Weather to Write
Does your muse pull the blankets over her head and give you her most confident you-don’t-tell-me-what-to-do-dearie sneer at the sound of a driving rain hitting the window panes? When the sky is the perfect summer cloudless blue and warm sun is streaming down, does your muse blow you off and head to the beach?
Weather affects our moods. Weather affects our productivity and our creative flow. It only makes sense that the weather can also affect our muse.
How do you entice her back, you ask? There are a variety of schools of thought on this matter. Some say ignore her, play hard to get (yeah right, like any self-respecting muse would fall for that old trick), or show her your independent streak, telling the old girl you don’t need her, you’re just fine on our own.
Problem is, muses tend to be highly intelligent, perceptive and all-knowing, and your BS is gonna bounce right off them. A negative thought will send your muse hopping onto the next train out of dodge until there is a definite atmospheric change.
Now, me? I say at times like these there is only one road to go. A change of venue is what is most likely needed. Forget cleaning the bathroom, the laundry, figuring out which bills to pay, making supper for your husband (he needs to learn to cook!) Kick out your inner drudge, embrace your repressed adventurer, and follow her.
If she heads to a nice sandy beach, I say anchor your umbrella and get to writing. Your muse turns out not to be a beach person? Not a problem. Settle in with her at an outdoor café. Even at six feet, you can still listen in on the conversations around you. Writers are not only allowed, but expected to do this. Not to mention the best dialogue and lines have been discovered from a good eavesdropping session. Do you really believe Shakespeare came up with “A plague on both your houses,” sitting around the house moping?
If your muse turns out to be a film buff, take advantage. Curl up with a foreign film together and listen to her when she instructs you to read the emotions playing out on the screen.
My muse tends to be an active one, seeking new experiences, scents, and visuals. Your muse on the other hand may prefer a walk, stretching out on a soft patch of grass and studying the clouds, or a simple, but energy-replenishing nap. No matter, stay with her, listen to her suggestions. Be grateful she is letting you hang out with her on an unexpected walkabout.
At the very least it’s time well spent. In the end, the lesson is not necessarily about how many words you wrote that day. The lesson is the weather always changes and sometimes while you’re waiting it out, you might as well have some fun!
