The Free-Lance Muse
May 2, 2008 · Written by Melissa Donovan
Hopefully the authors, editors, and publishers don’t mind. Since I’m rallying sales for them, I doubt they will, so without further ado, I bring you “The Free-Lance Muse,” a writing exercise by Ann Lauterbach. Although this exercise (and all the exercises in this book) are directed toward poetry writing, I think that it can just as easily be a fiction or freelancing exercise.
The Exercise
Imagine you are a free-lance muse, looking for work. In recent years you have had to supplement your life with various odd jobs — inspiring an ad executive at Nissan in Japan, writing political manifestos for East German dissidents, and typing numerous grant proposals. You’re tired and sad, and want a real poet. Write a job description for the poet you want to inspire.
Now, let me discuss why this exercise lends itself equally to poets, fiction writers, and freelancers. In fact, let me show you. I will tackle this exercise thrice for all the world to see:
Poem
Oh weary poet
I need you once more.
These writings have made me
A capitalist whore.
Fiction
The muse scrawled her ad in haste and sent it off to the printer. Those damn poets! Cheating on her with that digital network of nothingness they call the blogosphere. How dare they abandon her and leave her to sling her tweets at auto manufacturers and political wannabes? A muse typing! Whoever heard of such nonsense?
Freelancing
Feed the freelancer
ten cents a word
Afterthoughts
Now, I realize I didn’t totally adhere to the exercise. What makes exercises like this fun is letting them trigger your creativity. In another time and place, I might follow the guidelines more closely but I wanted to show how flexible writing exercises can be if you approach them with an open mind.
The interesting aspect of this exercise is that it pulls us into advertising, something all writers must become familiar with in order to get their work to a reading public. Of this exercise, Ann Lauterbach said that it allowed students “to begin to think about and examine what the role of the poet (and of poetry) might be in a consumer-driven economy.”
Care to give it a shot? Take any twist you like on this exercise and let’s see what you’ve got. In the comments. Virtual drinks are on me. Have a chipper weekend. Cheerio!
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This looks like it could be fun. I’ll play around with it and see what I come up with. Be back soon.
Wendi Kellys last blog post..Slow Cooking Frogs
ok, here is my quick try.
The Muse
Oh poet, who’s vision
Is dried up and dim.
Hire me, inspire the
Artist within.
Together no boundaries
No walls can confine
Our future, our greatness
The heavens defined
Open your vessel
Bare your soul
I’ll fill you
With greatness
Beyond your control.
Wendi Kellys last blog post..Slow Cooking Frogs
Writers block unblocked.
Facts made fancy.
Give this muse
a second chancy
Mikel Pottss last blog post..The Poet and The Critic
@Wendi, I love it
Makes me want to read more of your poetry!
@Mikel, Ah that is clever! I love it when writers make up their own words (chancy).
@Melissa- It’s not made up. I just redefined it. It’s part of my evil plot to take over the words.
Mikel Pottss last blog post..The Poet and The Critic
Play for me a melody
Courageous, clear-eyed, true
And I’ll stay up all night
Weighing words with you.
Greers last blog post..Fergus O’Farrell & Interference
Whatever your fancy
Whatever your mood
Spin me a poem
I’ll pay you with food.
Friars last blog post..Watercolor #9. Yukon in the Fall
@Mikel, Your plot is coming along nicely
@Greer, “Weighing words” is absolutely delightful!
@Friar, Oh yes, this really hits the exercise on the nose!
You guys are all very good at this! I love it!
By the way, do you notice how many poems start with the word “Oh”?
“Oh, Woodsman! Woodsman! Spare this tree…!
Who uses “Oh” in real life? (If I did that at work, the lads would kick my ass!)
I think “Oh” must be a pre-requisite, to let everyone know a poem is about to happen.
If you dont’ believe me, check out The National Poetry Stanards, By-Law 146, Paragraph(iii).
Friars last blog post..Watercolor #9. Yukon in the Fall
@Friar, Well that explains it. Last night I was wondering why I’ve been starting off a lot of comments with “Oh” lately. Now I can blame it on all the poetry I’ve been reading! Heheh.
Oh Friar, oh Friar,
Please pass me a beer
Make sure it’s a twist off
No opener here.
–
Hey, I couldn’t resist using “oh” to start the poem…
Brett Legrees last blog post..from dusk till dawn. a story about running.
Geez, Brett, if you keep being artsy like that, we might have to revoke your engineering degree.
Though your poem does mention beer. So we’ll let it go for now.
Friars last blog post..Another Small Town Moment…
Hey Friar,
You know I was always a closet artsie anyway, the girls were better looking on that side of campus…
I don’t need my engineering degree where I’m going!
Brett Legrees last blog post..from dusk till dawn. a story about running.
Oh Friar that beer hits the spot
Give Brett one too, he likes it a lot
We’ll drink and be merry and get drunk on words
And stumble around our nouns and verbs
Heheh this is fun
Melissa, fair lass,
You write with such class.
Your words make me think.
Please take a seat, let’s all have a drink!
You’re right, this is fun…
Brett Legrees last blog post..from dusk till dawn. a story about running.
My PhD
I do revoke
The job I do
Is quite the joke
I prefer
To linger here
And chat with friends
And dream of beer.
Oh let’s get hammered
Let’s get wasted.
The ale’s the best
I’ve ever tasted
Bring on Olaf, Bring on Brett
What of Mellisa? Dont’ forget!
Let’s drink until we’re all insane.
Hell, why not? It’s Beltane!
(…and people say we engineers can’t write)
Friars last blog post..Another Small Town Moment…
Dr. Seuss has lost his magic
Friar’s words make Doc’s seem tragic
Horton thought, he heard a who
Was the fish red, or was it blue?
What of the cat, in the sombrero?
The Vikings ate him, with habanero!
Brett Legrees last blog post..from dusk till dawn. a story about running.
Friar and Brett, your rhymes are brilliant
Poets prove to be quite resilient
Even drunk on ale and words
Your rhymes are fine as I’ve ever heard
The muse, she had a job to do
And you fine gentlemen heard her plea
Poets today are far and few
But you she found, and inspired, I see