1) Write.
Apparently, if I just write she might feel the tug on her heart and wander back to me. I have to turn off my inner-editor ( freakishly heartless bitch that she is) and just write.
2) Listen for her whisperings.
I'm sure we all have those brilliant ideas that come at the most inopportune times (i.e. driving, showering, sitting on the toilet...or even just as we are in that relaxing abyss between waking and sleeping). I need to keep something with me, nearby, and write things down as soon as I can. Muses are gods, afterall, and they like to mess with us humans now and then. I must be ready.
3) Banish stress.
Even the littlest things can keep the muse away. An unpaid bill. A pile of laundry. In fact, anything involving responsibility that might niggle at the back of my brain and interrupt her time with me will cause her to meander off. So, if I find my mind constantly wandering to this task or that task, I should do myself a favor. Take care of it/them and come back to her with a clear head. The muse demands my full attention.
4) Move.
Sometimes, the muse wants me to get a bit more blood rushing to my brain. She expects me to keep up with her when she's rushing me with glorious ideas. So, I have got to get out from under my laptop and take a walk. Perhaps a bit of strength training. A good stretch. Some yoga (find my center? :). It doesn't matter really. Just get the blood pumping. She needs me on top of my game.
5) Read.
Believe it or not, my muse like to be fed books. If I'm not reading enough, I am not stimulating my own mind OR feeding her. I am a writer. I should always be reading something. But I've let life get in the way and have neglected reading...a lot. I need to set time aside for myself. Make it a priority.
What about you? What do you do to summon your muse back to you?
I agree with all five points, especially the first and the last. Just sit down and write. I bet your muse is already perking up just by writing this blog post. You might not know it yet, but I bet she's hiding around the corner, waiting to see if you're serious about wanting her back.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, reading. I've always been a huge advocate of reading all the time. Read in your genre, read out of your genre. If you read a good book, it might fuel you to write your own good book. If you read a terrible book... well, it might you'll probably want to write a GOOD book, LOL.
As for banishing stress... That's difficult. I do know I have to try and have the majority of my "chores" done before I can sit down to write. I don't like that habit, but at the same time, I cant write while I know other things are waiting on me. *shrugs*
Another great post, hun! =)
LOL...you lost me there for a moment. You know how hard it is for me to read terrible books anyway. They just end up collecting dust.
DeleteYou don't need to read the whole thing. I never do ;)
DeleteExcellent post! I agree it's important to read and write whenever you can to keep yourself inspired and motivated. I also watch movies or take a long walk when my muse needs a kick.
ReplyDeleteMovies! Excellent. *jots that down*
DeleteTina, meet Jen; Jen, meet Tina. *introduces my CPs* =)
ReplyDeletenumbers 1 and 5 have always worked for me! And so has 4 -- walks or showers seem to provoke ideas but I think this is because it is the time when I slow down and I'm not so distracted by everything else happening in the world. It's just me and my own brain, entertaining ourselves.
ReplyDeleteBut Number 1 is no-fail success. I find that the more I write the easier it is TO write and find ideas to keep writing.
It's hard for me to imagine YOU having writer's block, Miss I-Finished-Nano-in-Five-Days :P
Delete9 days :P
DeleteBut that's what I'm saying -- the more you right the easier it is :)
I cannot even believe I just said right instead of write. Waht is wrong with me?!
DeleteIt's the revision cave. It makes homophones impossible to spot.
Delete*dips into an elegant curtsey* 'Tis an honor, milady XD
ReplyDeleteLikewise. =)
Delete