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I am Artist, Hear Me Wangst.

Not really. Promise. It just sounded catchy. And grabbing the reader's attention is what it's all about, right?

Of course, I'm just now starting my second cup of coffee so anything I write can be construed as, and likely is, lacking any inherent value. My brain is rarely in gear before Cup Number Three.

Writer's block.
One of those things that everyone who writes either mentions or whines about or even uses as an excuse or avoidance tactic at one point or another. Hell, I've certainly encountered it enough times over the years. This isn't a psych eval though, and I'm not your shrink. =)

Lack of ideas. Lack of emotional engagement in the story content. Lack of direction. Lack of motivation, intrinsic or otherwise.

In each case, the issue revolves around the surge of energy. Artistic energy. Creative energy. It's a resource that ebbs and flows like the tides of the ocean. Endless, but the presence at any given point in the process of writing is not constant.

There are ways to trigger a resurgence, but the techniques vary as widely as the artists who employ them. Every writer is unique in their execution, their methods.

For me, it's music.

I've found it to be one of the best methods for finding a source of energy. And it's endlessly fascinating that art can feed art. One medium providing the trigger for a flood in another medium. With the right song, or the right genre, I can tap into the emotional psyche of a given character with relative ease.

Finding the right one for a character is largely a process of trial and error. Not every muse likes the same music; I can't channel a streetwalker with the same energy source as I do a soldier.

When I'm working on fleshing out a new character, I spend a lot of time trolling through the music collection. Skimming, skipping around, moving from one genre and/or artist to the next, until something snags. And then determine why. Is it the lyrics, the harmony, the mixture of instruments?

Narrowing it down leads to the playlists. A series of songs that evoke imagery, emotion, and energy associated with a specific muse or scene. Once that association exists, the playlist never fails to trigger a flood of inspiration and motivation to write when its lacking.

Yes, here there be playlists. And dragons. But that's later. Much later.

Have a pleasant holiday, everyone... I'll be back at the beginning of the month with the first post in the "Meet the Muse" series. See you then!

Comments

  1. Ooooo music, playlists and inspiration. yay, I'm excited. =)

    Can't wait to meet the muses too, excited, excited much!

    Have a good turkey day =)

    ReplyDelete

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