Mar 19, 2011 / Topic Ideas

How do you find your muse?

Topic #76:

How do you find your muse?

When you sit down to blog, or have a creative project of any kind you need to work on, how do you get yourself motivated to do it? What are your rituals or habits?

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  1. Sitting in my favorite living room, very early in the morning, 5-7, typing in some tags, watching what ZEMANTA search-machine discovers, reading, comparing, thinking, writing. And it is quiet. Andmy cat is watching me friendly, sitting by my side, purring.

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  3. Usually things I’ve done or seen the previous day. I rarely go anywhere without the camera now so I can make the most of any bloggable opportunities I come across!

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  4. I usually mull over the next bit of a writing project or a blog post while working through mundane chores. Doing the ironing is a good way to let my mind wander. Anything can trigger a burst of inspiration though, from cooking and watching the dogs play in the garden to clipping my toe nails! Sounds gross but the other night I stopped midclip to jot down a few sudden ideas!

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  5. Firstly I have to think of a subject to write about. Most times there is something in my mind that I need to say, but there have also been times when desperation creeps in because I cannot think of a suitable subject. It is at these times that I use the dictionary, just open a page and chose a word, then write about it. I was lucky on two occasions but the third and fourth that idea did not work.
    Since that time I have written down on a scrap of paper various subjects that I think would interest me and subjects that I can relate to myself and my life.
    Fortunately I have lived quite a long time and have experienced many of the trials and tribulations of life.
    Once I know what I am writing about, I just start typing as if I were speaking. The only way to write is from the heart and sometimes if you stop to think about what you are writing it becomes calculated conversation . So I just type until I have finished. Then I read it over and over again. If I read it once then I must read it 10 times. Ever time I see something that needs a tweak. It may be just a comma or a full stop but I try to make improvements the whole time.
    Then just before I press the ‘ publish ‘ button I read it again, then my finger hovers over PUBLISH, then hey presto it has gone………

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  6. usually i brainstorm. if i have a topic in mind, i write down the first few words i can think of. then i keep going over those words, and everything related to them. sooner or later, i think of some angle to write from.

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  7. I usually need to look at nature, so if weather permits I sit in the porch with my laptop. Otherwise, I bought a chaise and placed it by the window in my bedroom. This is one of my favorite spots. However with the ability to write from my phone (as I’m doing right now) I’ve created the drafts of some blog posts from wherever I want.

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  13. I’m quite an observant individual. I notice changes in hairstyles, I notice whether someone has a new smile. I get a lot of inspiration from those I interact with on Twitter, but mostly, I am quite lucky (unfortunate) that I am one of those people that talks to themselves.

    Yep – a lot of ideas come to me as thoughts run around the corners of my mind. I have only started to blog recently, before I would have exorcised the thoughts by putting them into the body of an email (to a particular friend of mine). Now I can put them into a WordPress blog draft and that’s it – the thought is written down.

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  14. My scheduled thinking time is in the car going to work. When I stop at the lights I journal the ideas for later reference. Usually 1 idea resonates the strongest & that is the one I pursue.

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  15. I do not blog about blogging, so this will not go up, but thought if anyone could receive help from it, why not?
    I usually post from outrage, but first I have to calm down. So I write and outrageous post off line and put it to bed. Then I go back and make it lovable. By make it lovable, I mean subtracting words with harsh connotations, adding cushion words, and thinking how I would feel if I read this horrible mess. Then I edit some more. I add “heart words” and those horrible icons we call “smileys”, even though I despise them. 🙂
    Pretty soon, I have the thing ready, the “me” I wish I were, out there to fool everyone into thinking I am SUCH a patient person. Ha.

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  16. Getting into the spirit of doing something usually involve a couple of deep breathing which gets me into the state of thinking about things of interest.

    I usually start my writing by reading a couple of other people writing on a subject and then start expanding from an intro to the subject. This approach does not really produce an original awesome articles but allow for quick write ups.

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  21. Usually, the headlines get me going with writing inspiration; the thought that civilization could end before I have my say is quite unnerving for me. I am an equal opportunity writer; every one deserves to hear my opinion.

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  22. Usually I get the brain waves when I’m cooking, if I remember I jot down the the point otherwise on going through the blog & the topic related answers are given. I had written about why is human being never satisfied, & always frustrated & under stress all the while. More about it some other time.

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  25. For me, everything around me affects what I’d like to paint or draw. The news, family, the weather, the season but ultimately I need to clear my head so that I can concentrate. I need to be at peace for the hour or hours that I work on my art. If I am troubled by anything I focus on preparing my table, sharpening my pencils, and mixing my paints with the hope that this ritual alone can help clear my head. If all else fails I pick a familiar subject and just start with a drawing, and typically this process helps me find my peaceful place. Sometimes it is a struggle and I have a box of “attempts” which are an important part of the process as well. Thanks you for the Postaday 2011 challenge which has me processing what I love every day.

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  26. A minha inspiração de musa é o meu marido, que não sei a tradução para o masculino.
    Eu penso antes de escrever, me programo e muitas vezes até sonho o que escrever, e tantas outras as idéias surgem repentinamente.
    Abraços a todos!
    Mina!

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  27. As long as I have a topic to write about, the words flow freely and I usually find it easy to concentrate and get into the creative flow. When the mind wanders, I let it wander and I take a creative pause. Sometimes in a creative process, the mind needs time to process new ideas before they are ready to be translated into words, art or piano tones. Me and my muse, we love these creative pauses.
    http://zolh2011.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/my-muse-at-work/

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  28. I sit down, breathe and clear my mind out of clutter. Then I think. Then I look what I have in my cam for the day. Reflect. Then write. It can be my random musings, or a new product that made me curious to try it, or food that I just made, anything. It doesn’t have to be big, for as long as it matters to me…. I write it down.

    You can find some of them here:
    http://joriveradongon.wordpress.com/
    http://randompointsandshootsofjo.wordpress.com/

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