Dump the Muse Myth (a.k.a. forget the muse--I have work to do)

Enough of this "muse" stuff!

I'm convinced: The myth of the "muse"--that wonderful voice that visits you and deposits words, phrases, and books into your mind's lap and then skips happily off--was created by someone who didn't have a deadline.

Deadlines don't wait for muses.

Writing is work. That's the truth.

I've leaned on the Muse Myth too many times. After all, others talk about the muse not visiting...of the "time not being right to write." Foo foo and poppycock. "The time not right" means that I've decided to NOT sit down and work.

Take my friend, for instance...(who, by the way, is a friend that I rarely see any more). This person often talked about "sharpening pencils" and "arranging the desk" and "getting coffee" and other time-wasters as "prerequisites" to writing. She has a half dozen wonderful books in her head. And they stay in her head. Well, in all the years I've known her (over a dozen), she did eek out one book. But I'm convinced: the time waiting for the muse to show up could have produced the six.

Take me, for instance...(who, by the way, is on deadline for two books and a ton of materials that I have to have ready before speaking at a convention in May). I've made up ideas in my head that I need to have the time "just right" to write (at least two hours), at a certain place (Panera, perhaps), with certain conditions surrounding the writing (such as, "no kids in the house at that time"...an almost impossibility with six kids of 13 still living at home). Again -- foo foo and poppycock. I've been killing time when I should have been working.

Now the pressure is on. I'm running out of time. Have you been there, done that?

This is when another myth pops up: "I work best under pressure." Or try this one: "I procrastinate so that I can be more brilliant with the end result."

Say it with me, nice and loud: "Foo foo and poppycock."

Forget the muse. Get to work! You have it in you--and I have it in me. Sit down. Get the fingers moving. Produce what's in there. Coax it, push it, pull it, or pound it out. Just do it. I'm talking to me, and I'm talking to you. Then you and I will both feel better, won't we?

You see, hard work never hurt anyone. In fact, you and I both know that hard work produces results. Simple math.

Time to do it.

All best, 'till next time,
Erin