Just wondering

[spikesgirl58]

What feeds your muse?

Comments

[kdbleu]

Writing.

I have this philosophy that only writing is writing. Plotting, planning, researching, thinking all great, but they are not writing.

(Editing is counted as writing, but I don't know why that works and 'set-up' does not. I wonder thought if it doesn't relate to the fact that enjoy most stages of the editing process.)

[spikesgirl58]

What initially inspires you, though? What makes you want to write? If others' writing inspires you, that's great. Do you have someone in particular you look to?

[kdbleu]

Oh, what inspires me is a different question entirely. Everything inspires me, but the lapse between inspiration and actually writing (the muse) is not direct. That separation makes for two different actions.

That bridge is character + action. Then plot.

It's complicated.

[kakodaimon]

I think it's a two-phase process for me. When I'm very sad I want to create something (not that everything I write is itself sad or that I want it to be sad), so in that way the trigger is emotional. But the material I want to use is the gathered experiences of all the time prior to feeling down, and interesting things which I learnt then. So I don't feel bad when I'm not being productive, nor proud when I write/make a lot of art; for me they're just two sides to the same cycle.

ETA: I'm not bipolar and this is not related to energy levels or enthusiasm, just that, since I'm pretty isolated, feeling sad makes me want to communicate something to people not present, whereas feeling happy or curious or content gives me no such need, because just experiencing life is enough.

This comment sounded a LOT less emo in my head.

[spikesgirl58]

Not at all. It sounds like a reasonable process to me. I tend to be more creative when I'm buried under a mountain of stuff to do. If I have lots of free time, I'm not as inspired. Of course, that's when I have the time to write... sigh...

[spikesgirl58]

*First - the spark of an idea that I MUST write*

It's always such a pleasure and a bit of a surprise, even after all these years, when that happens. I think that's why I keep writing.

[kdbleu]

keeping the story alive, so to speak

This is what I think of when I think of feeding the muse, keeping the spark alive. But I don't have trouble coming up with ideas, I have trouble getting them to the page in a complete form.

[lanalucy]

I don’t know what feeds my muse...reading (fiction/non-fiction, fic), looking at pictures, people-watching, random conversations

[lanalucy]

Yeah. I don't know if I could write the way I do if I never had any back and forth with anybody while I was doing it. I'd feel stagnant, I think

[scifishipper]

I don't know that I have one thing that feeds my muse, per se, or that gives me the initial kick. There are usually two reasons I am writing: I have a deadline or I have an feeling that I need to express through an idea that is bouncing around in my head. I don't necessarily feel the "magical spark" that often and if I wait around for it, I'll never write. I have an emotionally draining job, and since my muse feeds itself from the same pool as my job, I need loads and loads of FREE TIME to rest and to let my emotional self regenerate and be free. I nurture the muse by giving her space, attention, kindness, and a swift kick when she's being lazy. When I'm in flow, I can easily write for twelve hours straight and punch out a huge amount of wordage. And then repeat the next day. I am not good at writing in little spurts. There have been times when I could do it, but generally, I need lots of empty head space, which can be hard to come by (summers are good writing time). Alternatively, if I am crunched for time, I write like the wind! Got

[kdbleu]

Did I ever tell you that my cousin was asked to write a chapter on librarians who work in on tradition location for book? She was struggling, dying trying to get it done. And you process saved her! So I thank you for her. *hugs*

I love your muse. She is so productive when she's on. I'm jealous. :D

[lanalucy]

Hee! Yeah, I don't wait for the magical spark, either, though it comes often enough. The Magical Spark seems to randomly like your kink challenges. lol

I work better under a deadline, too, but too much free time leaves me feeling sort of aimless, even when I know I have stuff to do.

[kdbleu]

You know, I kind don't believe in the Magical Spark. Not that I don't believe there is a spark but writing is a long hard slog. If it was about spark I'd never write anything. I spark all the time, and never finish a one.