Today, I’m honored to be hosted on the Conquering Writer’s Block & Summoning Inspiration blog tour by Carrie Kei Heim Binas. Be sure to stop by her blog to read the guest post “How to Train Your Muse (The Demerit System).” Below is a sneak peek:
We’re accustomed to think of our muse as a whimsical and erratic fairy-like creature, or perhaps a wise old prophet forever stroking his beard and poking his spectacles up higher on the bridge of his nose. Either way, the muse often seems untouchable. Fairies and prophets aren’t likely to listen to the entreaties of mere mortals like ourselves, so all we can do is wait around until they start thinking kind thoughts about us. Right?
Actually, I tend to think of the muse more along the lines of a child prodigy: brilliant, but still in need of a firm guiding hand. Just as it’s our responsibility as parents to train our children to develop good habits, it’s also within our capabilities as writers to train up our muses in the way they should go.
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6 Reasons You Need to Make Way More Writing Mistakes
About K.M. Weiland | @KMWeiland
I believe writers (artist in general) are gifted with a muse upon birth. Sometimes it comes alive shouting and kicking in the wee hours of the morning; other times it’s elusive, even when we do our best to wake it from a deep slumber. Yet, our muse is always with us, always waiting in the nooks and crannies of our imaginative minds.
I agree. I think everyone is born with a “muse”–with that creative spark. We just have to cultivate it with discipline and attentiveness.