Most creative types know that a visit from the ever-elusive muse is a welcome and wonderful thing. You can’t always control when inspiration strikes. It comes and you take advantage of it because you don’t know when it will come again.
Unless you’re busy.
Then it might not be realistic to strike while the proverbial iron is hot. Then you might have to put inspiration on hold and tell the muse, “Rain check?”
In the first few months of motherhood, there were no visits from the muse. I was entirely consumed with my tiny human. I am still consumed with her, but we are no longer total strangers to each other. I can read her better; she can read me better. We have a good thing going. As we’ve settled into a bit of a routine (I stress the words “a bit”), the muse has come a-knockin’. And, more often than not, I have to take that rain check.
Not surprisingly, I don’t have the time I used to have. When I return to my full-time job in a couple weeks, I’ll have even less. This means I’m learning to be comfortable with not having the same opportunities for flow (oh, flow, I miss you). My writing life has become…choppy, for lack of a better word. A little writing here, a little there; a whole lot of Post-its and notes in my phone. It’s less organized and focused than I would like, but this is the phase of life I’m in.
If you’re also too busy for your muse, here are some tips that have helped me:
- Take Post-its everywhere. Write down ideas and notes. It will keep your mind clear and your inspiration fresh. Alternatively, you can use the Notes app in your phone, but I find writing things down imprints them on the brain better
- Make smaller goals. Instead of, “Finish short story this week,” make a goal of “write X words this week” (pick something manageable). It’s best to underestimate your abilities at first. That way, endeavors feel like successes instead of failures
- Pick a task that aligns well with your current schedule. For example, I get very small chunks of time to work and I’ve noticed that jives well with editing projects. So, I’ve been digging up incomplete novels and stories and working on those. At some point, I’ll embark on a brand new novel, but I don’t know when. Maybe when my kid is 18
- Keep a journal. Sometimes, it helps to just write SOMETHING. If you’re feeling mentally backed up and you have all kinds of ideas you want to get to, just write about that. It will ease the anxiety
- Read. I can usually find pockets of time to read, like before bed or at various times in the middle of the night when the baby wants to eat. Just a few minutes of escape into another world via reading can help keep the creative juices flowing
- Go easy on yourself and remember life is all about phases. I get impatient sometimes because I want to write NOW. There’s a sense of urgency because I don’t know how long the inspiration will last. I fear I’ll lose it if I don’t act on it. But I’ve learned that the really compelling ideas, the “sticky” ideas, will be there waiting when you are ready. My next book, Cherry Blossoms, is a good example. I started writing that book 9 years ago, set it aside for years, and then picked it back up and finished it this past year. It’s obvious to me now that I was meant to finish it when I did. I wasn’t ready to finish it 9 years ago
Speaking of Cherry Blossoms, I’ll have more to share in the next month or two. I should be seeing the cover art soon–so exciting!
Well said😃
Reading is my go-to to convince the muse to visit.