Muse At Play

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This summer I've gotten very little actual writing done, but that doesn't mean my mind isn't furiously working. My current wip is still taking shape, and I'm also forming my next book.

You'd think my muse would be stifled, lazy, and indifferent. But no. She's been wild, carefree, and very active. She hasn't abandoned me, despite my neglect. When I least expect it, she shows up...laughing, crying, and chasing the sunset. She consistently taps me on the shoulder, saying, "This can happen. No! THIS can happen. And then this, and then..."

Our muses visit us differently, but mine is most active when I'm:

• Walking: whether it's in the mountains behind my home, or at the local park, this is when my muse comes out to play. I usually shuffle Taylor Swift songs on my iPhone, and submerge myself in love, heartbreak, angst, and happy endings. The phone then becomes a note-taking device.
• Cleaning house: I really hate cleaning my house, but it's a job that must be done. While I'm working through mindless tasks, story kinks have a way of working themselves out. I take notes on story fixes, and then move on to the next bathroom :/
• Watching movies: my muse loves watching movies, no doubt about it. Maybe it's because I'm relaxed and open, or maybe it's because I'm watching how the pros do it. Either way, I usually end up with a slip of notebook paper beside me while I'm watching a good flick.
• Reading: reading sends my muse into a creative frenzy. While I'm reading someone else's work, I undoubtedly have ideas for my own work. Not the same ideas as the author, but still, ideas come to me when I reading. I've resigned myself to using blank sheets of notebook paper as my bookmark, because I know I'll be taking notes. (One piece of paper for my current wip, and another for my next book,which is percolating now)

The trick for me is to be ready and open to capture ideas. Like most writers, I have paper and pencil ready at all times, and I capture these thoughts. I stack them by project so they're ready for me to weave into both books.

How about you? When does your muse come out to play? How do you capture those ideas?

Lofty Ideas

Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible. - Doug Larson

Each time the space shuttle blasts off, I'm amazed. Thursday's liftoff of Discovery was no exception. I thought to myself, this began as an idea.

The idea morphed into a goal. A plan was set in motion. Then came the hard work, the small successes, and the setbacks. Our nation rejoiced in the triumphs, and cried over heartbreaking losses.

It's amazing what can be accomplished when we set big goals. Your version of liftoff might be magazine publication, picture books, or anthologies. It might be novels, agents, and print publication. Whatever the goal, the process remains the same: create a plan, work hard, and have the guts and tenacity to chase the prize. There will be hurdles and disappointments, to be sure. But there will also be victories--which we should celebrate, no matter how small.

Determination goes a long way, whether you're pursuing publication or blasting to outer space--and it all begins with an idea. As Les Brown said, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

What's your idea of liftoff, and how close are you to achieving it? Or have you fulfilled your dreams and set new goals? I'd love to hear your story.

In the previous post, Writers: take a tip, leave a tip, you all left such helpful pieces of advice in the comments. I'm linking the post to my sidebar. Feel free to stop by any time and take a tip or leave a tip. And thanks for sharing your words of wisdom.

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Capturing Ideas

Bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry

And them good ole' boys drinkin' whiskey and rye

Singin' this will be the day that I die...

I love this song. I don't mind if it replays in my mind all day. Other songs, I wish they'd leave my brain. Like the Barney song ("I love you, you love me"), or The Map song from Dora the Explorer ("If there's a place you wanna go, I'm the one you need to know").

Like songs, ideas ping in my head. So many ideas for fiction and nonfiction that I'm sure I'll never be able to write about them all. But I don't want to let those ideas fly out the window while I'm driving. What if I forget it later? What if that idea is "the one?"

I trap those ideas before they escape. I have a large 3-ring binder with several dividers. I've created sections for nonfiction, fiction, characters, setting, sensory details, etc. I have notebook paper scattered throughout my house, and I write the ideas down when they come to me. Then I file them away for future use.

How do you catch your ideas before they disappear? And what songs attach themselves to your brain like mold, refusing to let go?

I wanted to share some good news: I just received an acceptance from Highlights magazine! After many rejections, it was exciting to see an envelope with "contract" stamped on the outside.

photo credit: flickr