Mastering the Muse at Midnight

By
Alison Chambers
Why do so many good ideas come to you just as you’re about to go to sleep or when you can’t sleep? Maybe because your mind has finally begun to clear itself of the fog that’s built up during the day? At any rate, it’s important not to ignore those ideas. In fact, it’s vital you don’t. Thinking you’ll remember that great new character name in the morning or the solution to that plot point that’s been baffling you just doesn’t work. Like your dreams, these precious nuggets of inspiration are gone like a will-o’-the-wisp in the blink of an eye. That’s why it’s so important never to let any good ideas go, even if it means losing a little sleep over it. You’ll thank yourself for it in the morning. Keep a pen and pad or a tape recorder near your bedside to record any moments of brilliance that occur to you. For example, in my latest novel "The Secret Sentinel" now available from The Wild Rose Press, I wanted the main character, Savannah Rutledge, to work in a museum and have access to a treasure map and search for a treasure. But the motivation seemed weak. It bugged me for days. How could I make this more interesting, but also more true to Savannah’s character? Why would a rather shy person suddenly be daring enough to go off on a cross-country treasure hunt with a mysterious stranger? What would make her do that? Then, suddenly, when I couldn’t sleep one night, it came to me. What if (the two best words for a writer’s imagination) she stole the treasure map, not from the museum, but from her father, who always warned her to leave it alone. And what if, as a result of this hasty action of hers, he was killed? Here was the solution—to atone for her father’s death, Savannah realizes she must seek out the treasure and find her father’s murderer, no matter what dangers she would face. Here I had my motivation and my theme—atonement. When I woke up the next morning, not only did I feel refreshed, but I felt I had a lot better story than I had the day before. So don’t ignore the muse at midnight. It’s waiting for you! P.S. I originally wrote this at 12:30 a.m.
www.alisonchambersromance.com

My Closet Muse

A long time ago, someone brought up the discussion of muses on one of the lists. Silly, I thought. I deal in reality. Right…with my vampire, werewolf, fae, and--you name it-- stories….reality. So why does a writer who loves fantasy and the paranormal not have a muse? Because I’m the one who works hard to think this stuff up. No way am I going to give credit to some fantastical entity. No way.

And then one day one of my critique partners asked our group about everyone’s muse. She’d been to an RWA workshop, and felt like I did. She didn’t have a muse, didn’t want to think about it. Silly. But she really got into it, described her muse, and had a lot of fun doing it.

So for the first time, I began to think of my muse. She’s my height, same coloration, beautiful--just like me--only she’s thinner, younger, wears fairy-like clothes and hides in the closet.

And that’s why I don’t have a muse. What good is a closet muse? About that time I was having one of those, I refuse to call it writer’s block, but you know, something like that…when the words just won’t jump out of my fingers onto the keys and appear on the paper. I’m usually really annoyed with myself when I have this…this frustratingly annoying non-creative, non-productive period. Until I latched onto that muse and realized the problem. It was all her fault! She refused to come out of the closet.

I also had to blame my critique partner, because if she hadn’t introduced me to my muse, I wouldn’t have ever blamed anyone but myself for not getting back to my writing.

The good news is I’m busily at work again, despite the fact I have a closet muse. So remember, whether you have a muse or not, writing is an important part of a writer’s life and nothing should stop that natural drive, even if it has to be given a nudge every once in a while.

Sometimes I go months without thinking about my muse. It just happens. The idea comes to me, the words get written, the story is completed. I’m a writer. Other times, I have to drag the words out of the gray matter, hash and rehash the words on paper, and finally, with a great deal of effort, finish the story. I’m still a writer. Does my muse help?

You’d have to ask her. She won’t come out of the closet to speak to me.

Do you have a creative muse? What is she/he like?