Taming the Muse

Muse.

In its verb form “muse” means: to think or meditate on; to comment thoughtfully or ruminate upon…

However, writers tend to use it as a noun. “The muse” has come to mean that sometimes elusive, sometimes erratic, often overrated inspiration we need to create. There is a sense that we have little control over it; that it has a mind and will of its own and we’d better take advantage of it when it’s activated.

It’s also a wonderful excuse for procrastination. “I’m not inspired right now,” or, “I’ll wait until the muse strikes.”

I’ve got news. You can take control of your muse!

The first time I heard this declaration was at an InScribe conference about ten years ago. Murray Pura was the keynote. Since then I’ve heard many other “experts” say the same thing. As creative people, we control our muse, not the other way around.

If writing is important, don’t wait for inspiration to strike like lightning. In fact, most of the time, it simply takes some sort of action on our part for it to come to life.

Practically speaking, this means making a conscious decision to sit down and write, even when I don’t feel like it. I give myself a time limit so the task doesn’t feel as onerous. Ninety-nine times out of 100, I “feel” inspired before the ten minutes are up. If not, I give myself permission to stop and do something else. I don’t know how many times I’ve done this when I have a post to write (like this one) or some other writing task that requires commitment. (Like NaNoWriMo) It works!

While inspiration is a wonderful thing, make sure you’re not using it as an excuse to procrastinate. Take charge! Take action! YOU are in control of your MUSE!

This article first appeared on the InScribe writers’ Online blog in January of 2024.