I think it is very frustrating to work with the Muse. My reasons are, when we had to write poems in class based on using the muse I could not access it or use it. It was embarrassing because I was afraid of people thinking I am not doing the work since I had a mental block. It seems to me that my Muse or good writing comes when I am either driving in the morning at 1am after work (pull on the side of the road to write it down if I have pen and paper available) or when I am about to go to sleep. I am not that good at writing poetry but when looking at what I wrote in class and what I write or think about during those times it is a lot better. I asked other people I know and they say that the ones I write when I am in class seems like a child wrote it but the poems that I write after work or before sleeping sounds like a college student wrote it. Anyone else get that way?
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I know how you feel, and it SUCKS!
ReplyDeleteWhen writing in class it felt so forced, but when I'm doing something mindless or even sitting in class I will get a great idea. Of course at the time I can't write because I'm either in class taking notes on another subject, or I am out doing something without paper. I know that we were told to bring our notebooks around with us, and I do, but the times I don't have it my muse assaults me with awesome ideas. So later on I'll try to rekindle that thought and it comes out silly. I also have that moment right before sleep when I can write so I get myself out of bed and start scribbling a poem and that is when I write my best. I am so glad to hear that I'm not the only person with this issue, I honestly thought I was.
For the first round of workshop I didn't want to use one of the poems from classwork because I felt that all of those poems are childish. Especially when compared to the other poems read aloud in class. For round two though I sucked it up and used one, after some revisions, and it turned out better than my first one. So try revising your poems from class, I'm sure they'll turn out a lot better than you'd think they would!:)
When writing in class I’ve found it best not to think. If I begin to bring criticism in or worry over potential negative judgments I hardly get a sentence down. I feel the real work gets done in revision. Trying to write something meaningful right off the bat is near impossible. If there is one line in a page that I like that’s a success. One line can form the basis of something potentially great. The odds of my very first line being great aren’t too good. In class I try to keep my pen on the paper always, even if it’s just to doodle on the page or scribble my name. I operate on the motto first thought best thought.
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