Iyana Jenna’s Muse Blog Hop
So today I’m talking about muses.
Hmmm.
It’s a tricky subject for me right now, albeit a very appropriate one, and one I should probably have talked about more so people know where I’m at.
See, the thing is, I’m still not writing. It’s been about seven or eight weeks now – the longest I’ve ever gone without writing – and believe me, it’s not by choice. You can see my earlier post about my broken brain HERE.
A few weeks ago, I had someone ask me how my writer’s block was going. And that got me thinking; is what I’m going through a form of writer’s block?
Who knows? Maybe it is, although I’m inclined to say no, it’s not.
I’ve had writer’s block before, and this is different. Yes, I understand that writer’s block probably comes in a hundred different shapes and sizes and is different for each person. I remember when I had writer’s block a few years ago, I would literally sit at my laptop with fingers on the keyboard, ready to write, keen even, and… and… nothing. Not a word, not a whisper. No direction, no idea. My mind was a complete and utter blank.
So what I’m going through now is different. I still want to write. I still have words in my head, my characters are still telling their story, and I have scenes, conversations, scenarios, ideas.
But it’s like my brain has put up a sign that says AT LUNCH, BACK IN TEN MINUTES (or eight weeks, as the case may be). Or better yet, a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door. Or maybe my muse collapsed of exhaustion and is now sitting on a beach somewhere with a cocktail in one hand and a book in the other. Maybe he’s in some nightclub, on his fourth cocktail and is now slow-dancing, grinding between a twink and a cub… wherever he is, he’s not here.
I can’t say I blame him. He’s been going non-stop for years. I just hope he’s ready to get back to work sometime soon. I have deadlines that have long missed with my publisher, and another, invite-only publisher who is patiently waiting for me to submit something. I have two novel-length sequels to write and a plot-bunny folder that’s now a warren.
All this being said, I’m trying really hard not to stress over it. I have to let this run it’s course and not fight it. After all, writing and/or creativity shouldn’t be forced. It ends up a hot mess if it’s squeezed out of ones brain, and I’d rather not release a book at all if it’s poorly written and something I wouldn’t be happy with my readers paying money for.
My current WIP is Starting Point, the third and final book in the Turning Point Series. I’m 25K words into it, with about 40K to go. I’ve re-read what I’ve written, twice, so I know where it needs to go. It’s plotty and there’s stuff I need to get right; technical, legal and timeline wise. Nothing too difficult, but these boys need a proper HEA and I want/have/need to give them one. I adore Matt and Kira (and all secondary characters) I just need to find my rhythm again.
And now about the subject of muses…
Music is my biggest source of inspiration. Music feeds my muse.
I normally have a song that embodies the mood or headspace of a character. If I hear a character’s song, it will bring that character to life in my head. Such as Isaac Brannigan from Blind Faith’s album is Adam Lambert’s Trespassing, and in particular the song Better Than I Know Myself, and every time I hear the line “I can be obnoxious at times” it really makes me smile. Blindside’s Mark Gattison’s song is Out on the Town, by FUN.
Cooper, from the Thomas Elkin Series, loves Linkin Park.
So in the Turning Point Series, Matt’s song/music inspiration has been on a bit of journey. In the first book, Point of No Return, his album for inspiration was Thirty Seconds to Mars’ This Is War; any of those songs are a good match for Matt. The sequel, Breaking Point’s song that brings Matt to mind is Thirty Seconds to Mars’ End of All Days
“A beautiful liar
Love for him is pain
The temples are now burning
Our faith caught up in flames
I need a new direction
Cause i have lost my way”
These lyrics sum Matt up in Breaking Point.
The third book, Starting Point, is a mix. Matt has more of an acoustic feel in the third book. Like Matt Corby’s Resolution
Yes, in this post I’ve concentrated more on the Turning Point series, because that’s where my head is at right now. But as part of Iyana Jenna’s Muse blog hop, I’ll be giving away a copy of Elements of Retrofit!!
HOW TO WIN
So to enter for your chance to win a copy of Elements of Retrofit, just comment below and tell me what song reminds of you of a character in any book you’ve read. I’ll be picking a winner on 10am Saturday (14th September) Sydney time.
The link back to the Muse Blog Hop is Iyana Jenna
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