Finally, the follow up to my post (see below) on Seven Things Your Muse Does Not Care About.
Seven Things Your Muse Does Care About –
1) Quiet, uninterrupted time. Entails commitment and sacrifice.
2) Flow
3) Immersion
4) Acceptance of Original Thought. No second guessing.
5) Nourishment – Quality in=Quality out. Gene Wolfe once told me, “If you want to be a good writer, read good writing.”
6) Finished, not perfect. Perfect is the enemy of done.
7) Joy, Passion – YOUR joy and passion, not someone else’s.
How do you serve your Muse when the world is still around?
1) Using a Ritual - Light a candle. Use an opening phrase. Specify some action to invite her presence.
2) Creating a dedicated space and time that suits your muse.
3) Finding your inspiration trigger - Music, nature, doodling, walking, meditating, shower time.
4) Observing - Do something different. See the world through new eyes. Find new twists on the everyday. Ask, “WHY?”
5) Questing - Give your muse a problem to solve. Start asking questions of your characters. Ask for your characters’ names. Ask, “What if?”
6) Educating yourself - On your subject, your craft, or anything! Wikipedia, not Facebook.
7) Being open and internally quiet so you can hear your Muse. Listen.
How do you know when your Muse is present?