When the muse strikes...

 Hello again!

This week I thought I'd talk about what I do when "the muse" strikes. 

I know I've spoken against chasing the muse before, and I stand by what I've said. I honestly believe that spending all your time waiting for some invisible "muse" to descend upon you is a serious waste of time. More than that, I honestly believe doing so actually undervalues the work that goes into creative creation. But there are still times in writing when the words just flow, and you should absolutely take advantage of them!

Now, I don't know about you, but I find that the muse typically comes after I've already written at least a couple of sentences, so I like to make sure I'm ready whenever this happens!

These days, I've been trying to make sure I am comfortably settled before I sit down to write, with a large water bottle in easy reach, a soft blanket if I'm cold, and a heated pad if my chronic pain is acting up. I choose a comfortable chair where I can sit for however long it takes to get my words down for the day, and on top of this, I'm lucky enough to live with my mom, who will bring me snacks if I get completely engulfed by the muse. 

Whenever the muse decides to descend, I try to throw myself completely into my writing. All distractions are either blocked out or ignored, (within reason, obviously.) From this point on, I let my focus slip entirely into my book, into that world, and the story I want to tell. Sometimes I spend hours like this, but typically it starts to wear off far sooner than I'd like. 

By the time the muse leaves me again, I often find that my book is several pages richer, and I am left grateful if a little exhausted by the act of creating. 

Fellow writers and creative people, I would never recommend chasing the muse, I've spent long enough doing so, to know it's a useless pursuit. But if you happen to find it knocking on your door, I recommend taking its hand and following it as long, and as far, as you can.

Have a great day, and keep writing!