The Muse Unleashed

Here shortly I will be interviewing one of the best authors in the market today, Gregory Norris. His 26 short-story collection, The Fierce and Unforgiving Muse has inspired me to ask the ultimate question; what is the muse?

The Chuck Norris of writing, Gregory Norris

For everyone it's different.
For some, it's a sexy stud or a smokey vixen in a red dress who sings cabaret. *Whistles innocently*
For others, an object, a place, or some awesome music.
But, what is it really?

I'm sure every artist (not just limited to writing), has a different view on what a muse is. (I can't even write this post without thinking of the episode of 3rd Rock From the Sun where Dick becomes the muse for the art class.)
Granted anyone who can Google can find the origin of the meaning, but I have yet to see an actual explanation. Well guess what, I think I figured it out (yes, I am a slow learner :^D)

It is the “Force”. I think when George Lucas wrote Star Wars, he use the idea of the force as a way of putting his muse into print.



Think about it. The force is all around us, inside of us, constantly speaking to us. Now most people don't know how to use the force. But for those who do, become Jedi or Sith. Or in realistic terms, artists.
When we writers get the warm and fuzzies, the blood pumping excitement of slinging ink and bringing it to life, we can feel the muse pulsating within our veins. It is flowing through us. Speaking to us. And at this point in time, we are actually listening, and following it's command.

Now this doesn't mean we can't give the muse an avatar. I like my Jessica Rabbit avi. And I love my music (huge selection). But when we get down to it, it is in us. Coursing through our blood, doing Jumping Jacks in our brain while juggling geese. Hey some people juggle geese, just sayin'. The problem with writer's block quite a bit of the time, is that the muse is sleeping. Why?

Well here's why for a lot of us. The muse needs rest just like we do. But it also needs exercise. And yes that leads to the golden rule of write every day and write often. But we can't always do that. Even though I really need to cut down on my Facebook time (I need help :^p ), I have even used my writing skill a lot in comments. Half of which no one ever sees for multiple reasons. Also, I will read a link from an article that will spin a new idea which will force me to write something. The muse can be sooooo strong. And unlike force, it's okay to give in to the dark side.

With the muse, there are no rules that say we can't cast lightning from our finger tips, or force choke an insubordinate officer of the Empire. Though not of us writers play nice, I have fond more in common with my writer friends through being an author than I would have if I never pushed myself as an author to begin with.

The writers I love and get along with the most, we have some different opinions to say the least. But I am so thankful everyone of them because we are brothers and sisters in ink. We are muse-users, muse-casters, muse-slaves... okay I think the last one is more me :^D.

We don't have the good vs. evil. We unite. At the end of the day, we're family. When nothing else could have brought us together, the power of the muse connects us. And copious amounts of chocolate and coffee. Okay, so coffee and sweets also have a role in writer/artist connections, but that's besides the point.

The muse is a great ally. It can be our mistress, our guardian, our compass, and most of all, the creative surge that transforms us into the very thing our naysayers said we couldnever become (oh I have so many).

BTW, naysayers are coffee for the muse.

There is a reason why the pen is mightier than the sword. Because through the power of the muse, the pen can create worlds, and it can destroy them. It is the light saber of the writer. (Or a brush for a painter, ect)

So fellow scribes, painters, sculptors, artists, what is the muse to you?

P.S.
I'm a Jedi in my own mind!