created, will be equally as well received and hopefully profitable." Tomorrow's masterpiece is in there if we're brave enough to receive & express it.

Great collection of ideas here! Listing and keeping my inventory up to date are the truly painful parts for me. I wish I could delegate this but there is no one else who can do this, so I slug away at it. I just spent a week going over my listings and comparing to the physical inventory I have on hand. I found many problems and I feel so much better now that I've finished. While I was crawling through the "paperwork", I examined each piece carefully and found several that needed repair or revision from being lugged around to half a dozen venues. I took time out to work on them, and this led to some new approaches for me - looking at why something did not hold up as well as I thought it should. I finished my huge inventory cleanup one bite at a time. I found a couple of hundred dollars of items that were not listed (!) as well as a few things that were still listed but had been sold (!!) at events, and my wall is covered with sticky notes for things that popped into my head as I was going along. I can pull these off as I get back to work and incorporate them into my new efforts. Taking a break from actually making Arte and looking at it from a different perspective has gotten my creative juices flowing and I can't wait to get back to work and apply these new techniques and thoughts!

I've had this article pulled up since yesterday to read and finally got to it. Thanks so much for sharing your insights, this was the breath of fresh air I needed this afternoon!

All good thoughts, and be true to yourself. It pays off in the end.

Though I've never thought of myself as having creative burnout--in fact,quite the opposite,where I'm hoping there's reincarnation because I can't bring all my ideas to fruition, I found myself nodding in recognition to elements of this thoughtful article. Thank you.

I have created a notebook of images that inspire me. It could be anything from a pair shoes in a magazine or a quick sketch. If ever I'm feeling burnout or uninspired I reach for this book and flip through the pages. It helps every time! Once I'm finished new ideas spring to mind and I'm back at it. I hope this can help someone out out there. And yes, great article:)

Very thoughtful and stimulating article, thank you!

thanks for the great insights and advice.

It is so exciting to have a bzillion new ideas just streaming out of whatever I'm doing at the moment..but I get a bit discouraged when sales don't "flow". That's when burnout hits me. Why make if no one likes ..or sees. Time to promote, I guess. That's the business end that I have been avoiding as I enjoy the making. Thanks for the help.

HHmm creative burnout. Sometimes I get so excited when I create that my pulse races so fast I am not sure my heart can take it. So creative burnout is very closely tied to my physical burnout. I have found the best thing is to go and do something else completely unrelated, to open your mind, learn new things, keep your ears and eyes open and return when you are supercharged again! Don't force yourself to create when you are just not feeling it - creativity has to be in the eher and by osmosis. Thanks for reading : ) http://sisterbatik.blogspot.com/

We've all been there. It's difficult to keep it all in balance! Thanks for your insight.

Really good advice! Special thanks to the mums (I'm really concerned about this ;-)) Gioia

A great reminder to take time out and just play!!!

http://www.kerismith.com/popular-posts/100-ideas/ really inspired me! recomendable y divertido! have fun people!

beautifully written Lee ~ thanks for sharing + gathering these thoughts and experience here! the combination of creative and business is such a complicated one and it's great to have things like this open for discussion xx

I so needed this. Thank you!

Very cool article. Keep the flow!

Excellent advice! I guess every artist/artisan experiment creative burnout once in awhile, thanks for reminding us what is really important and how to keep the flow.

thanks Lee! so true! I joined and Artists Way group too a while back, it's helpful to find a creative community when you're in dry times too.

thanks Lee! so true! I joined and Artists Way group too a while back, it's helpful to find a creative community when you're in dry times too.

So true, so true! Last year I got caught up in producing, producing but when I hit 'a dark night of my creative soul' I realized I needed to ignite my passion by doing art that spoke to me. I am soooo glad! And it's nice to know that I am not alone in facing these demons of my creativity!

I've had a creative block, since a month after I opened the shop, as, nothing has sold of "my" creative "flow". But, I do agree with these thoughts, and will try again in ernest, to recover the "Spark" I love so dearly. Thank you for the reminder.

Love the Article but I am really having the opposite problem! I am creating so much I don't have time to keep up with the business side and my crazy young boys!

Enjoyed reading this :o) I got a copy of the Artist's Way a while ago and has been very useful and inspirational. One definitely has to be passionate about the piece being created. If you produce just to produce, you will look at the result and will think - "ugh! that's not something even I would wear". Then the taking pieces apart process begin... Follow your gut and if you are stuck it is ok to take a break, stop, close your eyes and listen for inspiration :o)

Thank you so much for these encouraging words. Indeed I do not seem to find myself in a creative mood and tend to stick with the everyday, ordinary projects. This happens especially if there is no feedback or sale. I appreciate it that you motivate me again to continue and think of new ideas.

You are right. I feel as if I ran out of ideas on crafting as I felt like "someone" stole my idea, but yes, I will continue on what I love to do and perhaps will take more classes on to better myself, creatively, mentally and financially.

What a great article! I too run home after one of my craft shows and remake the things that sold instead of my new ideas, guess I need to be more confident that buyers will like them too.

Thanks so much, we've had periods of hitting rock bottom on our creativity. It definately lessens the drive to create anything. Appreciate that we are not the only ones and thanks so much for being so encouraging to us all. :)

great article and so many wonderful tips and ideas. thanks so much

Wonderful advice. I've read the book you mention, "The Artist's Way," can't recommend it enough. Thanks for sharing!!

It sounds uncreative, but when I schedule time for creativity I get somehere. I make notes, sketches, and when I have the time I bring it all together and I spend what I need, one to two days.

