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| The Muse is hungry. Take her out for a meal. |
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It doesn't do much for Jill, either.
Writers, illustrators, composers, and other creative types are thought to toil in solitude and engross themselves in work to the point they forget to eat and sleep, never mind drive car pool, grocery shop, fix dinner, and, oh yeah, work the day job.
In "Draft," a New York Times series about writing, novelist Benjamin Nugent describes how a too-intense focus spoiled his prose. His writing improved once he threw himself into interests and amusements that fed the muse.
If you've got a case of the guilts because you watched the Super Bowl, slipped out to see Silver Linings Playbook when you should have been researching alternative book titles, or, gasp! read a book when you could have advanced your page count, click on that article.
Writers must feed the muse, and she's a hungry beast. Luckily for us, she doesn't require three squares a day, just a reasonable number of snacks and the occasional feast.
Last week, a friend and I took our muses to see a movie on Monday. Then, on Friday, I met up with my husband and a friend for happy-hour wine and conversation followed by a visit to a photo exhibit. Recently, I varied my walk-in-the-park route and happened upon this:
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| Ooh, a tasty snack for the muse |
Deadline-hell weeks aside, how do you balance writing with the other demands on your time? What and how often do you feed the muse?
12 comments:
I still don't feed the muse as often as I should, but I'm getting better. Today I went and did crafty things with some ladies at church. And tonight I am bound and determined to finish August McLaughlin's book. Which is wonderful, btw, but I wait until too late in the evening to shift from writing mode to reading mode, and then I fall asleep despite myself, right in the middle of the suspense. *sigh*
Excellent points! I actually do allow my must to play and have breaks. I think maybe more than she needs. I think I need to balance it so she knows when it's time to work and playtime is over! ;)
Great post, Pat.
My muse is a little piggy who gets fed a lot--art exhibits, movies, travel, music, socializing. She really needs to buckle down and produce more!
This is something I'm actively working on because I've become very much an "all work, no play" girl of late. And while I'm getting a lot done, if I look back on writing I did when I was fresh and rested, it's much better than what I'm doing now when I'm overworked.
Boy do I hear that, Marcy! I had to stop working on my next novel for awhile. I felt stale so I figured I needed a break from it, but I think I really need a break from everything else!
Hi, Kassandra! Sometimes the muse needs a nap. Sometimes the writer does, too.
Between doing crafty things and reading August's book, you're treating your muse right. Hope you can give yourself a break from the non-writing stuff.
Hi, Ginger! I'll bet your muse makes you do squats and burpees if you don't make your page count for the day. She's disclipined!
Hi, Lark! Good to know your muse is well cared for. When you really, really need her, she'll pull through. Until then, can you blame her if her attention wanders? She likes going to the movies, socializing, etc.
Hi, Marcy! It sounds as if the Benjamin Nugent article was meant for you. Cut yourself some slack.
I'm with Marcy - too much work! I do occasionally get out, though. Best muse-snacks for me are visiting historical sites and museums, or seeing a musical, play, ballet, etc.
Boy, it's hard to balance work and play! I have so much I want to get done, but you're right. The muse has got to play. I think I'm going to have to make some play dates. :) Thanks for the reminder.
Does Canasta count? Or Mah-jongg? I feed the muse by playing and socializing at the same time. And then there's the treadmill and machines. Oh, yeah...I do write, too! Good to be here, Pat and friends.
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