Waiting for the Muse

August 8, 2014 by Julie Holmes, author 6 Comments

Today’s plan: writing marathon on one of my works in process.

Today’s reality: a start-stop stumbling out of the gate with lots of distractions along the way.

As writers, we love that creative energy that infuses us and drives us to write at a sometimes furious pace so we can ride that wave of energy as long as possible. The very act of writing seems to prolong the surge of inspiration. We love it, live for it, long for it.

The problem is when that creative energy, that muse, isn’t in the room. When you sit down at the computer and stare at the blank screen and wait for it, like a surfer paddling out to wait for the next big wave. You know what I’m talking about. We’ve all done it. Butt in chair. Computer charged and ready. Fingers poised over the keyboard.

And nothing happens. No words, no images, no internal mind chatter. Just nothing.

And some writers will take that as a sign that the muse isn’t ready to share whatever concoction it’s working on. So they sigh and go on with other tasks they’d put on hold while they catered to their muse. Except the muse is AWOL, so there’s no excuse to postpone doing the laundry.

So, do you wait for the muse to come knocking at the door with coffee and pen in hand? Some writers do. I used to, back when I was a fledgling author in elementary school. But since then I’ve matured both as a person and a writer. I’ve heard the mantra: write every day. No matter what, just write.

Don’t wait for inspiration to jump-start your writing. Guess what I’ve learned? I’ve learned that the muse is lured by the act of writing, like the rats lured by the Pied Piper. It doesn’t matter what you write, but after ten minutes, the muse will be peeking through the window, empty coffee cup in hand, asking to be let in.