As an indie artist, you probably have a lot of goals for the New Year. Update your website, learn a new instrument, find a producer, hire a guitarist. But, if one of those goals is to complete a new album by year’s end, then now’s the time to get started.

But what if you suffer from writer’s block? Many writers and musicians suffer from writer’s block at various points throughout their career. There are a number of explanations: fear of rejection, difficulty starting a new project, anxiety, frustration, etc. So how do you kick-start your creative juices to overcome the obstacle standing between you and your next album?

There are a few ways to cope with writer’s block, including our Songwriting Challenge (see below):

• Think of writing and composing as a job: It is a job! But you have to treat it like one. It’s easy to get distracted or work a varied schedule because you don’t have to report to anyone but yourself. But if you think of writing and composing as a job that requires you to produce something on a daily basis, it’s easier to simply start putting words on a page. And once you put words on a page, more words are soon to follow.

• Implement a schedule: It’s easier to treat writing and composing like a job if you implement a regular and consistent schedule. So, set aside time to write, and put your brain in a writing mindset at the same time every day. If you work from home, tell your friends and family about your schedule in order to limit interruptions and distractions.

• Set Deadlines: A lot of writers have a hard time setting and keeping their own deadlines. If you need motivation from other writers, and a date to hold yourself accountable to, then take part in our Songwriting Challenge. It’s simple: write one song per month. Your deadline is the last day of every month. If you stick to your monthly deadlines, by the end of the year, you’ll have an entire album with twelve tracks.

You better get started; January’s already under way!

Tell us what you think! Are you up to the challenge?

The SongCast Crew