Writing Muse

For the last couple of years I have been focusing on writing. I have taken classes, started blogging, and have been writing a book. I noticed how this focus on writing started to change the way I observe things, how I think about things, as well as what I now do in my free time. Now I am more aware and even noticing how normal every day experiences can trigger ideas and thoughts as well as stories. Memorial Day activities, for example, led me to researching some of my family history and I learned about my Great Grandmother.

But one day I was struggling with completing my book and put it away thinking I just needed a break from this process. Another day passed. Then another. Then weeks. Then months. I noticed how that pondering process and pulling together writing concepts seemed to dry up. I no longer seemed to have those little gems of ideas pop into my mind.

I recently realized, however, this withdrawal from finishing my book seemed to shut me down from being open to receiving the little ideas that seem to come from another place. It seemed that by taking a break from the book, the writing muse was also taking a break from sending ideas.

The other day I returned to thinking about what would be needed to finish the book and that one thought seemed to open that door to receiving input. While driving in heavy traffic going to work, it was as if I was lulled into a moment of mindlessness. Suddenly an idea popped into my mind that came from nowhere. I knew the thought was not "mine" and felt like the writing muse had returned. This thought was what I needed to kick start my writing. I knew from past experience I had to capture this idea and hold onto so it would not drift away and evaporate in my mind. I needed that thought to keep its form.

Soon I had that image of Dumbledore, the wizard in the movie Harry Potter, taking his wand and placing the tip of the wand at his head, pulling out a white vapor string and placing it in a pool of water. In the movie this was a memory Dumbledore pulled out of his mind. The image I had in my mind was the reverse. I could see a similar white vapor string freely floating and drifting in the air, then entering my mind. I could also see I needed to capture that white vapor of thought before it disappeared into nothingness.

This image, along with the awareness the idea and concept coming from outside of myself was what I needed to kick start the book writing. It helped validate the need to continue to write and be open to ideas. It also helped me recognize some of the writing ideas can come from places unknown. I call this the writing muse.

Writing Muse