Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Muse









Thanks for letting me rant.


  1. LOL, to true Angela. To be honest I think that a lot of people like to blame the lack of muse as it makes them seem more artsy.

    There's quite a few writers who follow your own belief and do the hard slog and write every day because its something that they love to do. Some days they'll write a load of codswollop, others they'll get something that they can use but thats the key, finding a method that works for you and sticking with it.

    If we all waited for a certain Mz Muse to turn up we'd all have a BDSM writing room with full on handcuff facilities that only Houdini could escape from. LOL

  2. I love your rant - because its true. My friend said to me: "I had no idea writing a book was such hard work." It's not MAGIC! It's (insert foul language of choice) hours and hours of relentless work. Sure - being in "the zone" is a great feeling, but some days you need to drag yourself into "the zone". No excuses.

  3. Some writers write every day and produce workmanlike prose that is good but not inspired. Some of those writers are very successful too. I respect their tenacity.

    Some writers produce brilliant stuff but very sporatically. And I should add that what often appears to be brilliantly spontaneous is the result of much revision and editing. For example, a writer friend of mine produces short stories VERY slowly, but each story is a polished gem.

    It's not always possible be inspired no matter how much one wills it or works for it. But doing nothing results in nothing.

  4. Wow! Did someone's muse bite you in the ass today? LOL

    Like, Gareth said, I think some writers feel like they need to be "artsy" to be a true writer. I don't know that I've ever blamed or credited a muse, but it doesn't bother me when others do it. Poets are welcome to live by their muses, but novelists...not so much. It's do or die somedays.

  5. Rewriting this since I just closed the window by mistake:

    No agreements here, at least on the "muse" front. Good call. I agree that while some people may feel more "inspired" at certain times, that's no excuse to wait to write for the "muse" to strike.

    As far as your writer's block idea, though, I would say it does not exist. You call it laziness or lack of motivation, both of which I definitely believe exist - though I'm not sure if I would consider them the same thing - but I don't think that's the same as writer's block. Writer's block is a imaginary concept of an actual "block" in creative that was made up as a word in order to make it easy NOT to write if "the muse" isn't striking.

  6. You know what, Angela? I find that sometimes, when I really don't feel like writing, it's when my proses work best. And when I have a free day to write, my work sucks.
    I don't believe in a Muse either, I think they're overrated.

  7. LOL, I agree with you :) I have a muse, it's my horse, but honestly, she's not around all the time. She gives me a lot of inspiration, but I can and usually do write when she's not around. LOL. I call her my muse because she inspires me, not because she sits in my office with me when I write.

    And writer's block, I agree with that too. My friend was complaining about writers block about a week ago. I finally told her to just sit down and write damn it. And guess what, it worked :)

    Thanks for sharing!

  8. I loved the rant Angela. There are times the words flow easily, times I have to push forward to get something done when I don't want to and times I just don't want to write. There's nothing wrong with that.

    It's probably normal and all part of human nature. Muse...I haven't found one yet. If my mind can't come up with an idea, damn good reason not to write. I can't wait for some imaginary character to strike, I'd never get anything done.

    There are times I'm lazy too, and would rather read than write, but I know that's just being lazy. Easier to read than to think and create. Good post, excellent blog!