The 12 Types of Creative Anxiety (And How to Deal With Each)

Creative anxiety can leave you second-guessing every word, brushstroke, or idea. Learn to recognize the different types of self-doubt that plague creative work—and how to push through them.

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Creativity is supposed to be this wild, freeing experience—chasing ideas, making art, living the dream. So why does it feel like an Olympic sport in stress management?

Unlike a “normal” job, where you clock in, do tasks, and get paid, creative work is basically an ongoing gamble. Will this project turn out great or be a flaming disaster? Is this the idea that finally gets you noticed, or will you have to explain (again) to your family that yes, this is a real job?

Creative anxiety comes in many flavors—fear of failure, fear of success (yes, that’s a thing), perfectionism, procrastination, and the overwhelming urge to delete everything and become a professional hermit. Instead of treating it like one big monster under the bed, let’s break it down: What exactly are we all so afraid of, and how do we keep it from eating us alive?

The 12 types of creative anxiety

Creative anxiety isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s a whole chaotic wardrobe of fears, each with its own unique way of making you question your life choices. Some anxieties whisper, some scream, and some just sit there, judging you. The good news? Once you know what you’re dealing with, you can stop the spiral and get back to creating.

1. The anxiety of picking projects

“What if I choose the wrong project?”

This is the creative version of standing in front of the fridge for 20 minutes, unsure what to eat. Writers and artists often get stuck at the starting line, fearing they’ll pour time and energy into the “wrong” idea—one that won’t succeed, won’t resonate, or won’t be the breakthrough project.

How to deal:

• Accept that there is no perfect project. Just start, and trust that momentum will reveal the right path.

• Give yourself a decision deadline. Pick something within 48 hours, commit, and remind yourself that finishing any project builds creative confidence.

• Remember: Even “failed” projects contribute to your creative process. They teach, refine, and lead to better ideas down the line.

Waiting for the perfect project is just creative anxiety in disguise—let go, dive in, and trust the process.

2. The anxiety of deadlines

“I’ll never finish this on time.”

Deadlines—the creative person’s natural predator. Whether it’s a client project, a novel draft, or a self-imposed goal, nothing activates full-body panic quite like a looming due date. One minute you’re outlining ideas, the next you’re deep-cleaning your kitchen, contemplating your life choices, and Googling “Can stress cause spontaneous combustion?”

How to deal:

• Shrink the mountain. Instead of panicking over finishing everything, focus on starting something. Writing 50,000 words? Start with 500. Editing a full manuscript? Tackle one chapter. Small steps build momentum.

• Try the Pomodoro technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes, work like a focused genius, then take a guilt-free 5-minute break. Repeat until productivity sneaks up on you.

• Reframe the pressure. Deadlines aren’t out to get you—they exist to help you finish. Treat them like structure, not a ticking time bomb.

Procrastination may be your toxic ex, but meeting deadlines is the ultimate glow-up.

3. The anxiety of time

“I don’t have enough time to create.”

Between day jobs, family, laundry, and the endless scroll of LinkedIn thought leadership posts, it’s easy to feel like there’s no time left for creative work. The real problem? Not time itself, but how we protect it. Creativity doesn’t demand a monastery in the mountains—it just needs consistent attention, even in the real-world chaos of deadlines and distractions.

How to deal:

• Make it non-negotiable. Treat your creative time like a doctor’s appointment. You wouldn’t skip a scheduled check-up for no reason—so don’t skip your writing session just because the dishes are staring at you judgmentally.

• Time-block like a pro. Even 30 minutes a day of focused creative thinking can make a difference. Set a specific time for idea generation, writing, or brainstorming, and guard it like an overprotective bouncer.

• Ditch the all-or-nothing mindset. You don’t need a full day of uninterrupted creative flow to make progress. Creativity research shows that small, consistent efforts add up to major creative achievements.

Your creative potential isn’t measured by how many open hours you have in a day—it’s about how you use the minutes you do have.

4. The anxiety of money

“Will I ever make a stable income from this?”

Few things trigger creative anxiety faster than checking your bank account and realizing your most stable income source is refunds from returns. The unpredictability of freelance work, inconsistent book sales, and the “exposure bucks” some clients try to pay in—it all feeds into financial self-doubt. Even the most accomplished creatives (looking at you, Georgetown University grads with MFA degrees and side hustles) worry about making a sustainable living.

