I know that many of us have mentioned our muses on the board and some of us have even gone so far as to name them. So this led me to wonder about the ways that we view our muses.
So answer the questions and feel free to tell us all about your muse.
Mine: Her name is Dolly and she likes to sit on the couch and eat cheetos and not much else. Every so often she obliges me and gets off the couch (cheetos still firmly in hand) and helps me out. But damn those orange stains on the pages... *sigh*
I'm not usually too keen on posting links to my LJ, but I had this handy post all made years ago about my muse:
The Story of Mel Sara
I don't know what my muse's name is but she wears slinky revealing concubine clothing and is always refering to her Benevolent Overlord Kal El. She's pretty horny too...
I pretty much detailed my muse in
A Musing , and there's been little if any change since. She's zany, hyper, and has a very short attention span. The reason I don't know her name is because she either keeps changing it, or is too distracted to tell me what it is.
Lately I've me her evil twin sister, who is sort of gothy and doesn't talk much. She just kind of stands in the back and mutters. It's kind of creepy...
Occasionally when I'm writing, these two will get into fights. The gothy one, who seldom speaks and has not told me her name, will want the story to have more angst, torture, and people who are psychologically scarred for life. My other muse doesn't care for that since it's not usually funny, and there's no pie involved.
Then the anvils and mallets come out, and I have to send them to their seperate corners.
Bru, if you're reading this, this is why you haven't heard from me in a while.
Wow, I have a boring alert, LOL. She's unnamed, she doesn't do much. She basically sips Mai Tais on the beach like a slacker. I pretty much have to sit down and say, okay, I'm going to write a story. What's it going to be about? Then she'll finally get off her beach towel and point to something around my apartment. Like my dying fish. Or cough syrup. Or something religious. Or in a few rare instances, one of the challenges posted. But I'm also a mean partner. I do so much work that the last thing I want to do these days is write; I don't let her out of her resort as often as I should.
JD
mmm... this is hard... I picked answers, but I'm not sure they're right anymore. *lol* I said I didn't know their name - that's still true - but the more I think about my muse, the more I realize I can tell you about their personality. LOL!
First off... My muse is a he - not a she. I don't know why that is, but ever since I started writing L&C fic, I hear a deep male voice in my head, not a woman's. Maybe he chased away the other muse I had? When I wrote fairy tales, a few years ago, it's my mom's voice I used to hear. (it's perfectly logical, trust me!)
This guy likes to show up at the worst possible times. That is, when I don't have anything to write with. And when I need him the most, I think he's probably off romancing someone else's muse. *giggles*
He's most productive in the middle of the night. Sometimes when I'm trying to sleep... But when I manage to be up between midnight and four a.m., we work wonderfully well together and churn out some truly amazing paragraphs. Like Friday night when he decided it was acceptable for him to walk around shirtless and whisper naughty thoughts in my ears. You really ought to see the pectorals on that guy. WOA. And the arms... OMG, the arms! *lol*
I don't really have a "muse". Sometimes I hear Lois and Clark talking in my head. They're just little snippets of conversation that I jot down and file away until I can figure out the context.
Seriously - most of my stories start out with a definite beginning and ending and everything that happens in between is just the characters talking me through it. I've written banter on the back of a bank deposit slip, on grocery receipts, the envelope my electric bill came in and sometimes even on the palm of my hand when nothing else was available.
That's not a muse. That's an inconvenient and sadistic imagination at work.
Sue said:
I don't really have a "muse". Sometimes I hear Lois and Clark talking in my head. They're just little snippets of conversation that I jot down and file away until I can figure out the context.
Seriously - most of my stories start out with a definite beginning and ending and everything that happens in between is just the characters talking me through it. I've written banter on the back of a bank deposit slip, on grocery receipts, the envelope my electric bill came in and sometimes even on the palm of my hand when nothing else was available.
That's not a muse. That's an inconvenient and sadistic imagination at work.
Now,
this post I can relate to... much more so that I can relate to the whole idea of having a 'muse', named or not.
If I ever mention having a muse, my tongue is lodged very firmly in my cheek. I'd use 'muse' as a kind of shorthand to disguise the fact that I
can't tell where my words or ideas come from, half the time.
