How to Face the Blank Page When Your Muse is on Vacation

photo credit: Ponto e virgula

Have you ever sat down to start a new writing project and then realized an hour later you were still sitting there, staring idly at the blank page?

In a writer’s ideal world, the blank page is something we always look forward to, a fresh canvas that we can color with ideas and texture with language. When our muse is dancing around, we feel motivated and inspired, so that blank page feels like the start of an exciting adventure. But if our mind isn’t in the right place, if our muse is on vacation, that same page is nothing but a source of frustration.

When I became a freelance writer, I had to learn how to write whether the muse was present or not. You know how muses are, fleeting little hooligans. I couldn’t rely on mine all the time. So I learned how to get along without her.

Outsmart the Missing Muse

Yes, you can get along without your muse. I won’t lie to you and tell you that writing without your muse is the same. It’s less pleasant, more time consuming, and makes you feel like a struggling hack rather than the brilliant writer that you are. Still, life (and work, and writing) goes on whether the muse is at your beck and call or not.

First, you have to figure out why your muse failed to show up. Here are some reasons mine runs off and hides:

• I’m just not that into this particular project and neither is she.
• The muse’s secret entrance is blocked by my mental stress or physical exhaustion.
• She put her time in for the day and has clocked out (the well’s run dry).

Once I recognize the problem, it’s a little easier to cope with the muse’s absence. I still miss her, but now that I know why she’s a no-show, I’m ready to forge ahead without her.

Forget the Muse, Discover Willpower

You see, the secret to facing the blank page without the muse is sheer determination. You achieve this by getting into the right frame of mind and using clever tricks to convince your brain that it can, in fact, function without the muse. I do this by telling myself any or all of the following:

• Once I get the first sentence out, the piece will start to flow.
• I don’t have to get it right (this is a rough draft, after all). I just have to get it written.
• If I hurry up and get this done, I can do something else.

Sometimes these simple reminders are all it takes to get your word machine in good working order. By forcing yourself to push ahead or promising yourself a fine reward, you can actually convince your brain to become productive without its mischievous little friend. That would be your muse, for anyone who hasn’t been paying attention.

Try a New Approach

What? You say your brain is smarter than you are and these tricks don’t work for you? Don’t worry, I have more tricks up my sleeve. After all, I’ve been outsmarting the muse for over two decades.

• Take a break and work on a different project.
• Take a break and do something fun.
• Take a break and get your blood pumping.

Now, you have to be careful when it comes to taking breaks. You don’t want to stare at that blank page for five minutes, take a twenty minute break and then just repeat that cycle all the livelong day. That won’t do you any good and your muse will have won.

There’s a good chance your brain just needs to do a little stretching. Ever wake up in the morning and your muscles are all stiff? You yawn and stretch (and try to come alive). Sometimes your brain needs to do that too.

When you switch gears and get your wheels turning on a different project, you can build momentum for when you return to the one that’s giving you a hard time. Or, you could just be overworked and need to pamper yourself by having some fun. Play with the dog or the kids, watch some hilarous YouTube videos, or turn up the music and dance around in your underwear.

Uh oh. I said underwear. Here we go again.

That brings us to getting the old blood pumping. I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on TV, so I can’t give you the biological physiological diatribe about how blood flow and oxygen getting to your brain can make you more alert and get those creative juices flowing. But take my word for it. A little workout can do wonders to encourage the word current. (Yes, dancing around in your underwear to really loud obnoxious music counts as a workout. Plus it’s fun so you get two for the price of one.)

You Say None of These Solutions Work for You?

If all else fails, pretend that muses are make believe and declare that you’ve come down with a case of severe writer’s block. Take two aspirin and go lie down in a cool, dark room with a warm washcloth on your head, pillows under your feet, and play some music for meditation.

You can go back to work and start all over tomorrow.

Yes, I’m still not a doctor. No, I’m not lying. This is an ancient home remedy that’s been used by non-writers for centuries, if not millennia. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it.

When the Muse Returns

When your muse gets back and discovers all the work you’ve done without her, you might want to gloat. This could discourage her from taking any sabbaticals in the future. Or, maybe you don’t want to hurt her feelings. If she’s sensitive, then gloating might only encourage her to take off more frequently. All muses are different and I can only suggest you learn how to deal with yours through trial and error. But be sure to feed her plenty of cream puffs and chocolate éclairs.

You know what’s coming next, don’t you? Of course, because I’m so predictable. I want you to tell us all about your muse. How often does she take a vacation? How do you cope with her absence? Have you found ways to write without your muse or are you fully codependent on her? Is your muse a male?

Leave a comment but don’t tell the muses we’re talking about them. We wouldn’t want it to go to their heads.

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Seven Journals for Writers

photo credit: Auzigog

Every expert in the world thinks you should keep a journal. Physical trainers say keep an exercise journal and nutritionists say keep track of your meals. Oprah insists on a gratitude journal and business consultants recommend journaling workplace activities.

But journals are, first and foremost, the forté of writers. Your journal provides that sacred space where thoughts, ideas, stories, and poems are recorded. It is where we turn for inspiration, or where we write down the things that inspire us, tucked away for future use.

Some journals are topical while others are a hodgepodge of entries. You might use several journals, each for different projects or topics, or you might use one journal for everything. There’s no right or wrong way, and there are no limits to the types of journals or topics that you can use to inform and inspire your creative writing projects.

