So my muse decided to take a holiday recently. He packed his bags and went to Hawaii or somewhere. And I know he’s been sitting in the sun drinking Pina Coladas the whole time.
That smug bastard.
Now, I should say I told him to take a break. The problem is, I’ve found it hard to get back into the flow of things. It turns out my muse enjoyed his holiday a little too much!
1I figured the break would do me good. I thought I would be raring to go by the time “I was ready” to write again. But that’s not been the case.
This is odd given my firm belief that you should take a break if you find the muse begging. In my experience you only end up creating more work for yourself if you try to force it.
If you feel overly stressed or burnt-out, I suggest you walk away and grab a beer. Catch up with some friends. Play with your children. Whatever it is, sometimes the muse just needs a little time to connect the dots.
I swear it works wonders.
That said, I’ve realised that there is such a thing as too much time off. So much so that muse forgets the dots altogether. You still need to show up most days.
If you want to increase your creativity, you need some perseverance. Of course, you have to be around to catch the muse when that smug bastard actually bothers to show up.
Consistency and creativity go hand in hand.
The trick, I think, is to make sure you show up almost every day. But make sure, when you sit down to write, you do so without any expectations. Don’t pressure yourself to create something you must publish. Just aim to have some fun. Horse around a little.
Speak your mind.
Then review it in the light of the next day. It doesn’t matter whether you wrote complete garbage. Ruthlessly murder all of your darlings if you have to.
What matters is that you showed up. This is how you learn. This is how you improve. The more you do this, the more willing your muse will ultimately be.
With that said – and this is perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned during my recent creative leave of absence – what matters most of all is that you show up for life first and foremost. Your muse isn’t going to play ball if you have bigger fish to fry.
To quote Steven King, “Life is not a support system for art. It’s the other way around.”
The real reason I took an extended leave of absence is because my wife got a job offer in Singapore. Provided the visa gets approved, I will be tendering my resignation and leaving behind a job and a life here in Hong Kong I’ve spent the last decade building.
Of course we needed some time to prepare ourselves for this potential move. I also needed some time to process my emotions which, as you can imagine, have been a little over the place.
Between this, my full-time job and parenting two frenetic boys, I decided to put blogging on the back burner for a while.
Honestly, I’m glad I did. It’s been a bit of a struggle to get back into it, but here I am. I feel ten times lighter for it.
The good news is my muse – that smug bastard – is starting to come round. And guess what?
He’s rocking a sweet tan.
He’s telling me, it’s time to get down to business.
***
You can find AP2’s personal blog here at: https://clear-air-turbulence.com
You can also find him on Medium at: https://anxiouspilot2.medium.com
Or on Twitter at: @anxiouspilot
Thanks for sharing your story!
I completely understand. Breaks are so necessary. I also agree that getting back into the groove of things can be difficult, especially when you’ve taken too much time off. There definitely has to be a balance (speaking from personal experiences). Congratulations to your wife on her new job. I know everything will work out. Welcome back!
Striking that balance can be hard during major life changes. I decided I had to let blogging go for a while. I believe it was a wise decision. Thank you Shaun. I really appreciate your kind words/continued support. 🙏
From your pen, to my heart. Thank you.
☺️🙏
Totally agree. Have written at a pretty fevered pace from 2018-2021. But haven’t started anything new in probably a year. Like everyone and everything, we all need a break from myself now and then. Can’t begrudge it. And you can’t summon it. It has to WANT to come back, otherwise it will eat all your snacks, hog the remote, be passive-aggressive, sullen, and generally unpleasant company.
Congratulations to your wife on the job offer. Wishing you all the best as you sort out the details! All the best, AP! <3
Thank you Cheryl! I appreciate your continued support after so much time away. I hope you’re doing well 🙏
Very easy to lose one’s mojo especially when you are juggling other life demands and challenges. Hope the change is a good one for your wife and will bring you many benefits including igniting your creativity. I need a reboot too but as you say you can’t force it. But recognising that you have had too long away is part of the journey back! Lynn
Very easy to lose one’s mojo especially when you are juggling other life demands and challenges. Hope the change is a good one for your wife and will bring you many benefits including igniting your creativity. I need a reboot too but as you say you can’t force it. But recognising that you have had too long away is part of the journey back! Lynn
Thank you Lynn. A reboot is always needed from time to time. We are looking forward to the change. Wishing you well 🙏
And the same to you my friend!
Not sure why my reply posted as anonymous!
First of all, please take note that you were missed!! I so enjoy your perspectives and the personal reflection it so often inspires. I too have often thought a break is what I need to inspire my writing – but alas it is never when I am rested or relaxed that the “good stuff” flows. On the contrary, it is when life throws me curveballs, my emotions are fraught, or time is not on my side when the muse so often returns to me. Maybe it is the creative’s curse. I always write truer to my soul and connect more with others through those words when I am in a less than joyous place. True – I have been able to write happy pieces – but true hope and happiness is revealed only when we know the opposite.
My best to you as you make your way through the changes ahead. It seems there are doors opening for you that you may not have expected. I look forward to following you as you set a new course.
Godspeed! Erika
Hi Erika – that’s very kind of you to say, thank you. I often get my best thoughts when I go for a leisurely walk through nature – the muse rarely, if ever, shows up when I actually sit down to write – so I can relate. But if I’m very stressed then trying to write is a bad idea. My internal critic comes out and I can barely get past the first sentence without trying to edit it. That said I completely appreciate how a difficult period can inspire the muse – often, I think, it’s about expressing/using your emotions – good or bad – that results in one’s best writing. Emotions are a writer’s best friend. Wishing you well Erika! 🙏🙂
Lovely piece. Great advice – sometimes by stepping away, the creativity comes back. Thx for sharing!
You’re welcome. Thank you taking the time to read and comment Brian. Wishing you well 🙏