Like Sue, I've scribbled notes down on the most unlikely scraps of paper... including napkins in restaurants and the backs of receipts.
Inconvenient, yes. Sadistic, maybe. But it is the entirely inexplicable way in which stories sometimes seem to write themselves that makes me love the creative process.
Pity I haven't felt that kind of creative power at work in the longest while. One of these days, though...
Chris
If I have a muse, it's likely a he, and he has an extremely short attention span with a vicious sense of humor and a curious imagination.
Let me guess, jojo, you were the one that voted for the cheesy answer.
This all depends on what fandom you're talking about... I write in four different ones and each has it's own muse. Never realized how scary that sentence was until I saw it in print...dang...
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by oneredneckgoddess:
<strong> This all depends on what fandom you're talking about... I write in four different ones and each has it's own muse. Never realized how scary that sentence was until I saw it in print...dang...
)
Hmmm...
If I HAVE a muse, she's lazier than I am, evil, vindictive, evil, tries to be funny, evil, lazy, and evil.
And sometimes she'll just pack up her bags and vacation the world without me. As I said, evil.
Apparently though, plots are like Kyrptonite to her.
And I don't think my writing and vidding muses get along all that great, either.
I used to have a muse. It was a little gremlin called Curmudgy. I don't have one any more.
C.C. kidnapped the poor little thing years ago and had kept it captive every since.
Tank (who notices how much C.C. has been writing which says how good a muse Curmudgy must be)
Originally posted by Tank:
I used to have a muse. It was a little gremlin called Curmudgy. I don't have one any more.
C.C. kidnapped the poor little thing years ago and had kept it captive every since.
Tank (who notices how much C.C. has been writing which says how good a muse Curmudgy must be)
LOL! I remember him! Didn't he hide out under people's desks to get away from all the explosions? I think he wanted another genre, Tank.
BTW, gimme a 30%coupon for The Source so's I can buy the Black Adder series.
My muse is very shy, and likes to come out of hiding when I ought to be doing something else.
However, when she's allowed to write on a page, she concentrates all her efforts and can be quite productive! Unfortunately, this tires her out, so she goes back to sleep until the next time I need her. She hasn't told me her name yet.
She's modest, quiet and shy, and I don't mention her a lot because she prefers to keep a low profile, and I don't want to scare her away.
Julie
Mine doesn't have a name, but she sits on my shoulders and pokes me in the brain with a big sword until I write whatever idea she's put into my brain.
My muse has been mentioned on these boards a few times. These excerpts should give you some idea of my relationship with my muse:
This is from the FDK thread of “100 Meters” and is where I introduced the world to my muse:
First, thank you all for the FDK. Before I go on, I have to share a most unusual Sunday afternoon. It went a little like this:
***~~~***
<Bob> Huh?
<Nondescript Delivery Person> Bob?
<Bob> Yes.
<NDP> I have a story for you.
<Bob> Great! I've been waiting for that for 2 days. (Looks at package.) Wait. This isn't what I ordered.
<NDP> (Checks records.) It says here you placed an order for a "super short" and a different order for "an original idea for a TOGoM" story. Congratulations pal, you got both together.
<Bob> But I placed those orders months ago and they were never filled. I'm waiting on Chapter 6 for the sequel to Luck and Consequences.
<NDP> Sorry. This is what I have.
<Bob> But I don't want this now. Can I exchange it for Chapter 6?
<NDP> I'm in delivery, not production. Besides, we have a strict no exchanges policy.
<Bob> But what am I supposed to do with this.
<NDP> Well, you can just put it on the shelf but... (Comes closer and lowers voice) You won't get another delivery until you do something with this. (Pointing at story.) If you ask me, if you want that Chapter 6 thing to be delivered, you better do something about this first.
<Bob> (Looking over story.) Well, okay.
(NDP turns to leave.)
<Bob> Hold it! Where's the rest.
<NDP> (Turning back.) That's it.
<Bob> It can't be. My stories always end with Lois and Clark in each other's arm's or holding hands or something like that. I at least have to leave them friendly and talking.
<NDP> Not this time.
<Bob> (Looking over the story again.) Well... okay. But you at least have to tell me about the three words. What are they?
<NDP> Beat's me. Delivery, remember.