The Dream Journal

The subconscious is a wondrous thing. Artists and geniuses alike have attributed some of their best work to the messages they received while dreaming. A dream journal is useful for anyone interested in exploring the subconscious mind, where creativity often lives and breathes. This type of journal is also ideal for folks who are interested in dream interpretation or trying to achieve lucid dreaming. For writers, a dream journal can provide a myriad of images and plots that the waking creative mind simply can’t drudge up.  Keep your journal near your bed and make sure you jot down your dreams as soon as you wake up, otherwise with each minute that passes, you’ll lose chunks of your nighttime imaginings.

Art Journal

Even us writers have to admit that a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Symbols are particularly powerful and speak directly to the subconscious, which is where your muse might be hiding.  Like a dream journal, an art journal is a clever way to get in touch with the deeper recesses of your mind, where some of your most creative ideas are lurking. You don’t have to be a fine artist to use an art journal. Doodles and stick figures will open up your right brain too! An art journal is also perfect for sketching your characters, scenery, and maps of the worlds you are creating for your fiction.

Freewriting Journal

Sometimes called stream of consciousness writing, freewriting is a way to clear your mind of clutter. If you keep at it long enough, some pretty interesting stuff will start spewing out. Yes, it’s yet another way to tap into your hidden creativity. If you can stop your conscious thinking and let the words flow, you’ll be amazed at the creative stew that is brewing just beneath the surface. You can do straight freewriting, or try topical freewriting. This is a great way to hash out conversations with your characters, accumulate raw material that can later be honed into poetry, and brainstorm for just about any writing project that you’re planning or working on.

Idea Journal

How many ideas have you lost? If you write them down, there’s a good chance you won’t lose any at all. This is why so many writers keep their journal with them at all times. In fact many writers use miniature notebooks for this very reason - there’s nothing worse than coming up with a brilliant idea when you’re at a party, in the middle of a phone conversation, or trying to fall asleep. Keep your journal near your person at all times, and you’ll never lose an idea again. Or, pick up several miniature notebooks and keep them in convenient places - your nightstand, purse, car, office desk, even the bathroom!

Inspiration Journal

What inspires you? A sunset? A day with friends and family? A great movie or inspiring song? Quotes from the greats? You can record all the things that inspire you in an inspiration journal, taking notes from some of the world’s most successful creators. You can even paste photos and clippings, using images to capture moments that were especially inspiring. Then, when your creativity meter is running low, you can flip through your inspiration journal to harvest ideas.

Life Events or Diary

A diary is pretty straightforward — you simply record the goings-on in your life. Some people start journals for special times or events in their lives, such as when they are getting married or having a baby, traveling, or moving to a new place. This is a great place to start if you’re interested in writing a memoir or autobiography. It’s also a perfect place to record the real experiences that you’ve had even if you plan on fictionalizing them later. Some of the best dialog, descriptions, and scenes come straight out of real life!

Reader’s Journal

If you want to be a writer, read. Read a lot, then read some more. You just can’t read enough. If you keep a journal documenting what you’ve read, you can capture what worked and what didn’t work from a writer’s perspective. You’ll pick up neat writing tricks, jot down techniques that you think miss the mark, and of course, as you read and get ideas for your own projects, you can include those as well. Best of all, you’ll have a place where you’ve listed everything you’ve read and by keeping notes, you’ll retain all of it much better.

Journal One, Journal All

Not all writers keep a journal. Especially with advancements in technology, writers are more and more likely to turn to their computers or handheld devices for all their writing needs. Don’t let technology stop you! You can always start a journal document or blog and keep it up electronically. Traditionally, journaling is done with pen and paper but that’s not a hard and fast rule.

But there is something to be said about putting pen to paper, something that the computer just can’t mimic.

If you’ve ever kept a journal, was it topical? Do you jot your ideas down on napkins or do you keep a tidy notebook in your pocket at all times? Has a dream ever inspired a piece of your writing? Share your journaling experiences in the comments.

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July News and Announcements

July is here and summer is in full swing. Happy belated Summer Solstice my fair readers! I’m happy about the warmer temperatures because I can’t function well when I’m freezing cold. I’m not saying the heat doesn’t get to me every now and then, but it’s a lot better than shivering my teeth off.

I’m also happy that the blanket of fire smoke that recently covered the state of California has finally decided to travel elsewhere. Life is much more pleasant when you can breathe.

Last month, posts here at Writing Forward were a bit sporadic. I used to stick to a regimented blogging schedule but then I got really sick back in March and discovered that people seem to like it better when I post a little less frequently but a lot more thoughtfully. This turned out to be a good thing because now if I have life overload, I don’t go into full panic over missing a post every now and then.

Posting might be scarce again in July since I have a busy month, full of work and family obligations. But I’ll be here. Even if I don’t post a blog, I’m usually around in the comments section or conversing on other blogs.

We’re shining the spotlight on journaling this month. This is something I think almost all writers have some experience with. What I’m curious to find out is how other writers use journals. What kind of journals do you keep or have you kept over the years? Do you have separate journals for your various projects or are you the all-in-one type? Plus, there are oodles of journal themes, from dream journals to art journals. We’ll look at some of those and discuss the benefits they can bring to our writing endeavors.

As always, feel free to leave a comment if you have any ideas, suggestions, or questions that you’d like me to address this month. Remember, journaling might be the spotlight topic, but it’s not the only one, so all suggestions are welcome. Guest posts are welcome too!

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer so far. I also wonder — do the seasons affect or inform your writing? Do you get more creative during summer or are you so busy enjoying the outdoors that your writing actually suffers?

Shine on everyone, and enjoy the sunshine!

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