7 Ways to Nurture the Muse Within

"I can't believe it's August already."

"Rita, it's October."

True story.

Where did the time go? 

Let's see, in one month, I went to work, applied to close to 50 jobs, stressed out about losing my job soon, went on job interviews, wrote on my home school blog, wrote ezine articles, home schooled the kids, did the chores, wrote on my book, studied books on writing, and missed a lot of sleep.

That's enough to destroy any creative spark. This is what you gotta do to keep it.

1. Read.

Nothing's more inspiring than a good book. It was reading J.K. Rowlings and Robin Hobbs that spurred me to put pen to paper--or fingers to keyboard. It was reading Orson Scott Card that helped me overcome my writer's block. It was reading everything I could get my hands on since kindergarten that first sparked my dream to write. So pick up a great book and curl up on the couch for an afternoon.

2. Exercise.

You gotta take care of your body. Sitting in front of a laptop all day might get the book done, but you still have to live with yourself when the deadline is met. Besides, you need exercise to have truly healthy writing.

Rita's Scientific Law:

Healthy Body --> Healthy Brain & Heart

Healthy Brain --> Intelligent Writing

Healthy Heart --> Inspired Writing

3. Live.

A writer's temptation is to spend every waking moment in front of that screen, typing your life away. But you can't write about love if you've never put your heart on the line. And you can't write about the wind in your hair if you never stepped away from that computer and went outside. You can't describe a savory meal if you don't even taste your food. 

You gotta live as though you love everything and experience as though every moment is your last. And that's what you pour into your story.

4. Listen to music.

You can't give when you're empty. So fill up on music. Or art. Or nature. Or a good movie. Go to a play.

5. Pet a cat.

Every evil overlord who's worth mentioning always has a pet cat. There's just something about petting a cat that sparks a wicked imagination.  

6. Do nothing at all.

Every spring, I sit on the back step. Doing nothing. Just watching the kids play. They spend hours, moving dirt from one bucket to another, digging up worms, and picking weeds--I mean, flowers. There is something so healing about that moment--doing nothing, being a kid, shirking responsibility, refusing to run the rat race.

7. Have sex.

Yes, that's right. All those feel-good hormones make you just a little more alive. Because zombies don't write good books.

But don't get up and start writing. Be sure to get that all important after-sex snuggle and fall into a deep, deep sleep. Wake up refreshed. Get your coffee and a good breakfast. Then finally sit down and write.

8. Contribute.

What do you do to nurture the muse? To overcome writer's block? To rest and replenish and restore? Leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.