How to deal:

• Diversify like a financial mastermind. One income stream is risky; multiple income streams create stability. Mix freelance gigs with passive income sources—think commissions, digital products, or workshops. Even a small, steady revenue source can ease the mental health spiral of financial uncertainty.

• Track earnings like a scientist. Data (not panic) helps with decision-making. Use metrics to monitor income patterns, set financial goals, and identify gaps. Seeing the numbers in context—not just at 2 AM during a self-doubt spiral—can reduce financial stress.

• Budget for the real feast-or-famine cycle. A freelance check will take three months to arrive. A book advance will be split into payments over a year. Expect it, plan for it, and build a buffer.

Cognition research shows that financial anxiety isn’t just about numbers—it’s about uncertainty. The more you track, plan, and diversify, the more control you’ll have over your creative endeavor—and your well-being.

5. The anxiety of failure

“What if no one likes my work?”

Creative failure is a rite of passage—just ask any American Idol contestant from the early 2000s. And yet, knowing that failure is normal doesn’t stop the late-night self-doubt spiral. Whether it’s a manuscript rejection, a lukewarm client response, or a social media post that gets zero engagement (thanks, algorithm), the fear of failing can be paralyzing.

How to deal:

• Reframe failure as part of the process. Research (Daker, Lyons, et al.) on creative achievement suggests that those who persist through rejection ultimately succeed. Every legendary writer, musician, and artist has a “no one believed in me” phase before their breakthrough. Your future self will thank you for pushing through.

• Detach self-worth from external success. Not every project will be a masterpiece, and that’s okay. Creativity anxiety scale research in Washington, D.C. has shown that tying self-esteem to creative success can worsen mental health outcomes. A project that flops doesn’t define you—it just teaches you.

• Normalize setbacks. A failed project isn’t proof that you’re bad at what you do—it’s data. Study what worked, what didn’t, and use that knowledge for your next attempt. Creativity is an iterative process, not a one-shot deal.

Failure feels personal, but it’s really just part of the creative experiment. So keep experimenting—and remember, the best stories start with a struggle.

6. The anxiety of perfectionism

“It’s not good enough yet.”

Perfectionism is just procrastination in disguise. If you find yourself trapped in an endless loop of editing, tweaking, and second-guessing, you’re not alone—ideas people are notorious for never feeling like their work is quite ready. But perfectionism isn’t just a creative quirk; studies in psychiatry and mental illness research (DOI, Correlations) show that it’s linked to higher stress, burnout, and even math anxiety—because, apparently, overthinking is exhausting in every subject.

How to deal:

• Set clear completion deadlines. Limit yourself to three rounds of edits—then hit publish, submit, or share. The more time you give perfectionism to spiral, the longer your work stays in limbo.

• Adopt a “Version 1, Version 2” mindset. Instead of trying to perfect this project, remind yourself that each piece you create improves your skills for the next one. Health issues in creative fields often stem from chronic stress—don’t let perfectionism turn your passion into a never-ending chore.

• Done is better than perfect. You know who’s out there succeeding? The people who finished their projects. Your work deserves to see the light of day.

You don’t need another draft—you need to press send.

7. The anxiety of visibility

“Putting myself out there is terrifying.”

Sharing your work feels a bit like stepping onto a stage under a blinding spotlight—except the audience is made up of critics, strangers, and possibly your high school English teacher. What if people hate it? What if no one cares? What if that one person from your past, the one who once told you “writing isn’t a real job,” sees it and smugly scrolls past?

But here’s the thing: Visibility is part of the creative process. If you want your work to have an impact, it has to exist beyond your hard drive.

How to deal:

• Ease in. Don’t start with the whole internet. Share in low-stakes environments first—writing groups, private communities, or trusted friends who actually want you to succeed.

• Reframe the fear. Instead of worrying about who might judge you, focus on who your work could help, entertain, or connect with.

• Expect some criticism—and survive it. Even the most celebrated artists and writers have 1-star reviews. Take what’s useful, ignore the rest, and remember: If you’re getting reactions, you’re doing something right.

