Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Muse is in the Building

Today, I’m writing about having a muse. You all know what that is, right? She’s the Goddess of Art, that little voice in your head that won’t shut up, sometimes talking way too much and leaving you so confused, you can’t decide which direction you want to take your story. Or the times your muse just continues to type in the scene for you, and you scratch your head wondering where it came from. Well, wonder no more—your Muse is in the building.

And isn’t it amazing how your muse just takes control before you’ve even realized it? That’s when its time to go back and read your outline again to determine whose version sounds better—yours or hers.



When I first began writing, I’d often hear other writers talk about their muse, or as some say, their characters talking to them, and how she appeared in their dreams, quite often giving them the solution to a snag in their plot. To be honest, I thought my writing friends were whacko, but I tried it. Really. I gave it the good old college try. I must have relied on her too much though because she took off like a shot. I guess I was trying too hard, or maybe she didn’t think I was trying hard enough to work out my own plot.


>Now, with six years under my belt, I’ve become a believer. Yep, I’m dreaming about my stories, I just can’t remember them in the morning. I’ve even used the pad and pen on the side of the bed theory hoping that muse woman would wake me up so I could jot it on the pad, but that hasn’t worked either. I guess I wished too hard and she decided to visit one of you instead. But make no mistake, let that woman visit. She’s your biggest ally. She’s in your corner, although bossy at times, but don’t let her get away without working. She can be a real asset.

7 comments:

Zelda Benjamin said...

Don't you just hate the days your muse takes a vacation.

Sandy Cody said...

The only way I can get my muse to do anything at all is by working like crazy myself.

Unknown said...

I absolutely do hate it, Zelda. LOL And, just because I'm on vacation, doesn't mean she needs to be. :-) Thanks for your comment.

This was intended as a tongue-in-cheek offering.

Unknown said...

Sandy,

I hear you. :-) Thanks for reading my offering.

LaVerne St. George said...

I think Sandy has the right idea. My muse does not appear unless I am writing routinely, daily. Not that I have to write for hours, but if I engage my Self in my story every day, the muse begins to move in and set up housekeeping. What a partnership! Thanks for reminding me to engage, Carolyn.

Unknown said...

Thank you, for reading it, LaVerne. :-))))

Jane Myers Perrine said...

That keeping the pen and notepad beside the bed doesn't ALWAYS help. Many times, I find I've written the most absurd gibberish--although I have found great stuff there as well.

I have two cats that act as my muses, sleeping in the study as I write.