<Bob> Hold it. I need to know what those words are.
<NDP> Nah. Think of it as an artistic ending. You know, reader suspense and all that.
<Bob> Well, it is a nice little piece.
<NDP> So if you're done, I have places to go.
<Bob> Wait, is there a sequel?
<NDP> How should I know? Do I look like I'm carrying anything else today? If I can go now...
<Bob> Hold it. What about Chapter 6?
<NDP> I suggest you take care of that first. (Points at story again.) I'm sure Chapter 6 will be along in time. And by the way, your more recent deliveries are sure a lot more entertaining than those ideas that I used to bring you in college about quantum mechanics and gravity. That stuff was *so* dry.
***~~~***
And this appeared as the lead-in for the first chapter of “And the Truth will Set you…”
Hi, FOLCs.
It feels like it’s been a long year. Right after Thanksgiving, I went in search of my muse – with club in hand. (I’ve been in a foul mood lately.) I found him in a ditch on the side of the road. Apparently, he’s been as lost by RL disruptions as I have.
I towed his truck out of the ditch and got him to the hospital. Once he came to (and he sobered up) we had a long talk. I explained that I was very unhappy at the fall-off in his job performance. He simply shrugged. (Which turned out to be surprisingly satisfying when he winced due to the sprained shoulder.)
I picked up his delivery bag and started rifling through it. He tried to object, but an IV drip and two casts prevented him from interfering. Anyway, I found a dirty, wrinkled short at the bottom of the bag. “What’s this?” I asked.
“Nothin. That came some time ago but you won’t use it.”
That made me mad. “What do you mean? Isn’t that for me to say?”
He shrugged again. (Another wince.) “I know my job,” he replied.
I’d had enough. “I’m taking this.”
He simply looked the other direction. “Suit yourself.”
When I got home and looked at it, I understood why he didn’t deliver it. I went back to the hospital but he was long gone. I stared at the short for three weeks before I gave up and decided to go ahead. He had been right, I couldn’t go with it just as the short. I’ve been chasing my muse all over town for the past few weeks and have managed to liberate a few more parts and a few days ago I actually managed to get (with the help of some strong ale) the master story outline.
Is it any wonder that I go long periods of time with writer’s block?
Bob
I've been wanting to post a reply to this thread since it re-emerged last month, but I was holding my tongue (my keyboard?) until I was able to post the birthday fic for Corrina which I had already written. I can now say that, With Apologies to Female Hawk notwithstanding, I really don't personalize my muse at all. I just refer to her giving me a story (or not) as a way of adding a bit of levity when I wish to say that I have (not) come up with a new story idea.
I have no idea what my muse looks like, and she doesn't converse with me. I don't have that active an imagination. And she doesn't have a name; at least not yet. But one grain of truth in the silly story is that I am leaning toward Thalia as her name. (I am using the Anglicized spelling of the Greek muse's name.)
Joy,
Lynn
Even though I've never published any of the stories we've written, my muse and I are like faternal twins. We look nothing alike and we seem to have two different personalities. I am more laid back with a sense of humor that sometimes goes over like a hammer to the head. My muse (unnamed at this time) has a sense of humor that is more of the slapstick, visual sight-gags.
She has ADD and when she gets an idea we might write for 24 hours straight. After I reread what she wrote, it is not too bad and I'd really change very little. I can always tell when she's been taking her medicine and the ADD is under control. The edge that she shows otherwise is missing. So, when she gets an idea about a new story, I usually try to hide her medicine or replace it with vitamins. Another thing I have learned is that I cannot let her put her hair up in a pony tail while she is writing. If she has a strand of hair in her mouth, she writes so much better. Some day soon I plan to send some of her work to be beta-ed. Then we'll see if she is any good or maybe I need to take her meds and get over the thought that we have done something worth reading.
Pat
I voted, thinking I didn't know my muse all that well... and then had an epiphany. Crap. I don't write much these days apart from college essays so I guess the rambling girl with curly black hair that just gave me a mental whack has been on extended vacation.
