Is having a Muse necessary to be creative as a writer?

A Muse is defined as someone or something that inspires one's creativity. But is having a Muse really needed to be creative? Some will say they are not the creative genius behind their writing, but rather the grateful recipient of ideas provided by their Muse. Perhaps from another person in their life that inspires the creative energy or a specific location or place that sparks the imagination and gets the juices flowing.

The power of a Muse can be undeniable. But is that power something we have inside of us already? Is a perceptible sense of self and creativity something we could tap into without the help of an outside influence? Possibly. Maybe even probably on a good day. But believing that a Muse is the reason for anything that causes success in our writing life also comes along with a built-in excuse for when things aren't going so well. It's easy to blame writer's block or anything else preventing us from manifesting great ideas on our Muse for not showing up that day. And that may be where the real power of a Muse lies--the ability to take the pressure off ourselves for not being able to spend quality time on a writing project when the creative portion of our brain is not cooperating. "It's not me, it's the Muse," helps keep us from feeling like we’re the reason why, on some days, the writing may seem substandard to us. Blaming the Muse for not showing up can even help lessen the anxiety and pressure we feel when not producing in spite of a looming deadline. We don't feel so inadequate about our work, or lack of, if our Muse is at fault for not joining forces with us that day. 

Having a Muse in your corner can help keep your project moving forward. My personal Muse is more of a feeling of tranquility I get when sitting on my back deck taking in the beautiful scenery nature provides right in my own back yard. It's also new to me. I came upon my Muse by chance. It took a bit of time for me to recognize this feeling was actually fueling my imagination. I had never given the idea of having a Muse much thought until recently. Since I am now semi-retired, I find myself enjoying that scenery every morning before I sit down at my computer. Watching the deer and rabbits grazing or even the simple act of two birds singing to one another from two of the many different trees that surround the yard, puts me in the right frame of mind to dive into whatever project I'm currently working on. It helps open the creative pores allowing the words to flow out of me and shape themselves into the story I'm writing.

So, is having a Muse necessary to be creative as a writer? I'm still not sure if it's a necessity, but what I do know is that an awful lot of creative people in many different artistic fields, including writing, count on a Muse to help them stay focused on doing their best work. And, as it turns out, I am one of them. 

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As always, any comments or thoughts are welcome😎

Meanwhile, click on my link to see what kind of stories my Muse helps to inspire: Books by Joe Congel

Until next time...

 

Magnolia Bluff, Texas - A small town with a proclivity for murder

If you are a part of the writing community on Twitter, you have most likely seen a tweet or two about the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles series. If you are in the dark regarding this unique crime fiction series, let me enlighten you. 

The series is the brainchild of a group of writers known as The Underground Authors. This is notable because each book is written by a different author, and each one brings their own individual take on crime and how it affects the citizens of this small town situated in The Texas Hill Country. This year, there will be a total of nine books published in the series, eight of which are already available. The last edition for 2022 will be released on December 20th. 

This is a group of extremely talented writers and any one of them could've kicked off this series. But someone had to go first, and CW Hawes drew the short straw... lol. Hawes is a prolific, multi-genre author with more than 40 titles to his name. Being the first meant that he was responsible for establishing the small town of Magnolia Bluff for the reader. That alone was not an easy task with so many different writers dipping in on what this little town would be all about. Hawes had the task of working everybody's ideas out on paper, so to speak, while writing his first draft. He was essentially constructing a town that nine authors would not only share but were waiting to expand on so they could add their own flavor within the pages of their own stories. But he pulled it off flawlessly, not only bringing Magnolia Bluff to life, but creating the first of many memorable places and characters that have become a fixture within everyone's books. Yes, the authors share characters and locations with each other. As a matter of fact, they all got together to discuss who could be killed off and who was important enough to show up in everyone else's books. I'm glad they did that. Having a core cast of characters and businesses that pop up in the different storylines offer a familiarity that keeps the series cohesive and makes it fun to read. 

What I find interesting is that even though each book involves some sort of heinous crime, we get a mix of styles throughout the series. Some of the stories are darker than others. A few are cozies, while others are thrillers. And although the authors have penned vastly different novels within the core mystery genre, the one common thread tying them all together is that they are all well written and all entertaining. It is not necessary to read these books in any particular order to enjoy them, but I do believe that reading them in order adds an extra level of pleasure in seeing how each author handles the characters introduced in the books that came before their own.

I love this series, so I was honored when I was recently invited to join The Underground Authors. I am so glad that this venture has been successful enough that there are plans to publish another round of books in the series next year, because I now get my chance to write a book to be included in this wonderful series. But you'll have to wait for my entry into this small-town world of murder and mayhem until 2023. Meanwhile, I have included, in order of publication, a link to each author and their offering to that little town in The Texas Hill Country that is as famous for its murder rate as it is for its laid-back country living.

Death Wears a Crimson Hat by CW Hawes

Eulogy in Black and White by Caleb Pirtle III

The Great Peanut Butter Conspiracy by Cindy Davis

You Won't Know How ...Or When by James R Callan

The Flower Enigma by Breakfield and Burkey

The Shine from a Girl in the Lake by Richard Schwindt

The Dewey Decimal Dilemma by Linda Pirtle

Justice by Kelly Marshall

Texan Born and Bred by Jinx Schwartz

I do hope you will give these books a read. They will keep you entertained for hours. And what better way to relieve the stress of life's pressure than escaping into a fictional world of small-town foul play?

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And for some additional reading pleasure, you can also check out my PI series here: 

Books by Joe Congel  

As always, feel free to leave any comments that you may have😎

Until next time...