When I sat down to write this, I didn’t feel inspired to write, much less think of what to write. But you know the power of just doing it. Inspiration has a way of finding us when we show up. Even if we show up in pajamas and last night’s makeup, it can’t resist the seduction of determination.
The muse, inspiration, whatever you want to call it likes to be asked out on dates. It likes routine. It likes to meet you at 7 a.m. for coffee or 10 p.m. for a late night snack. Sometimes it’s less formal and shows up randomly, but you can’t wait around for that. You can’t perch on the street corner and expect it to make its way around. No, you have to ask it out, give it a time and place and show up with pen and paper in hand.
Take this article for example--I had no idea what to write about and knew inspiration wasn’t going to make a sneak attack into my mind, so I called it up, told it to meet me after lunch in the hammock and we’d talk writing. Guess what? It showed up as soon as I put ink on the first line.
Sometimes it doesn’t happen so quickly. Sometimes inspiration is late, like three pages late and the ideas and words seem a bit stale, but it shows up all the same. It always gives us something to work with, and the longer we stay with it, the more it gives. The better it gives.
So next time you’re feeling a bit lonely and inspiration hasn’t showed up for a few days, don’t sulk and wait for the call. Do the calling yourself! Take charge of that muse, pick up the “phone” and ask it out for jasmine tea or lunch in the park. Wear your favorite lipstick if you like, but it won’t matter too much. Once inspiration sees you there, wielding the pen like a magic wand, it will join you and the magic will begin.
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Cassandra Key is a blogger babe, soul writer, fairy changeling rebel girl and creator of The Sacred Middle, a blog dedicated to the magic of the present moment. She currently resides in the Philippines as an American ex-pat and gets to live her dream of writing and being a total beach bum. Join her for coffee and conversation at The Sacred Middle. Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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I like this proactive approach. If we always waited for our muse, I think we could be waiting until we were at the beach with a relaxing glass of wine, and how often does that happen? :)
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Margo! I might only have a handful of material if I only wrote when the bolt of inspiration struck.
ReplyDeleteLove it! I had to learn to write by inspiration before I could learn to write 'to order', but now I've got to know my muse, I'm able to just put my hands on the keyboard and she shows up...I need to trust that she'll always come! x
ReplyDeleteI've learned that sometimes she wants us to just sit down and have a good think, really dig in to our creativity before she shows up. And it feels just as good as being struck with inspiration :)
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