I have two muses: Psychotropoia, the muse of weird imaginings, and Polyskitzodia, the muse of multiple and confusing timelines. You think some of my stuff is off the wall? You should see the things I have which will probably never see the light of day. I have alt-Lois as a hitwoman, Lois and Clark as standup comics, a Clark in outer space tale, a sequel to "She's" that I doubt I'll finish, plus a couple of really odd ones. These ladies can be harsh.
I think the Archive should add a category for stories about muses. There are several out there now, and I'd bet nickels to noodles that a lot of FOLCs have never read them.
Terry - your muses sound AWESOME! My own muse oftentimes gets a kick of of writing dark things and often likes to hurt the characters in my stories.
I don't have a muse persay, I just hear the charactors talking in my head.
But there is a gremlin named Kazbo (he's sarcastic and cuel and basically a sadist) who likes to twist the plot lines for angst, drama, and tragedy.
So we often get into arguements and I have to send him back to the fifth dimension.
But he often returns, and tragedy occurs; then I have to salvage the story from there.
I have to divulge this as a secret at a time when my muse isn't looking: I think my muse is trying to kill me.
No joke. He is partly psychotic and refuses to tell me his real name (tho he does give me various pseudonyms) and he is a shape-shifter. Which means he can get to be distracting when I start writing for Clark...
His shape-shifting also allows him to pop out of nowhere at pretty much any point in time, good or bad (usually the latter). But in all honesty, we work well together. My obsessive-compulsive nature and his great ideas- though often ending up in several weeks' torture and me crying out "No! I don't want to hurt anybody!" while my friends and family give me weird looks and back away- what can I say? It's a warped relationship, but hey, it gets results.
It doesn't hurt that he's smart and gorgeous either...
Originally posted by Sue S.:
I don't really have a "muse". Sometimes I hear Lois and Clark talking in my head. They're just little snippets of conversation that I jot down and file away until I can figure out the context.
Seriously - most of my stories start out with a definite beginning and ending and everything that happens in between is just the characters talking me through it. I've written banter on the back of a bank deposit slip, on grocery receipts, the envelope my electric bill came in and sometimes even on the palm of my hand when nothing else was available.
That's not a muse. That's an inconvenient and sadistic imagination at work.
I'd say that's how my "muse" works (although they are rarely sequential when it comes to "talking" to me. Sometimes it's a phrase, sometimes a whole scene. I also consider myself having multiple muses (i.e. one for each character and sometimes one for that universe of that character.)
When I do identify my muses I usually say the name of the muses actor/actress and the character they played at that moment (examples are Kidder!Lois and Cain!Superman/Clark.) If it's a non-acted role it's based on the fandom (ex. comics!Lois.) For original characters, I just name them as their name.
I'm really mad at my muse right now 'cause she's been too quiet for way too long. Hopefully, when I'm out of work starting next week, that will change...
<Do you hear that, muse...I need you back!!!!>
Anne, sorry to hear you're having so much difficulty with your muse. I borrowed Lynn S.M.'s muse from
With Apologies to Female Hawk ... well, actually, she kind of jumped into my head after Beta-ing that story and brow beat me into making her a central character of my
Green-Eyed Monster story (I've nicknamed her IVY and she's kind of a diva... which I mean in the most nicest of possible ways, IVY
Sorry to hear that you will soon be having too much free time on your hands, but we'll always welcome your extra stories said free time allows you.
I don't have my own muse. I allow my characters to inspire me [be my muse(s) for me]. I tell them where I want them to go and they thumb their collective noses at me and go wherever they want.
I figure it's best not to make them mad... otherwise, poor Lynn's fate might happen to me. (You know I'm just teasing you, Lynn.
)
Originally posted by VirginiaR:
I figure it's best not to make them mad... otherwise, poor Lynn's fate might happen to me.
I'd say I want her back but, well, after what happened, I really don't. But I would like a new muse. I'm still seeking candidates to interview. I've got what I think is a terrific first half of a story right now (a prequel to Echolalia), but I have been stuck at the same spot for several weeks.
(You know I'm just teasing you, Lynn.
)
If "With Apologies to Female Hawk" doesn't beg for a bit of silliness, I don't know what does.
Joy,
Lynn
Well, my muse is a fickle, fickle girl, who lately only likes to come out to play when I can't possibly write. Then she pouts and refuses to come play until the next time I can't possibly write.