More than a decade has passed since my university professor required our class to get a copy of Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing. The name struck something familiar, but I didn’t give much thought to it. I never knew that in that short span of time, I would be rummaging secondhand bookstores, off and online, for his books.
I read his articles slowly for that class, underlined a couple of lines, and somehow took things too unconsciously. Then I got inspired, a little discouraged, but later given hope again through the reading process. His How to Keep and Feed a Muse had an impact on my perspective as a writer, and I wished to make my own take on the matter. All of a sudden, things were more than what I had anticipated.
At a young age, I never really thought that I would try any luck with writing. I wanted to be a teacher, then an accountant. Later got lost along the way, with a moment of not knowing. The spark for literary appreciation came late. It was in my high school library books that I found my place. It might have been too late to feed my muse, but the road was far more crooked with loads of crossroads and even dead ends.
“It isn’t easy. Nobody has ever done it consistently.”
Ray Bradbury
Finding the Muse is not an easy task. Many gave it names of their own to understand and be more comfortable with it/him/her. A lot of people, like me at some point, can’t recognize the Muse. The one that comes to give you a stirring in your stomach or an itch on your head right before you see the story unfolding.
In his article, Bradbury gives ways to feed that muse and has a special diet to offer. This got me listing my own distinct meals for the Muse.
Trying to be friends with it/him/her requires patience and solitude. First off the menu is my books. Constant reading helps and satisfies the longing of my Muse, even for just a short period of time. Though it could be difficult to maintain this, especially when I see myself engulfed with tasks and responsibilities, I pause. Everything else seems more important, more urgent. I try to pull my attention back to find inspiration and to keep the Muse full.
Second, I don’t really consider myself a pop culture junkie, but I have my dose of TV series, movies, and music. Not just the famous Western weekly series, but some local ones as well. There was a time when local shows were difficult to watch because my palate got used to The Big Bang Theory, Criminal Minds, Bones, and Community diet. Comparisons are always on the way. However, I simply remember another reminder:
“Ours is a culture and a time immensely rich in trash and as it is in treasures. Sometimes it is a little hard to tell the trash from the treasure, so we hold back, afraid to declare ourselves.”
One should not be afraid to be seen reading PopLit or watching teleseryes, gag shows, or mushy Kdrama/Jdrama. We expand and keep our muses complete or almost complete. Aware of many things that would surely let it/him/her grow and be better, one should not just be a page of a book. This idea made me take my next move to appreciate and learn from the diversity around me.
This leads to a skill difficult to maintain. Discernment. Finding what fits my style and the ones to shape my own Muse. There are a lot of fears on every corner. Doubts are the worst to take my time. They take more than what’s necessary and make my Muse dull. So, now I try my best to keep my Muse with constant reading and writing. I use small tasks that can lead to bigger stories, repeating an exercise to turn into a habit, with good inspirations ahead. I keep the Muse happy and give it/him/her a place to move around.
However, gradually I got lost once again. This time it is taking a long time for me to recover. It seems that I have neglected my Muse by focusing and worrying a lot about my work and the uncertainties of tomorrow. I forgot to follow my own steps of keeping my Muse full. Now, it is dragging me and making my days feel less and less productive.
There are dreams still up ahead, but I hope that diligence will be heard more often, and earn proper credit in the end. To anyone who wishes to reach their goal, build your steps at your own pace and choice, but don’t let your muse run away, forgotten. It might take a lifetime to bring it/him/her back. This is a reminder I will continue to tell myself as I slowly pick myself up once more. There are still a lot of tomorrows, but I hope to start today.
Yakapin 