My fickle mistress

Posted by Simon on 24th, August 2011 at 07:59:31

A little musing upon the muse...

She's been remarkably fickle of late, and I'm not quite sure why this is.

When I came back from the fine times of the Writers Hols in Swanwick, she was resolutely missing and not a clue where she might have gone.  This was quite a concern, until I came to think it was a mixture of tiredness - and boy, I was tired - and post hols comedown.

So I waited, got some rest, and bingo!  Back she came, bursting into my life, as only she can do.

I'm talking here in the context of my current "project".  A quick aside (you're well used to them by now) - I love the way writers use that word as it can cover such a huge range of work, from a few sentences to a great novel.

My project of the moment, as I've mentioned in previous ramblings, is a stage play.  I'm very much enjoying writing it, and making passable progress - but all that's conditional on the muse coming to visit.

And now she's really playing games.  Yesterday she was here and vividly and lovingly with me, as I just wrote and wrote.  And looking back this morning on what I did yesterday, most of it seems to make some kind of sense.

Today however... no matter how I search the house, or the reaches of my mind, not a hint.  Which is frustrating, to put it mildly, but then that's the way it goes. 

I was trying to work out if there was some link between the muse and my physical state, whether tired or fresh, my emotional mood, the weather, the time of the week, what I had to look forward to in the coming day or whatever.  And I can cheerfully report I have come to no useful conclusions whatsoever. She is simply fickle.

Yet another aside here - I'm wondering whether other writers suffer similarly; I'd sure be interested.  You're always welcome to let me know.  Don't forget you can get in touch via the contact page of the site - www.thetvdetective.com/contact.html

Anyhow, back to the final point, and it's this.  I've now had to put into practice a hard-learned lesson.  When it ain't coming, it ain't coming and there's nothing I can do about it.  So for now I'm walking away, going for a run around the river, and thinking of other things instead.

And, like a lovelorn lover, desperately hoping she'll come back to me soon!

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