I’m stuck and feeling bored. I’m tired of revising my novel. I’m tired of not writing new words. I’m fed up and my muse has all but left me alone and desperate. I feel like a bad writer and I want to just give up.
Luckily for me, I have amazing supporters. My mom and husband have both listened to me cry, bitch, and moan about this book for years. I love the main character, love the plot, the twists, and especially love the setting…but I’m starting to get anxiety when I come to the table to actually work. Mom and Bradley have both told me the same thing, gently – Jennifer, take a break. Don’t throw it out, but push it aside for a bit.
I wanted to throw the thing away, but they were right, I just need a break. I need some time to have fun, rediscover my muse, rediscover my love of writing because lately it’s been felt like drudgery. So….now comes the question: how to find my muse.
I’ve come up with 5 things I think I’ll try in the next few months:
1. Writing Exercises
I plan on using my tarot cards and some stuff I’ve found on the internet to help me come up with some different characters and plot lines for some short story ideas. I also want to use some pictures I’ve found on Pinterest to just write…for fun…for no other reason than to describe something, learn something, discover something.
2. Walking and Yoga
Now that the weather is feeling more like Spring, I want to get out and walk – we’ve lived in this part of Queens for almost five years and I still don’t know much about it. That’s sad. Also, my yoga practice is a great way for me to be quiet and listen to my body. Maybe my muse needs to be coaxed out a bit.
3. Other artsy stuff
I was a theatre major, but haven’t done much singing or acting in a long time on an actual stage but since finding the Hamilton soundtrack on Amazon prime music I’ve been listening and singing and acting out the show non-stop for days. I feel more alive, more in touch with who I used to be. I also have some crafty type projects lined up – like finishing my son’s baby book (he’ll be 5 in September) and my wedding/honeymoon scrapbook (we have our 10 year anniversary coming up) to complete.
4. Meditation
Like yoga, I’m hoping mindful breathing and visualization can help me chill out, become more mellow, and achieve a “go with the flow” type attitude about my novel and my writing career.
5. People
I think I also need to be around people more often. I work from home, just me and my computer all day long. I have a new day job, but it’s all online, virtual assistant…but that doesn’t mean I have to stay home. I can head out to Starbuck’s or St. Louis Bread Company (okay, here it’s called Panera’s…but I’m a St. Louis girl at heart still), ordering a latte and a muffin and write or work right? I’ve never tried this so it makes me nervous, but I think just being around other people, looking at them also working and eating might help me.
So…what else should I try? What do you guys do when you start feeling this way? Or….please don’t let this be true….am I the only one who gets this way sometimes?