Sunday, January 13, 2013

Who's Your Muse?

Muse Monday
I've heard artists of all sorts talk of their muse. Many of my writer friends will reference their muse when a story or inspiration for a story comes to them. I usually couldn't add to the conversation because my muse has either not shown herself or maybe I've not been assigned one. There may only be so many to go around, and my name hadn't been drawn. I'm not sure I'd know her if she walked in the door anyway.

What exactly does a muse look like? I checked the dictionary and generally a muse is a goddess or power that inspires. Pretty cool having your own goddess. But then there are numerous cases of the muse being anything but a goddess. Picasso had Marie-Therese Walter. Lucky Patti Boyd was muse to both George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

Since I've never had writer's block, and there is a general belief that one's muse has gone AWOL when this affliction strikes, then my muse must work overtime. She's obviously too busy to even introduce herself. I picture her cooped up somewhere in a miniscule cubicle of my mind (soul? heart?), dipping her pen into the inkwell, jotting down bits and pieces of ideas on translucent paper that she then crumbles into sparkly dust and blows into my mind (soul? heart?).

I'm afraid I'm letting my muse down lately. She might even be the one who feels abandoned and in need of inspiration. What must she think when my life has been too crazy for me to put in my normal hours of writing, letting her great ideas and inspirational sound bites languish in piles of sparkly dust? I know I'm getting pretty antsy. First the holidays and now baby preparations - grand baby that is. Happy times even though my writing is taking a backseat.

Hopefully, she'll hang around. And if she should decide to take a vacation, there's a pile of ideas to last me until she returns.


8 comments:

  1. Would rather have a MALE muse!! LOL Checked if there is such a thing...Urban Dictionary defines male muse as:
    A male who inspires a woman in an uncharacteristic or unusual way. May convince her to participate in an activity solely to please or satisfy him; a Micky Muse is a creative influence or stimulus.
    Sounds like some of the men that grace the pages of your books! Sure would be nice to possess one for real :)

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    1. That's funny. So a male muse is only interested in satisfying himself while a female muse is strictly to help the artist. Micky Muse - could not be inspired by that one unless I was maybe writing kids' books. Woman author looking for REAL male muse. LOL

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  2. Fun topic. I believe my Muse is as flighty as me but when it's time to get serious, she's there. Nancy, you have me thinking I have a Male Muse during 'those' scenes. Thank God because I struggle to write 'those' scenes. ;^)

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    1. You're funny, Jody. Two muses with different purposes.

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  3. Well, I've been lucky enough to have two of my muses actually appear on my cover art, Isobel Wren, and Betcee May. I have my third book finished, but have not been able to make much headway on revising it, due to the day job. However, if I get it done, I'll be asking Carlotta Champagne to appear on the cover, since she inspired the main character in that story.

    I try to have my muses on the covers, as a way of saying "thank you" for their inspiration. I'm building a fair size collection of names, I hope I have enough stories in me to use them all. ;-)

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  4. I've found my muse is music. Thoughts flow better with music in the background.

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    1. So many authors love to write to music. I tried it and can't concentrate. It would be fun to listen to music that fit your storyline. Dang.

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