Dodging your muse
If you haven’t already, I recommend that you watch Hearts of Darkness, the documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now. It’s a fascinating exploration of the creative process and how life can imitate art.
What’s particularly interesting is the scenes with Marlon Brando. Brando insisted on improvising his lines, and at one point he just stood up, walked away, and muttered “I can’t think of any more dialogue today.” You get the feeling that the muse just left him.
So, what does all of that have to do with writing? Sometimes the muse or the urge to create or whatever you want to call it vanishes. A lot of the time, though, we avoid the muse. And excuses for dodging are as plentiful as the words that we use.
As a writer, what excuses do you use to avoid your muse (or just getting down to work)? Feel free to leave a comment. And, yes, I’ll share my favourite excuses if you share yours.
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