Some days it is just nothing but pure hell to write, and sadly today was one of those days. But then… I thought, you know, I can’t wait for that jerk of a muse to show… So here you go, today’s flash.
Today’s Prompt: With the tip of his paintbrush, he soaked up one of my tears.”
Today’s Story:
Tears For My Muse
Writing has never been so hard! You would think staring out a window as snow dances in the air, with hints of sunlight glinting off flakes like so much glitter, the words would just be pouring on the page. I say blame the muse. Not like he is ever really there when you need him. Oh no… he only comes out when the words are flying across the page and you already have too many ideas that you can’t get them all on paper.
So there I am… staring at that blank page tears running down my face and suddenly I feel something soft brush up my cheek. A quiet shriek escapes me, as I glance over and this funny looking guy, I kid you not I am pretty sure he was a Bob Ross lookalike, was standing there with some strange painting I could never describe, soaking up my tears with his paintbrush!
“Excuse me? Who the hell are you?! How did you get in my office? What are you doing?!” I trip over the questions, not able to ask them quick enough. You would think this is when I would be rather afraid, having been alone in my house and now there is some weird stranger painting in my office, but oh no, I am just outraged. Pretty sure that has something to do with my lack of self preservation.
“I am Eilack, your muse that you were so unfairly disparaging. I am here collecting your tears to help you find that next best seller. That is what I do you know. I collect all these moments, moments when you are sure the world is ending and that you may as well forget it, you will never write again, and I mix them up with my paints and give them back to you, that is why you find yourself overflowing with ideas later! So you see, it is these very moments that I am collecting from you, that give you those moments of overabundance that see you through till your next bout of uninspired writing. Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to create. Why don’t you toddle off and get some laundry done or wash some dishes. You may just find after that, the plethora of ideas that you are demanding now. I am sorry, but even I take time to create the amazingness that you have come to love.”
So, how often do you go ahead and work without your muse? What does that prompt inspire for you? Do you sometimes struggle to create? I love hearing from you in the comments! And if you haven’t seen them yet, please check out the anthologies I am published in, the MN Emerging Writers and the National Edition!
Random Acts of Writing 