Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Are Muses for Writers?

The most common question I get asked is where my inspiration comes from. In fact, that is the question I will tackle tomorrow. I can see where the Greeks came up with the idea of Muses. I, being more of a Christian, will often settle on God being the source of my ideas. This is a better answer than saying "I don't know." Even as I write, I can't explain where the scene develops. Why did I go this direction instead of that one? Typically the answer is my characters took me there and I'm just following along.

Time seems to stop when I write. Everything falls away and I am left transferred to this world I have created. I am simply an observer in that world. True, I manipulate things for the purpose of plot--my mother still has not forgiven me for killing off certain characters in the Atlantis series. But, a lot of connections just "happen" as the story unfolds. Maybe it is my love of Greek mythology, but I like to think I have a muse sitting with me. Modernizing this idea, maybe it's a Guardian Angel who whispers in my ear as the words flow from my brain to my fingers. Whatever it is, I certainly enjoy the experience.

Here's a nice blog I stumbled upon this morning. It discusses Greek muses, but also ties them into writer's inspirations. Does it answer the question of where inspiration comes from? Not really. But it does give great insight into the world of the writer and the muses who inspire them.

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