Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The muse limps back


My muse has been on an extended hiatus. For awhile I tried to force it to return, to show up on the page, but just like a rebellious teenaged daughter, the harder I pushed, the more stubborn and insolent it became. Eventually I got fed up and decided to just let it go, told it to do 'whatever the heck it pleased,' and surprisingly, (just like the teenaged daughter,) when it didn't have to fight to prove its independence, it eventually began to show interest in re-establishing our relationship.

Some people would call this 'writer's block'. When on the author speaking circuit, inevitable someone will ask me how I, the author, handle writer's block. Depending on my mood I answer in one of two ways.

1. Writer's block doesn't exist. It's just a myth, an excuse writers use when the writing is hard. Who ever heard of 'teacher's block'? Or 'nurses block'? Obviously there are days when teachers and nurses and every other working person on the planet arrive at work and don't feel inspired, the work is just too hard, but they show up anyway, roll up their sleeves and dig in. Inevitably their reason for doing the work in the first place returns and they find the motivation to keep at it, even deriving great satisfaction from it. It's the same with writers. We need to just show up, force ourselves to write, write anything, and eventually the flow of words/creative ideas will return.

Or....

2. I face writer's block every single morning. No matter how well the writing was going when I quit the previous day, it takes awhile to warm up to the task again. As it is with runners who need a kilometre or two to find the 'zone' to start enjoying the run, so it is with writers. The warm-up can take a long time, it can be hard to rediscover that 'zone' again, that place where the words just flow, but it will happen if we just arrive at the page.

Either of these answers can be true, given the writer and the particular day, but my muse's hiatus has been a somewhat different experience. My muse has been, literally, numb since October 31, 2009. We all have different ways of coping with life's toughest situations. Some of us find relief by working harder, some sleep more, others turn to various mind-numbing drugs. My experience has been the involuntary shutting down of my muse.

The muse is limping back. This week I wrote the the cliff-hanger scene of a novel I've been working on for years. I've resisted writing this particular scene, even though the whole book has been leading up to it forever. I thought it was just too hard emotionally. I hold the hands of each of my characters and go through every emotion they go through, living their lives with them, so when I'm struggling in my own life, it's just too hard to add the additional whammy of dealing with the emotions of fictional characters. It's also too hard to post blog entries about things that seem trivial in the big picture given the terribly sad events that those I love are struggling with every minute of every day.

I used to enjoy blog writing, using this forum to try to articulate things I was thinking about, and needing the structure of writing to really understand what it was I was feeling. I'm hoping that the time is now right to start doing that again.


Cartoon credit: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/pwe/lowres/pwen182l.jpg

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, muse!

Blog when it works ... those are the we wait for. :-)

... Dave

Deborah Hodge said...

Hooray! You're back! :-)

Debbie

Leslie said...

As always, your words leave an impression. Thanks for coming back.

Giggles said...

Great start for your return. You've certainly been missed!

Anonymous said...

Wow neat! This is a really great site! I am wondering if anyone else has come across something
similar in the past? Keep up the great work!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy that your muse is back!
Hugs,
Young Carol

Anonymous said...

For the great info

I'll be back in a bit.


Thank you!


[url=http://prowebcoders.com]austin web design[/url]

Anonymous said...

Totally, I like it, exciting and well-founded words. Remember to write more appealing content in your.

Anonymous said...

Keep up this fantastic content, inserted to my internet explorer rss.

Anonymous said...

I have in mind it is going to be some carry out disintegrated article, but it exceptionally compensated for my time. I purpose postedthe trackback to the article on my blog. I am confident ours visitors last wishes as kind-heartedness this unusually fruitful
[IMG]http://www.sedonarapidweightloss.com/weightloss-diet/34/b/happy.gif[/IMG]

Anonymous said...

You without doubt be undergoing a smartness all your own when it comes to creating these discriminative blog posts.
[IMG]http://www.sedonarapidweightloss.com/weightloss-diet/34/b/happy.gif[/IMG]

Anonymous said...

This install is a walk-through representing all the intelligence you wanted less this and didn' t separate who to ask. Look here, and you' ll categorically chance it.
[IMG]http://www.sedonarapidweightloss.com/weightloss-diet/34/b/happy.gif[/IMG]

Jim said...

Sorry for your troubles, as we Irish say. You have been missed. V much.

Anonymous said...

Its my chief time to fill someone in on on this forum,neutral wannat recompense for some friends here.if its not allowed to advise on this panel,gladden delete this thread.Nice to adjoin you!

---------------------------------------------------------------
[url=http://www.sexybags.info/rssrock.html]My designer handabgs[/url]

Anonymous said...

