Has anybody seen my muse?
I know the heifer is somewhere out on the interstate thumbing rides and flipping me off as I try calling her home. The state of things in the South, homeless friends, royalty checks that haven't arrived, dust bunnies made of dog hair that look like they have everything but a heartbeat--if I'm not careful, all manner of thoughts can nudge her out when I sit down to write.
Many friends have stated that the past couple of weeks have been hell on their writing. The only thing that saves me even a smidgen is knowing that I've been in dire circumstances before when what kept me from sinking was someone else's words--a one-liner, a turn of phrase, something that flipped the switch on the internal lightbulb. And I know there will be others needing a joke, a hug, an "I get you" eventually. While I'm not Pulitzer material, maybe something I have to say will be what someone else needs to hear at some point.
I also have to write for my own soul. At times I feel like I'm prostituting my intellect--at others I feel that I have none to shame, that I'm a dunce just polishing rocks trying to make them shine. Then a critique partner comes up with an idea I hadn't conceived that will strengthen my writing, or a friend makes a comment in passing that I need to hear, or someone on the street has a bit of dialogue that turns me into a master thief, and I'm soon back in the game.
What do you do to combat the dry spells, to replenish the piggy bank of the soul?
One of the things that helped me get past some rough times last week was blogging, so I'll share some blogs (since I haven't figured out how to place them on the left-hand side just yet) that I've enjoyed.
http://thischristine.blogspot.com/
http://www.amyedwards.blogspot.com/
http://annwesleyhardin.bravejournal.com/
http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
http://www.celiastuart.com/blog/2005/09/02/disgusted/
http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blogs.cfm
http://dianapeterfreund.blogspot.com/
http://dshoffman.blogspot.com/
http://merrystahel.blogspot.com/
http://bronwynparry.blogspot.com/
http://thewizardsofblog.blogspot.com/
http://deessecretdiary.blogspot.com/
http://myirrationalities.blogspot.com/
http://rae_cy.bravejournal.com/
http://krisstarr.blogspot.com/
http://chicksover40.blogspot.com/
http://katerothwell.blogspot.com/
http://thebelfrycollective.com/blog/
I go to some of the above blogs to eavesdrop (I won't tell you which ones--you'll just have to see for yourself) and to others simply because it's like being home, having a chat with a dear friend. (Merry, Dee, Rae, and Kris have that affect on me) - I go to Doug, Christine, Miss Snark, Amy, Cece, and Tess to learn and re-charge my intellectual batteries. Ann tickles my funny bone; Bron, Kate, and Tanya/She's A Writer always have tidbits--nothing that taxes me but almost always something that makes me think.
How about you? What has lifted you out of the doldrums during the past couple of weeks? What works for you?
posted by Bobbie (Sunny) Cole @ 7:07 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Hey Lyn, you sweetie! What has saved me lately--I'm even forming complete sentences these days--was a) the Football season and b) the child going to school.
Football gives me something to look forward to and for a minute, feel good about.
School gives me 8 hours to look forward to, five days a week...and whole days to feel good about. LOL!
Smooches,
Dee
You come to my place to learn? Learn how to swear, maybe.
What I do to kill writer's block: write a short short. Anyone can crank out 500 to 1000 words, no matter how bad the block. Go back over it, edit it, expand it from a scene to a real story. Works for me.
Another thing: when things get dicey, it helps if I promise myself before sleep that I'm going to write a certain length of time the next morning. Then I force myself to keep that promise. This works, too (for me).
So where did you find that picture of me hitch-hiking, anyway?
I've got to have that piggy bank! Glad I make you laugh, Suns. It's my mission in life.
My muse has been fine. Writing is what keeps me in the safe haven of denial to begin with. It's what I turn to when things are horrid.
No wonder my output has been good this year *snort*
thanks, all. have read several blogs lately where writers simply couldn't move after Katrina hit, so thought i'd share YOU with them since you help em so much.
doug, what can i say, man? - lol - i'm a thief.
ann, skinny pig on its way to you.
Ann i envy you! =)
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