Hutch the Muse
Creativity and productivity have never been a problem. Early in my writing career, I decided that writer’s block was a myth. I had it on good authority from a fellow writer. One who made her daily bread writing romance novels for Harlequin books. This was back in the days when Harlequin writers were essentially piece workers who were assigned pen names and expected to pump out several books a year. There was a formula of sorts, and productivity was key to continued employment.
I acted as my friend’s first reader. She wrote four or five series, all under different pen names, all romances, but as varied as historical to what we’d now call romantasy. I was in awe. I asked her how she could be that productive. Didn’t she ever stare at the blank page and wonder what happened next? She laughed. No, she bellowed. Then she asked me if I was talking about the famous ‘writer’s block’. I admitted that was exactly what I meant. She gave me an owlish look and said, “There is no such thing. It’s all in how you look at it. I love writing. It’s fun. But as for writer’s block. Have you ever heard of a plumber having plumber’s block?”
My protest that plumbing was mechanics and writing was inspiration fell on deaf ears. She agreed that there was only one way to fix a clogged drain, but she also pointed out that writing stories required words on the page, and there was only one way to get them there. That was by doing it. “Look,” she said, “you can fix the words, just get them on the page. It’s mechanics. Your *&%tty first draft will spark the magic in the rewrite.”
Her words served me well. Until this year. Mid-October found me plunking words on the page of the fourth book in the Hayden Kent series. Things were moving along. The story was the perfect escape from all things political. Then the edits to the first book of a projected Maine series came back. I shelved the Kent book and dove into the Maine edits. Someday, I’ll master working on two books at once, but this was not the time. By the time the edits were complete, the election was in full swing and then the holidays arrived. I decided a break was in order. Bad idea.
With the New Year came new plans for productivity. I pulled out the Kent book and stared at the opening for Chapter 15, and stared at it, and stared at it. Nothing happened. I figured I’d left the story too long and had lost momentum. So I printed the pages and dove in. The story was good, it flowed well. I don’t outline, I do bullet point the plot points and structural chapters before I write. The story was where it should be and the upcoming chapter notes worked. All good, right? No. When it came to filling in the blanks, the words to bring the chapters to life, I had nothing. My muse failed me.
Is this writer’s block? If it is, then the act of writing should release the logjam. Except it didn’t. I want to tell this story. The second to the last chapter is written. Has been since the beginning. It’s the bridge that’s under construction. The muse will return, she always does. Right now, though, she’s playing awfully hard to get.
Has anyone seen my muse? Does anyone have any advice about bringing her back from vacation? Please let me know in the comments below.
I’ve always called this story block and be patient. Either it will resolve and your plans will come back to you or you will take your friend’s advise, set yourself down, and power through. I have a worse issue…a book I wrote years ago and know I finished…but now I only have saved chapters for the first two-thirds. Soon I will sit down and give myself the advice I’m giving here. Just bite the unlettered and finish.
Kate
The word unlettered must be an offering from our friend autocorrect. Meant bullet. And don’t ask why
Oh, I don’t know. unlettered sort of fits in this situation of words not flowing!
I hope you find your missing chapters. Any chance they’re residing on an external backup? Mozy saved my bacon once.
Maybe sort of sacrifice to the muse gods is in order?
Hum. That’s a thought.
Kait – being too hard on yourself? Perhaps? You said you liked what you wrote when you read it- take that on and power forward. Sometimes we like our work, sometimes we hate it – it can change day to day. Perhaps with all that’s going on in the world right now some of the joy “when it reads well” is gone? Get back the enjoyment – perhaps your favorite snack next to your computer? JOY! You have the track record – just get back on the track!???
Thanks, Jule. Wise words.
I don’t know what work for everyone else, but for me it’s about giving myself grace. That story is stuck. Write another one, or, at least begin another one. Inevitably that other, unfinished story starts calling (or the muse does) and gets louder and louder until it must be attended to. Then I’m back in it. May the writing gods smile on you (sacrifice or no)!
Great advice, Robert. Perhaps I should sacrifice my Roget’s? Don’t tell the writing gods I abandoned that years ago in favor of Rodale!
I suspect many muses have been taken hostage by the terrible, evil, those we dare not name. They’re all in a stark, unheated prison compound overseen by the demented governor of South Dakota and we need a cadre of ruthlessly brave mercenaries to break them out.
Let’s go, John! I’m game.
Hi all. I just joined Maine Crime Writers because I love writing crime, and I’m hoping to move to Maine in a few years.
I have not been published yet, but I have written my first manuscript and the first draft of a second in the series. Before that, I wrote five or six novel-length stories for fanfiction. Perhaps the reason I’ve not had to tackle the silence of my muse is because I’m so new at it. But I’ll try putting in my two cents all the same.
Sometimes, I get ‘stuck’ at a place in a story. Maybe I’ve caught a story-structure mistake in my writing plans and don’t know what to do to fix it. Or maybe, as Kait describes here, I don’t quite know how to bridge what I have to what I plan to happen later. Whatever the (dare I say) ‘block,’ I’ve learned to trust my subconscious to offer ideas. I have no control over when or how it will do so. But I’ve also learned that the subconscious best works when it is both trusted and not pressured. I do things that help my subconscious stir. Make sure I get enough sleep–dreams can be amazing. Walks, tuned into the environment’s sounds, smells, etc. Read books that tickle my fancy. I’m wishing you dreams of bridges, Kait. It probably wouldn’t hurt to walk or drive over a few of them, too. You need a bridge… it will come ( ;
Best of luck with your writing career and welcome to MCW. We’ll be looking for you. Thank you for the advice. I suspect you’re right.
Immerse yourself in some other kind of art or craft. Go to the art museum and soak in the colors and shapes and images. Read some poetry. Listen to an amazing album. Sometimes our muse just needs a rest and an infusion. I know this doesn’t jibe with the “productivity imperative” but I’ve found the creative juice flows back more quickly when I stop forcing. Of course, this makes me a slow writer. Anyway, I have a feeling your muse will come back soon.