Chasing the Muse

There’s a scene from the show LOST that has always stuck with me. In it, John Locke trudges through the dark jungle with another character, Ben, at his side. Locke tells Ben how the island has chosen him, how being there is his destiny. And Ben drops a bit of harsh knowledge: “Destiny, John, is a fickle bitch.”

I’ve always liked that line, partly for its humor and partly for its truth. But it resonates with my artist sense in particular. Because I think you could equally say, “The Muse is a fickle bitch.”

She comes and goes at will and leisure. She makes you crazy. Like a lover who drives you mad with seduction and departure, she lures you and leaves you. She’s tempestuous, to say the least.

But part of chasing your Muse is first accepting this. For example, I used to spend a lot of time feeling guilty over the areas where my story ideas overlapped with the stories of others. It’s not original enough, I thought.

That could be said of any story. To deny the places where you draw inspiration from others is to deny your Muse.

So, instead, I’ve been thinking lately about embracing said Muse–when she’s around, at least. Here are some ideas I came up with:

Make a list of all the recent stories that inspired you.

Think of this as a story journal, in a way. Saw a movie that you thought about afterward for days? Jot it down. Maybe add what, in particular, stuck with you. Main character? Or a B plot? What about that is in your wheelhouse? Repeat.

Return to this list when you need inspiration. Is there anything on it that you can combine to make something new and entirely your own?

Keep a spreadsheet of your story ideas.

I use Google Sheets, because it’s free with a Google account and I can access it from anywhere. But you might prefer Microsoft Excel or some other program. Whichever it is, make sure it’s easily accessible to you and you can make changes without a lot of effort. This is not for word processing. This is just to keep track of those fleeting glimpses of a larger story that are taking up real estate in your brain, e.g. “Barn story,” “ghost girl school,” “spirit cairns,” etc. When your Muse leaves you for one story, pull open this list. Who knows, you may be inspired to write another one for a while.

Make story playlists.

I do this all the time when I’m outlining a story idea. Many of my ideas start with characters, not necessarily plot, so I’ll pick out a few songs that match those characters’ aesthetics or struggles and then go from there. Once your playlist is decently filled out, you can listen to it while you’re driving, walking, or doing chores–and then think about your characters at the same time. Lots of story outlines have grown from the Muse’s visits during these playlist “character meditation sessions.”

Don’t beat yourself up when the Muse is gone.

This is key. We all have moments when the Muse deserts us. For me, at least, it’s easy for depression to follow, and suddenly I’m listing a litany of ways in which I’ve failed as a writer–not being dedicated enough, etc. Yes, it’s true, you have to finish things to be a successful writer. But giving yourself a mental break from time to time is necessary if you don’t want to burn out. Find the rhythm and flow that balances wellbeing with writing time. Not everyone writes every day!

The short version of all this is: when something fuels your Muse, embrace it. When she gets chased away or distracted, don’t worry. She’ll come back. Most of all, remember to have fun with it. There are reasons why YOU are best suited to tell the stories you want to tell. Own them.