I’m finishing up a book right now that will be out in March ‘10. Or it will be if I can figure out how to write the ending without throwing the laptop out the window. Yeah, it’s going that well.
This is the point where many authors start chatting about the muse. They blame her for any and all writing irregularities. She also gets credit for the good stuff. Me, well, I don’t believe in the muse. I just read a blog on this subject somewhere. If I could find it, I’d link to it because I agree with the author’s view. The idea of the muse is fun and all but it’s a romantic fantasty. She doesn’t exist. While we’re on this suject, the books don’t write themselves and the characters don’t write them either. It’s all me. It’s about writing on the days when I feel like doing anything else. It’s about writing, revision and then revising again. Good, bad and mistakes – all me. My imagination (or lack of it) drives the books. The characters are real to me because I created them but they’re not, you know, actually real.
Now, I wish the muse did exist because then I could smack the crap out of her for letting me take a wrong turn in this book about 30 pages ago. Alas, still me.
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The thing is, I believe we’ve all got ’something’ – I don’t necessarily call it a muse. I mean, I kind of loved what Elisabeth Gilbert talked about in terms of the muse / vessel thing. Like, you still have to show up, do your work, do your part – the muse isn’t an excuse. But that there are days when the magic just happens. You can’t explain it, but there are times I’ll look up and it’s like, where the hell did all that come from?
And the magic doesn’t happen all the time. I mean, maybe it’s not like that for everyone and that’s cool – but for me, I believe in some kind of muse-ish thing or magic or just some kind of connection to something. Otherwise, everyone could write books from sheer determination alone.
And I’m not talking tortured artist muse either – there are days I just sit down and write and it’s good stuff but there’s not that same magic. But I still work.
OMG HelenKay, am babbling on your blog. Sorry.
by Stephanie Tyler July 30th, 2009 at 12:21 pmGood luck, HelenKay! (And lol, Stephanie.)
by Robin July 30th, 2009 at 3:28 pmYou are tooo funny!!! The idea of a muse is a wonderful escape… but you are right… it is still you sitting in front of the computer, (gosh forbid…) typewrite… and even more (gosh forbideeee) pen and paper… it is all you! But you are right, I lmao… she would be nice every now and the to smack the crap out of her when you need!!! LOL!!!
by Cecile July 30th, 2009 at 6:12 pmThe imagination is yours… just look!
Sometimes it’s good for readers (me especially) to hear that authors are human. On the days I’m feeling down and like I can’t do anything right, I always pick up a book and it makes me feel better. It’s good to know that the people who create my outlet, have bad days too!
by Victoria July 30th, 2009 at 6:42 pmI know you’ll get past this, but it’s gotta be frustrating. Hang in there, as Victoria says we all have our bad days, but don’t let it get you down. Your stories are always wonderful!
by Stacy ~ July 31st, 2009 at 3:18 amI agree with Steph that we have this elusive “something” inside that helps us write. To me that’s a drive to use my creativity but not a muse. And just having the desire and a spark of an idea isn’t enough. I have to push and push and work.
I just think there’s this misperception that authors sit there waiting for the muse to arrive to get started, and then this magical thing happens. Not for me. If I waited…I’d still be waiting. If I only wrote when I felt like it or when the ideas flowed easier, I’d still be on book one.
Just once I’d like one of my books write itself.
by HelenKay August 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 amYour creativity IS your muse. At least it’s my muse. I have a muse. She kicks me around, and I kick her around. I’m in charge, though. She’s my creative subconscious.
I like having a muse, because it gives me something to visual when I’m having trouble with some facet of a story. I picture my muse (or a piece of her body, her hand – don’t judge me, it’s complicated) when I’m falling asleep at night and instruct her to solve whatever problem I’m currently struggling with. She’s to do it while I’m asleep. 7 out of 10 times, she does. If I don’t give her the proper instructions, she doesn’t come through. It’s a trick to get the subc to work on a targeted area.
Call it what you will. I call it my muse.
by Cindy Procter-King August 3rd, 2009 at 3:41 pmvisualize Damn muse.
by Cindy Procter-King August 3rd, 2009 at 3:43 pmYou may laugh, but when I get desperate I seek out dial a muse. I always think its a writing problem, but in fact, she teases what the real situation is out of me, and then voila! I can write again. Cheaper than an editor, and she makes me feel like I’ve just gotten an emotional back rub.. – Ceb
by classically educated barbarian September 4th, 2009 at 5:42 pmps…Her website is dialamuse.com and her name is Dia.
by classically educated barbarian September 4th, 2009 at 5:43 pm