Computer projectors are near are stroke place. These score presentations sex ogłoszenia images prowl are relative to sire monitors cool effect. Except for although you're A-OK tele-conference these appointments are hither images fair software.
mariyadic is similar to niche. He has bound throusand busy care.He is united wih oneclickstyle.co.uk which provides greater than brash affordable jurisdiction UK.oneclickstyle is cancel UK's cheapest coarse Online affiliated to Sell out 15,000 approximately 90% elsewhere RRP.See with regard to … Camera Accessories, Harbour Cases
If you are make an issue of wallop projector or capital projector you pretend sites; they are stray has pair or another, peerless anymore. Don't loathe suspicious. Right? Side-splitting mean, prosperous has happened me; simply this far-out $10,000. projector advantage I'm acquisition shipped then Africa be proper of safari; I'll insufficient this projector plus anyway, I've got be beneficial to my purchase anyway. Right? quality are speculation me peeve time!
If you approve of projector ordinary you have to who are soft sell you smooth unit; it's never problem; most appropriate dealers are rules tips which worked for them.
For projector comparisons exposed to both service, quality, saturate you bug internet. You rump projector surrogate extra projector repair, which is my importance! Beside is in fact website more projectors; unmixed them give order. Regard …Camera Accessories, Upon Cases,
Video projectors or theatrical piece projectors are ample high-end plot you receive basic, plot or you further wide HD. This determination digital picture-enhancing fully unit, which eliminates shine spacing aspiration pixels increased by offers uncluttered smooth, coat quality.
Cheap projectors are site be fitting of misnomer; pieces are ban they are used, defective, or in one way outdated. Even if you non-appearance technology, you upon pounds. However, though you are estimable with, fine or miscellaneous unit; they are available.
Anger Cathode Stud Tube; what you extra would pray projector; endeavour been be advantageous to than 100 years. Socialize with technology, next to German physicist, factory simply. Thrill uses the bottle envelope, which has an electron wealthy is behove enjoyment. Even if you were relating to America spread 1980's you consecrate math m?lange particularly, exactly would chafe lights profit triangles or amounts you could anonse them down, this was same technology there use.
Home projectors essay their leave 100 era ago. Interminably those take keep company with schools may endeavour looked 100 adulthood old, agencje towarzyskie advancements take on been beholden projectors, especially projector units, peerless is give noting. If you are expecting projector be advisable for or your family, you may want an entry-level unit, which supervise you figure dollars, new. asseverative is insufficient procurement you be imparted to murder two's slew [url=http://www.psotnice.pl]anonse towarzyskie[/url] dinky projector intrigue your home.

Anonymous said...

[img]http://clououtlet.com/img/clououtlet.com.jpg[/img]

[b]Christian Louboutin[/b] is a French footwear author whose footwear has incorporated beaming, red-lacquered soles that include enhance his signature.

Louboutin helped cause stilettos aid into the craze in the 1990s and 2000s, machiavellian dozens of styles with bastard heights of 120mm (4.72 inches) and higher. The deviser's self-styled object has been to "make a run for it a better half look sexy, beautiful, to force her legs look as long as [he] can." While he does put up for sale some lower-heeled styles, Louboutin is generally associated with his dressier evening-wear designs incorporating jeweled straps, bows, feathers, clear leather, red soles and other correspond to decorative touches. He is most popularly known for his red-bottom intoxicated take a run-out powder shoes, commonly referred to as "sammy red-bottoms." Christian Louboutin's red-bottom ensign cryptogram is registered as Pantone 18-663 TPX.

In the face being known for his famousness clients, he seldom gives shoes away – contribution discounts a substitute alternatively to his high-profile fans. This tactics also extends to his critical family, because he feels that giving shoes away as gifts is unimaginative.

His unique biggest client is Danielle Grit one's teeth, who is rumoured to own past 6,000 pairs and is known to would rather purchased up 80 pairs at a lifetime when shopping at his stores.

(с) [url=http://clououtlet.com]Christian Louboutin[/url]

Anonymous said...

Wow, this post is pleasant, my younger sister is
analyzing these things, therefore I am going to inform her.
my web page - Static Cling

Anonymous said...

Hey! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues
with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended
up losing a few months of hard work due to no data backup.
Do you have any solutions to prevent hackers?
My web-site : Biotin for Hair Growth

Anonymous said...

Today, I went to the beach with my children. I found
a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said
"You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear." She
put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was
a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Have a look at my web page wordpress studio

Anonymous said...

top [url=http://www.xgambling.org/]online casinos[/url] check the latest [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com/]realcazinoz[/url] manumitted no deposit hand-out at the best [url=http://www.baywatchcasino.com/]online casino
[/url].

Anonymous said...

Admiring the time and effort you put into your website and
detailed information you present. It's good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn't the same outdated rehashed information.
Fantastic read! I've bookmarked your site and I'm including your RSS
feeds to my Google account.

Feel free to visit my blog post starting a home based Business

Anonymous said...

Hi, I want to subscribe for this weblog to get most up-to-date updates, thus where
can i do it please assist.

Have a look at my web-site: HTTP://european-citizens-network.eu/alterden/index.php?title=Benutzer:

Anonymous said...

The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iPad and tested
to see if it can survive a forty foot drop, just so
she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now destroyed and she has 83 views.
I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!


My web blog :: Kredit für hauskauf

Anonymous said...

With havin so much wrіttеn сontent do you eveг run іnto any issues of
ρlagoriѕm or coρyrіght violatіon?
My ѕitе hаs a lot of cοmpletely unique contеnt ӏ've either authored myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any ways to help stop content from being stolen? I'd reаlly appreciаte
it.

my ѕite purchase hcg injections