Burnout and the Muse

This post, which has received a ripe slashdotting, speaks of burnout. Really, I think his post speaks more to the fact that blogs are becoming too ?link oriented.? And I?m inclined to agree. Do you remember my Top 5 and Bottom 5 list? Guess who?s #1 on the Bottom? That?s right, the link blogs.

But hey, people have called for the death of blogs for years now. That doesn?t stop me from writing, now does it? Or you for reading, for that matter (and I thank you for that).

Speaking of, I do a great deal of writing per week. I?d border on saying that, as long as these blog posts are, I may be writing a bit too much. But that begs the question: Can you write too much? Is a voice only limited to so many words before it loses authority or authenticity?

I ask this question because I?ve been thinking of looking for some more freelance writer work. However, there are weeks when I struggle to finish my Turn 6 column over at starchamber.net and there are days I just don?t feel up to writing a Deep, Interesting Post on this blog.

Is it lack of steam, enthusiasm, or is it the muse?

Stephen King?s writing guide, On Writing, details that his muse is a man. That a muse simply doesn?t spring to life, but must be catered to, coerced into giving you the juice that keeps your creativity going. I?ve never given much thought to a muse, I simply sit in front of the keyboard, think of something interesting, and start laying down letters.

There seems to a be a lot trepidation regarding writing something, when I see it as rudimentary as laying brick: One letter goes in front of another. Remember, the easiest thing in the world is to not write.

I guess my muse is a very finicky one. There is, admittedly, a huge difference to writing and writing well. A lot of my best Turn 6 columns come in the middle of the night (post 3AM), and sometimes spring up during the day. Sometimes I write blog posts the night before, and sometimes I read something and it just spills out, much like yesterday?s post. I must say though, I?m very happy for my muse, whatever he/she may look like (or even may be?a farie, perhaps?), for spreading its magic dust across the keyboards I populate. Without them I wouldn?t have made as many friends as I have, nor the good fortune to write on a contract basis.

Perhaps that same muse will provide me with the skill and good fortune to attain another writing gig. Perhaps not, but I?ll keep you updated.

In the end, muses are always there, just waiting to be employed. It is the finding and coercion that is the hard part, and when they die, or you fail to find them, you de-evolve from a writer into a link blog.

Be kind to me or treat me mean
I make the most of it I'm an extraordinary machine

Tags: Slashdot Writing muse Stephen King StarChamber