The truth is, no one’s watching you as closely as you think they are. And the people who do notice? They’re probably cheering you on.

8. The anxiety of self-promotion

“Talking about my work feels cringe.”

Many creatives struggle with marketing themselves, worried they’ll seem pushy, desperate, or—worst of all—like one of those people on Instagram who posts humblebrags about their “incredible journey.”

How to deal:

• Shift your mindset. Self-promotion isn’t about shouting, it’s about sharing. If you genuinely believe in your work, why wouldn’t you want the right people to find it?

• Make it about them. Instead of “buy my book,” try “here’s how this book can help/inspire/entertain you.”

• Balance it with self-care. If promoting your work spikes your anxiety, schedule something soothing afterward—a walk, a good meal, or an aggressively long bath.

Putting your work out there can be nerve-wracking, but the right audience can’t support you if they don’t know you exist.

9. The anxiety of comparison

“Everyone else is doing better than me.”

It’s hard not to feel like you’re lagging behind when social media is a highlight reel of other people’s book deals, viral posts, and “dream projects.” Meanwhile, you’re just trying to figure out if you can expense coffee as a business necessity.

How to deal:

• Curate your feed. If certain accounts send you into a spiral of self-doubt, mute or unfollow. Protect your creative energy.

• Measure against yourself, not others. Are you growing? Learning? Writing better than you did last year? That’s what matters—not someone else’s carefully curated success.

• Remember: No one posts their failures. You don’t see the rejections, the bad drafts, or the existential crises—only the wins. And trust me, everyone has the other stuff too.

The only writer you need to compete with is past-you. And past-you would be very impressed with how far you’ve come.

10. The anxiety of defining yourself

“I don’t know how to explain what I do.”

Writers and artists walk a fine line between wanting to sound impressive and not wanting to explain their careers for the hundredth time. (“I create narrative-driven digital content” sounds fancy, but your aunt is still going to ask if you have a real job.)

How to deal:

• Forget the perfect title. Your work speaks louder than any label. If “writer” feels right, use that. If “freelance word wizard” brings you joy, go for it.

• You don’t have to pick just one. Multipassionate? Great. Be a novelist and a content creator and a ghostwriter. You don’t have to fit into one neat little box.

At the end of the day, your title doesn’t matter as much as the work you’re actually doing. And if all else fails, just say “writer” and let people assume whatever they want.

11. The anxiety of waiting

“I hate waiting to hear back from editors, agents, or clients.”

The creative world moves at two speeds: impossibly fast (when you’re on deadline) and painfully slow (when you’re waiting for someone else to make a decision). You send a pitch, submit your work, or apply for an opportunity—and then? Radio silence.

How to deal:

• Focus on what’s in your hands. Instead of refreshing your inbox like it’s a slot machine, dive into a new project. Keep creating, keep submitting, keep moving forward.

• Follow-up reminders = sanity savers. Instead of agonizing over when to check in, set a reminder for two weeks out and forget about it until then.

Waiting is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to consume you. Keep writing, keep building, and by the time you hear back, you’ll already be onto something new.

12. The anxiety of success

“What if I get what I want and it’s not enough?”

Success isn’t always the stress-free paradise we imagine. With it comes pressure—expectations to keep delivering, fear of losing momentum, and the sneaky feeling that maybe you don’t deserve it (hello, imposter syndrome).

How to deal:

• Define success on your own terms. If you’re always chasing someone else’s version of success, it’ll never feel like enough. Get clear on what you want—whether it’s a bestselling book, a sustainable creative business, or just the freedom to make art on your terms.

• Celebrate the wins. Finished a draft? Landed a client? Got a kind email from a reader? Pause and acknowledge it. Success isn’t just about the big milestones—it’s built from the small victories along the way.

You don’t have to fear success. You just have to learn how to own it.

Anxiety is a part of creativity—but it doesn’t have to stop you

Creative anxiety isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean it gets to be in charge. The trick is learning to work with it instead of waiting for it to disappear. Every successful writer and artist has felt these same fears. The difference? They kept going anyway.

Listen, creativity is hard enough and you don’t have to do it alone. Join Wordling Plus for writerly camaraderie, expert insights, and just enough structure to keep you from doom-scrolling instead of writing. Your future self (the one who actually finished that project) will thank you.