"Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of a job: it's always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins." Neil Gaiman. Each time you begin a new project, or even a day's writing, you're faced that blank page - and often the overwhelming urge to crawl back into bed. At times like these you need to unleash your secret weapon. That weapon, and the best way to fight that initial fear-blockade is to find your Muse.
What is a Muse? Well, in its most basic form, it is someone else to blame. And sometimes that is enough.
In the ancient Greek world, there were nine Muses. Although they were often portrayed as scantily clad women, inspiring through the arousal of sexual desire was not their primary purpose. Instead, they were both the embodiment and the sponsors of the arts. You could only produce great art if the Muses chose to grant you the necessary skill and inspiration.
Muses appear throughout history in various forms, but always as an entity that bestows inspiration and passion upon an individual (rather than arousing it from within). This is a critical distinction. The result is that while it's your responsibility to be open and willing to work when the inspiration is given, it is her/his/its responsibility to give you that inspiration. Therefore, if you sit down and work, and nothing good comes out, well that's not your fault. Your Muse is away for the day. Of course, you are responsible for doing everything you can to win the fair Muse over, no more can be expected at this point in time.
One of the reasons we now have the image of the tortured artist is because we have forced them to internalise this creative element. It is now the writer's fault if they cannot produce inspired work on demand. And this is incredibly stressful, enough to make anyone curl up and whimper. It instils and magnifies the fear of failure that can cripple a writer, and is the cause of a lot of the writer's block in the world. As William Stafford said, "there is no such thing as writer's block for writers whose standards are low enough."
As such, one of the most important and effective exercises for the developing writer is to find and identify your Muse. Something external to yourself that has the ability to grant you inspiration when it wants, and only requires that you sit down and faithfully work (perhaps directing it a sonnet or two in thanks). Then, unseen, it will infuse its inspirations into your work, and together you will create something great. If the work you produce is not great? Well, your Muse was clearly away at the time of construction.
What is your Muse? My personal faith works well for me, and you need to find that which works best for you. If you are at all imaginative, give it personality, characteristics with which you can interact. Make a deal with it: your part is to turn up and write on demand (perhaps a little wooing is in order), their part is to bless the process and take responsibility for the outcome.
I have found that cats make good Muses. There is something in their air that suggests they have the ability to grant inspiration. It also explains why they love sitting on keyboards so much. Generally, they have egos big enough to take your successes or failures in their stride.
Perhaps you could imagine your Muse is the spirit of your favourite writer, or perhaps Botticelli's Venus, the spirit of new-born art. Whoever she is, her role is to be an external being, there to assure you of some higher meaning to your work, and to remind you to relax and let the words come.
Strange as it sounds, I urge you to undertake this activity right now. Search for a something that will work for you and has a strong personal meaning. Either real or imaginary, designate an other to take the pressure and stress of the creative process, so you can simply enjoy and have fun in your writing.
What is a Muse? Well, in its most basic form, it is someone else to blame. And sometimes that is enough.
In the ancient Greek world, there were nine Muses. Although they were often portrayed as scantily clad women, inspiring through the arousal of sexual desire was not their primary purpose. Instead, they were both the embodiment and the sponsors of the arts. You could only produce great art if the Muses chose to grant you the necessary skill and inspiration.
Muses appear throughout history in various forms, but always as an entity that bestows inspiration and passion upon an individual (rather than arousing it from within). This is a critical distinction. The result is that while it's your responsibility to be open and willing to work when the inspiration is given, it is her/his/its responsibility to give you that inspiration. Therefore, if you sit down and work, and nothing good comes out, well that's not your fault. Your Muse is away for the day. Of course, you are responsible for doing everything you can to win the fair Muse over, no more can be expected at this point in time.
One of the reasons we now have the image of the tortured artist is because we have forced them to internalise this creative element. It is now the writer's fault if they cannot produce inspired work on demand. And this is incredibly stressful, enough to make anyone curl up and whimper. It instils and magnifies the fear of failure that can cripple a writer, and is the cause of a lot of the writer's block in the world. As William Stafford said, "there is no such thing as writer's block for writers whose standards are low enough."
As such, one of the most important and effective exercises for the developing writer is to find and identify your Muse. Something external to yourself that has the ability to grant you inspiration when it wants, and only requires that you sit down and faithfully work (perhaps directing it a sonnet or two in thanks). Then, unseen, it will infuse its inspirations into your work, and together you will create something great. If the work you produce is not great? Well, your Muse was clearly away at the time of construction.
What is your Muse? My personal faith works well for me, and you need to find that which works best for you. If you are at all imaginative, give it personality, characteristics with which you can interact. Make a deal with it: your part is to turn up and write on demand (perhaps a little wooing is in order), their part is to bless the process and take responsibility for the outcome.
I have found that cats make good Muses. There is something in their air that suggests they have the ability to grant inspiration. It also explains why they love sitting on keyboards so much. Generally, they have egos big enough to take your successes or failures in their stride.
Perhaps you could imagine your Muse is the spirit of your favourite writer, or perhaps Botticelli's Venus, the spirit of new-born art. Whoever she is, her role is to be an external being, there to assure you of some higher meaning to your work, and to remind you to relax and let the words come.
Strange as it sounds, I urge you to undertake this activity right now. Search for a something that will work for you and has a strong personal meaning. Either real or imaginary, designate an other to take the pressure and stress of the creative process, so you can simply enjoy and have fun in your writing.
About the Author:
This is an excerpt from Buffy Greentree's book 'The Five Day Writer's Retreat', available now on Amazon Five_day_Writer_Retreat
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