I think back to why I became a writer to begin with. It all started with a germ of an idea…multiplied by a hundred. Two hundred! Notebooks full of ideas: good ideas, rotten ideas. They popped into my head at the most random and inconvenient of times. And I loved every minute of it.
Now I realize we all have ideas. It’s the implementing of these ideas that creates the problem. Yes, it’s a lovely idea. Can you write about it for 250 pages or more? Will it hold someone’s interest for that long? What exactly is the plot conflict for this idea? Is it fresh? Does it have a hook?
Looking at “The Dream of the Poet or, The Kiss of the Muse” by Paul Cezanne (above, obviously) makes me slightly ill. Did Cezanne feel this way? Gosh, he must have—look at his body of work. An angel, coming from the heavens to kiss your furrowed brow and deliver the goods.
Lucky guy.
Not that I’m bitter or anything. But my relationship with my Muse is..strained at best. In fact, we’ve not been on speaking terms for years now.
So what do we do with such uncooperative Muses? Didn’t they realize we had an appointment with them? That we’re here, laptops in place, large mugs of coffee on our end tables, and an eager ear for their words of inspiration?
We plow ahead. One word at a time. Yes, it’s a blank page. Maybe what we’re covering it with isn’t much better than a blank page. But it’s a point to edit from. You can’t make something better if there’s nothing there.
Things I do while my Muse is AWOL:
Work on a different section of the book than the one I’m currently stuck on.
Brainstorm: See how many ideas I can come up with—for the next two pages. Just the next two pages. Baby steps…
Research something pertaining to my book.
Edit a few pages. Sometimes reading back over something I’ve already written can get ideas flowing again.
Change the scenery: Run some errands. Find inspiration in the little things (jot little descriptions of the people I run across as I’m out, settings I see, the feel of the weather that day as I walk around.)
Hope my Muse is the forgiving type and doesn’t carry a grudge for too much longer…
Really enjoyable post – it is good to read how different writers deal with inspiration and getting on with writing. Thanks for sharing this.
Elizabeth,
Sometimes you just have to be nice to your muse. Take it out to lunch at a nice place, or buy it a little present. Then your muse will be a little more cooperative.
(And if you decide to buy your muse, say a shirt or something, you can’t help it if the muse is the same size as you!)
Hi Elizabeth,
Love this. It’s great hearing how other writers deal with writing issues. I agree wtih Alan’s comment, I might try being a bit nicer to my muse. Invite it to tea or something. In the meantime, these ideas are excellent ways to get the writing flowing.
karen
http://www.karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com
Great use of the art work and great suggestions for how to stay productive in our work even when we may not feel like it!
I like the first suggestion — work on a different section. Who says we have to write our books in order? I’m actually planning to blog about this very topic.
Glad to have your other ideas, too!
Hmm…being nice to my Muse never occurred to me. Maybe she likes chocolate. :) Seems like we’ve still got some of the kids’ Easter candy in the pantry…
Elizabeth
Each author has a different kind of “animal” to deal with in their muse. I loved this post and reading how you deal with yours. :)
My muse is a binger – a flat out work-a-write-aholic, sometimes for days and tens of thousands of words at a time, and then POOF! He OD’s, passes out and goes bye bye.
When that happens I blog more, do some editing (like you) and force myself to write at least 1,000 words anyway each day, just for the discipline, even if it’s crap that one day will be relieved of its ignominious existence by the pressing of the DELETE button – lol
I seem to have the most trouble when I’m trying to do too many things. Oddly, you’d think it’d be the other way ’round, but when I sit and concentrate, or more accurately, conjure up my characters, and start to follow them, then, I have little problem. (is that the world’s longest and most convoluted sentence…if it is a sentence.)
But, if I’m focused on, or bothered by, other projects, (social schmoozing on the net and building friends, for example,) then, I just can’t get the characters to come out to play. If they don’t come out, there is no writing.
I guess what I’m hinting at is my characters are my muse. I just follow them around and write down what they do and say. Easy.
Best Regards, Galen
http://www.galenkindley.com
My Muse has been banging me up the side of my head, trying to make me pay attention. She is very bossy. However, she knows when it’s time to get the book written, so I’d best get to work.
Patricia
http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com
Enjoyed the post and the ideas for overcoming writer’s block. I’ve named my muse and have given her physical characteristics thinking if I can see her she can’t go away but she still disappears for days on end.
Jane Kennedy Sutton
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/
Nice way to deal with writers block. Wake up your muse. Feed her a latte.