Muses for NaNo

HAPPY NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH!

I've already reached my word count minimum for Nov. 1 (see my cool widget to the right?).  This is going to be a short post, seeing as my Mondays and Wednesdays were insane even before NaNo began, but I wanted to share my muses with you.

Muse 1: Mr. Kubuś (that ś is pronounced kind of like sh). Hobbies include sitting on and eating paper while sending good writing vibes to Rosie.  Also, when Rosie is cold, Mr. Kubuś will do everything in his power to warm her legs (even when she doesn't know that she's cold).

Muse 2: Ms. Kasia (pronounced Kasha; she's named the Polish form of Katie and not after breakfast cereal). Latest past time includes curling up on Rosie's chest so that she is only capable of typing one-handed.  Who needs two hands to type 1.667 words/day, anyway?

Where do you find your inspiration?

A Wednesday Inspiration

So, I will continue to apologize for not being a good blogger-buddy.  By the end of September, my life should settle down some, and I will be able to return to the blogging world more fully.

My writing class is going well, sort of.  I have a nice idea for my first story submission, that's due on the 1st. But every time I try to sit and write it, I just stare at white. It's evading me and haunting me at the same time.  And, well, I have about 10 days now to whip out 10-15 decent pages, so we can add stress to the writer's-block equation.

As I was reading for class just now, I ran across this quote.  It comes from Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern—a lively book, mostly written in crafted vignettes on how to improve your writing.  I would highly recommend it.

Trust Your Material

You are interesting. Your experiences, your imagination, your perceptions, your emotions are interesting.  What is closest to you is valuable for your art. Believe that. Your honesty and your talent are inseparable. Don't falsify by conventionalizing. Your uniqueness lies not in fulfilling cultural stereotypes but in expressing what you really uncover, like it or not. (246-247)

This passage—only the beginning to this section—was not assigned reading for class today, but I needed to read it, anyway.  I've been needing the push, I think, to believe in the story I want to write and allow myself to do so.  Keep your fingers crossed.

What inspiration have you found lately to help you in your writing?