My teen daughter picked C. Lee McKenzie to win the copy of Haven and signed bookmark!! Congratulations, C. Lee! Once I have a shipping address, I'll send it out.
MONDAY'S SANCTUARY
FIGHTING THE MUSE
Found this on Acidlullaby's DeviantArt page. Go check her out!
MONDAY'S SANCTUARY
FIGHTING THE MUSE
Found this on Acidlullaby's DeviantArt page. Go check her out!Let me preface this by saying for the longest time I didn't buy into the talk, the hype, the fuss of Muses and Writing. I felt damn certain I could write what I wanted when I wanted. Then, I felt that soul deep calling and I've been a firm believer ever since. Maybe not in the Muse as a mythical creature, one guiding you to work on a certain project... But at least that sense of inspiration, that inner voice guiding you.
Since I finished RESONANCE and went through my CPs' revision recommendations, I've ignored the one muse who wouldn't stop singing. Instead of going with that gentle voice inside, I listened to betas who wanted me to finish this story, or writing friends who wanted me to finish that story. I listened when my agent said, "I love this! Give me more." Hell, I listened to non-writing world people who just wanted me to finish something.
I became a writing radio set on SCAN. I couldn't settle into any project. A few pages here, a chapter there. Oh, look! A new story idea!! (read last words as dripping with sarcasm) All the while, my Muse sang, pulling me back to one story.
The more chaotic and far flung my writing mind became between the stories, the louder the Muse became, until I was seeing snippets of scenes in my head, feeling what the MC felt, smelling what she smelled. The picture up there is beautiful, calm. My Muse picked up a weapon and started attacking.
This weekend, I caved. The cap was kicked off the fountain. The floodgates were opened. And the angels might as well have sung arias behind me.
The lesson here? Despite how well meaning some people are in their guidance of your writing, or what kind of plans they might have, you shouldn't force it if IT just isn't there. What's the IT? The love. The fervor. The song of your Muse. Go with your gut, listen to your instincts, listen to your Muse. You and your story will be happier for it.
Since I finished RESONANCE and went through my CPs' revision recommendations, I've ignored the one muse who wouldn't stop singing. Instead of going with that gentle voice inside, I listened to betas who wanted me to finish this story, or writing friends who wanted me to finish that story. I listened when my agent said, "I love this! Give me more." Hell, I listened to non-writing world people who just wanted me to finish something.
I became a writing radio set on SCAN. I couldn't settle into any project. A few pages here, a chapter there. Oh, look! A new story idea!! (read last words as dripping with sarcasm) All the while, my Muse sang, pulling me back to one story.
The more chaotic and far flung my writing mind became between the stories, the louder the Muse became, until I was seeing snippets of scenes in my head, feeling what the MC felt, smelling what she smelled. The picture up there is beautiful, calm. My Muse picked up a weapon and started attacking.
This weekend, I caved. The cap was kicked off the fountain. The floodgates were opened. And the angels might as well have sung arias behind me.
The lesson here? Despite how well meaning some people are in their guidance of your writing, or what kind of plans they might have, you shouldn't force it if IT just isn't there. What's the IT? The love. The fervor. The song of your Muse. Go with your gut, listen to your instincts, listen to your Muse. You and your story will be happier for it.
This is exactly what I've been going through lately! Since I finished my manuscript I have a bunch of starts to various projects but have yet to find the next story I really want to work into a book. I'd like to start on the sequal, but I feel its unrealistic to write a sequal to a book that might never get published.
ReplyDeleteMy muse blows you big raspberry kisses!
I love this. It is so, so true! Forcing yourself to write something you don't currently feel passionate about never seems to turn out quite right. Thanks for this great reminder :)
ReplyDelete