My muse is gone

[angela146]

I have stories - lots of them - in my head, all thought through and ready to go but I can't get the words to flow.

Writing feels like walking through a swimming pool.

I don't know what to do.

I need a ghost writer. Any volunteers?

 

[snooper]

My muse is gone

Probably ran off with mine!

 

[Belegon]

seems to be a very common problem here lately Angela. Mine just reappeared tonight, to add a couple thousand words to my follow up to Megan's Secrets....

 

[impressive]

My muse has ADD. She'll get about 1,000 words on a piece and then jump to a different one. It's disconcerting.

Night before last, I had four story files open at the same time. Corn-fusing!

 

[NoJo]

Do some women have male muses? That must suck.

 

[impressive]

Do some women have male muses? That must suck.

They're like male nurses. Rare, and all gay.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Do some women have male muses? That must suck.

I have a male muse and I wish he did suck.

 

[NoJo]

Maybe he's straight. Stop pushing him. Let him be himself.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Imp, you wanna trade?

 

[impressive]

Imp, you wanna trade?

Sure. You get the ADD with the package, though.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I thought it was against the guidelines to be working on several stories at the same time!

A journalist friend of mine told me that fiction writers are all wimps. She said that you don't understand writer's block until you are staring at a blank Word screen and 800 words of literate prose have to be with the sub-editors in 4 hours!!

 

[impressive]

I thought it was against the guidelines to be working on several stories at the same time!

A journalist friend of mine told me that fiction writers are all wimps. She said that you don't understand writer's block until you are staring at a blank Word screen and 800 words of literate prose have to be with the sub-editors in 4 hours!!

Fiction is tougher to produce on demand. I can editorialize about just about anything.

 

[logophile]

I thought it was against the guidelines to be working on several stories at the same time!

A journalist friend of mine told me that fiction writers are all wimps. She said that you don't understand writer's block until you are staring at a blank Word screen and 800 words of literate prose have to be with the sub-editors in 4 hours!!

I only write for a monthly, but that's true. It's rough. I mostly write the parenting column but I get extra assignments every couple of months. I open Word. And I wait. Nothing. I can almost feel the sentiment of what I want to write, but the words are stuck. The voice of my editor rings in my head, "Keep it friendly and readable and under 750." Fuck. I usually change my subject and write fluff. How many times can I write about holiday traditions before my readers jump ship? I guess we're about to find out.

By the way... My muse spent all day yesterday playing Red Light Green Light with me. She thought it was funny.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I find opinion and non-fiction easier to do than fiction. That's why I waste time here all day rather than work on a story.

Yes, the muse had flown too, or been chased away by the real world.

I think I'll lie down for a whle and work on a story in my head.

Yeah. Sure. That's what I'll do. Meditate.

Zzzzzzzzz

 

[sophia jane]

My muse likes to fuck with me. When I'm tired of a story, she gives me new ideas about the characters and insists I write a sequel. And when I try to decide for myself what I want to write, she laughs at me. I really love/hate my muse. Especially today.

SJ

 

[logophile]

Is anyone else wary about bad-mouthing the muse? Like, I really don't want to say anything bad about her because I really can't do without her right now. If she takes offense and leaves, I'm fucked. So I never want to seem ungrateful or rude towards her.

Maybe that's just me.
Yeah, definitely just me...

 

[angela146]

My muse has ADD. She'll get about 1,000 words on a piece and then jump to a different one. It's disconcerting.

Mine too. She gives me all sorts of ideas for stories, hopping from one to the next like a frog on cocaine.

Then, when it comes time to write, she goes out to lunch.

 

[angela146]

Do some women have male muses?

Not mine.

My muse is a greek woman in her mid thirties. She has dark curly hair (in both places), a slim but curvy body and and speaks English with a Brittish/Greek accent.

Actually, now that I think of it, my muse reminds me a lot of a young Marina Sirtis.

http://www.marinasirtis.tv/gallery/startrek/images/01.jpg

 

[Guest]

Not mine.


Actually, now that I think of it, my muse reminds me a lot of a young Marina Sirtis.

Yes, if Marina was hanging around me, I'd have lots of sexy ideas and little time left to write.

Throw in a young Denise Cosby and I'd forget to take time to eat and would likely die of dehydration.

What would help Angela? You want a story idea? A visual and a challenge to write three paragraphs about it? How about a story setup and you write the next three paragraphs? I guess I'm saying, is there an exercise I could create for you that might help prime your literary flow?

 

[angela146]

They're like male nurses. Rare, and all gay.

I don't know. Does my husband count as a muse?

Nah... he's more of an inspiration than a muse.

 

[angela146]

What would help Angela? You want a story idea? A visual and a challenge to write three paragraphs about it? How about a story setup and you write the next three paragraphs? I guess I'm saying, is there an exercise I could create for you that might help prime your literary flow?

Actually, I have the reverse problem: well-thought-out story ideas but no words. Everything I write has the same text, the same metaphors, the same dull, dead, boring words.

Now, if you wanted to collaborate with me, that would be wonderful. I have a couple of stories I could describe to you. If you could write a first draft, I could do a second draft and you do a third or something like that.

Of course, we would share writing credit and your name would go first if you like

 

[Guest]

By all means describe something to me, and I'd be happy to take a stab at it. Unfortunateley, I might not be able to get back to you for a couple weeks (will be away from Lit except for a quick flyby occassionally for a week). But it takes a week or two for an idea to ferment into words in my mind.

We can discuss billing later, but the idea originator would of course get top billing, and that's you! I've done this before, and it is good where a man & woman work on a story together. Ends up in a different place then where each would take it on their own.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Angela, I've never done this but I think it might work. If you take a flyer on a story with a sensitive guy, you might hit the heights. Don't pass the offer up and tell me when the product's posted!!!

 

[Guest]

Angela, I've never done this but I think it might work. If you take a flyer on a story with a sensitive guy, you might hit the heights. Don't pass the offer up and tell me when the product's posted!!!

Sensitive guy! I refuse to be disparaged in that way!!!! I'm as much a pig as the next guy. Send me a naked photo.

Seriously, that is nice Elfin, thank you. I've done this before. Actually, looking at my list, all my stories except "Cloudy", "Living Well Is the Best Revenge", and "Her Great Offer" have been collaborations at least to some degree with woman writers here.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Sensitive guy! I refuse to be disparaged in that way!!!! I'm as much a pig as the next guy. Send me a naked photo.

Seriously, that is nice Elfin, thank you. I've done this before. Actually, looking at my list, all my stories except "Cloudy", "Living Well Is the Best Revenge", and "Her Great Offer" have been collaborations at least to some degree with woman writers here.

If I try it with you, would you be gentle???

The other half gets so cross if I come back damaged and with twigs in my bra!!