A Golden Rule for Writers??

As a blustering storms builds outside my window, a similar cold and cantankerous storm brews within me and I feel compelled to share my plight with you.

As you can see, it's been a while since I've posted anything new on my blog. This is because I haven't been writing lately.Oh sure, a little bit here and there. I've posted an entry on the monthly WEbook writing challenge and I've done some editing and reviews for a few fellow writers, but as for my novel in progress: Nothing.

Mind you, this is not for lack of inspiration or motivation. Those things still rage in me like the Amazon during rainy season. My problem is different. There's something in the storyline of The Swamplands that's hanging me up to the point that I don't want to write a word until I can put my finger on the exact nature of the problem.

My hang up is also hanging me up. By that I mean that I feel guilty for not writing. Anyone who has written or is in the process of writing a novel has probably heard the Golden Rule of writing. "You must write every day, even if it's only a few lines. You must write."

Well, I'm here to say that I disagree with that.

Sure, a writer should write something every day, but when a writer is in a funk like I am at the moment, I don't believe that they should dare write a single word in their current forming novel. In this less-than-genuine state, I truly believe that anything written in your novel will be sub-par; marred, at best. When you're not "in the zone" your prose will reflect that.

By all means, write other things; poems, short stories, enter contests. Just don't touch that novel until your issue is resolved. Think about if folks: If you go slopping through your N.I.P. in a state of mediocre placidity, you'll have to go back and edit the crap out of the crap you created later on. That to me seems like a waste of time and a travesty to your characters and plot.

Relax. Work on other projects. Just keep your novel in the back of your mind at all times, searching for the cure to whatever ails it. It will come to you. BUT do not listen to those that demand productiveness at the expense of quality. Join me in this revolutionary thought: "Let your muse lead the way."

Have a great day everyone!

The Fickle Muse of a Writer

Greetings Writers and Blog Followers!

It's been a while since I've posted anything. Mainly because I don't have anything substantial to report. I've received a couple more rejections. I think I'm starting to get used to it, which is slightly disturbing. I guess it comes with the territory.

I've also been doing a lot of reading and researching lately and I've come to the conclusion that I should share a recurring theme I've encountered. Whenever an author is interviewed, you can almost guarantee that the interviewer will ask, "Where do you get your ideas?" or "Where do you find your inspiration?" Unless a writer has only one place or situation in which they find their story ideas, this is an unanswerable question. 99.9% of writers will be unable to pinpoint exactly where or when their muse will strike. Inspiration is like lightning. You never know where it's going to strike and once it does hit you, you'll never be the same again.

In my case, I get most of my story ideas from my dreams. That's where "Wallflower" came from as well as about a half-dozen others that are yet to be written. Aside from that, my muse has pulled me aside and demanded my attention at the most inopportune times...say in the middle of church or at work when I'm dealing with a customer and can't break away.

I share something in common with many writers who say that their inspiration hits them when they're driving or in the shower. I can't tell you how many times I've been caught with soap in my hair and a brilliant idea of which I have no way of penning until I finish the showering process, dry off and make haste to my notebook. By that time, I will have surely forgotten the gist of the juiciness.

If you're just starting out as a writer or you're dying to learn how your favorite author conjures his or her magical tales, you're going to have to forget about it. He or she may be able to tell you where each individual story came from, but for the most part, a writer's muse is a fickle creature. It's always lurking in the shadows and you may or may not be able to put yourself in a situation where it's conducive to the muse, but for the most part, writers are at the mercy of their muse. You cannot, summon it. You cannot, replicate it, and you definitely cannot force it.

So you're asking, "Well, how do I find a story idea, or how do I get past this damn writer's block?"

First and foremost, calm yourself. Take a deep breath and stop trying so hard. Your muse can't work with all that stress and tension in the way. (Remember, your muse is a fickle celebrity who will storm off to their trailer at the slightest offense.)

Second, give your muse something to work with; a jumping off point, if you will. If your stories generally tend to be romantic or exotic, take a notebook and go someplace quiet and beautiful. Perhaps a museum or a botanical garden. If your stories are busy, hectic or horrific, go to a hospital, a police station or a graveyard. Sit, observe and imagine. Your muse will take one look at your surroundings and start spouting off "what-ifs" in no time.