Thanks. You have made some very good points that have me thinking about the forest, not just the trees.

I agree with one of the bloggers....I as well get my creative juices inspired by viewing all the wonderful artists on ETSY! Thank you!

I haven"t experienced burnout. I just want people to appreciate what I do and not become a machine.

I discovered Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way in 1999, and have been writing my Morning Pages ever since. I highly recommend ALL of her books to my fellow Etsians.

I've let myself become consumed with managing my Etsy supplies shop (my other shop) and I go for sometimes a whole week not creating anything new ... and I wonder why I feel burned out! I need to dust off my copy of The Artist's Way and read it! Thanks for this article!

Great ideas. It helps to know your not the only one.

Well crafted article! Passion is always in us, sometimes just buried under the stress of making a living.

But what does one do if necessary medications have a numbing effect on the creativity muscle in our brains?

what a great article!

Yeah as a mom it is hard to find alot of time to do anything. I have found the best thing to do is take a day for yourself to do your crafts.

Brilliant, thanks so much!

Great article. Its always nice to know you're not the only one 'burning out'. Great tips for turning around the burnout!

WOW. great tips. I will read and remember. Thanks!

Wonderful Tips Thank you for sharing !!!

Thanks so much for your post! Everything I start lately seems to fail and I realized after reading your post that I was concentrating more on selling and less on the enjoyment that I get from the creative process. Today is a new day and I am feeling very creative!

Great article. I will be using the tips.....burn out does come and you do need to take a step back once in awhile. Thanks for the info.

This is a really great article. I'm trying to recapture the joy of drawing and making comics. I love making my dolls, but comics are my true passion and I've been neglecting it for too long.

I love this article! I really needed to read it right now.

What an uplifting article...thanks for the great advice! Carol Joy

Great tips. sometimes the best thing to do is just to leave what you do and have a little break ("Sleep on it"). This works for me best...I also beleive that things has their way to fall into place, always, eventually!!!

I have to say this article hit home. As I am preparing to start hitting the weekend fairs and planning for the opening of my Etsy shop I am suddenly keenly aware of having to produce for the masses. Great article! Thanks so much for say that money changes the way you look at your art.

OK I'll get back into it, just worked at least 8hrs a day for more than 2 months with no sale, but lots of lookers, and no time to create, so I have to do some re-thinking cause all i hear is how much people love my stuff, I'm ready to try again

Thanks

Beautifully written, Lee! Thanks so much for sharing these insights so eloquently!

Thanks so much! It helps just to know I'm not the only one... Keep on keepin' on fellow artists :)

Thank you!!! It's nice to know I am not alone.

Perfect timing - thanks for posting!!!

not really my problem;)

Fantastic article! Experienced the burnout several times and learned a lot from the information shared here. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing! Great article!

Thanks! I highly enjoyed reading this :)

Wow, that was very powerfull and truly spoke to me. Thanks Syl

Thanks. Really. Thank you. Great advice. Lots of good stuff to think about :-D

Truly, some of the biggest struggle I find is balancing my "regular" life around my creativity. I work a "normal" job and often find myself struggling. An idea will come to me at work and I just want to run home right then and create. I have found that writing down my thoughts and brainstorming helps to keep my creative motivation if I cannot immediately start a project. Like so many others, how I wish I could revolve my life around creations! :) This is also a passion that family often doesn't understand either, so that can put a damper on creativity. I find myself often having to put off my creative outlets, in order to complete house duties and such. It is hard to find enough time in the day to do all we want to do!

Thanks for the tips. I have no idea how much to sell my paintings for but when I add up all the time put into them and supplies it is alot. This will help. I don't want to sell for too little either

Thanks for the tips. I have no idea how much to sell my paintings for but when I add up all the time put into them and supplies it is alot. This will help. I don't want to sell for too little either

Excellent post! I love this so much! I have read _The Artist's Way_, but I have not worked through it yet. I usually read a book once all the way through and then go back and delve into the exercises. I'm looking forward to that. It's really a great book, for this very reason. These are excellent tips, especially for someone like me who runs a multi-armed business, where I often get caught up in one project, get tired of that, and start to want to work on another area of my business. My first step to alleviate situations like this has been to put myself on a rotating schedule. Each week, I focus on a different arm of the business, except of course when I'm neck-deep in projects, like I am right now. (Writing is eating my life! Ack!) Thanks for this. It's truly great!

Great article! I needed to read this.

Thanks for the article. I just started and have never sold to the public. I made gifts for family and friends. I find myself wondering if I should use a certain color or if the things I am selling is what the public wants. This article is very helpful. Thank you.

It's great having sales at fairs and on Etsy but you do need to take a break and just experiment. It's a lovely feeling when you create something new and fresh x

This article is written for me! I have had the artists equivalent to writers' block lately and now the old juices are flowing!

Lot's of great advice here, thanks

I really enjoyed this article. I recently started a shop on etsy, and it is a bit of a mess. I love to do mixed media painting, collage, found objects, oil pastels, textured paper, newspaper, magazines, and incorporating my ideas and experiences visually. I have a lot of ideas, but I don't always follow-through with them. So, maybe, I will start to post some of my paintings in my store. I checked out the sites you mentioned, and I found them to be very informative. Thanks for taking the time to post them.

To: BradSearsWoodturner I loved your idea about reading. I love poetry, and it does influence my art. Best, Marie

Meaningful and helpful article. Great collection of related art and items, too.

Fantastic!