My husband should be a writer. Seriously. His imagination blows mine away. I use him shamelessly, whenever I'm stuck. I'll talk to him about my story, about what my characters are doing and what I want them to do. I'll talk to him during dinner, and while we're getting ready for bed, or out driving and without fail whenever we're done talking I've solved whatever problem I had with the plot. Every. Single. Time.
An example. Recently I realised (with the help of a critiquer) that my name for the organisation Fal Greyhawk belongs to is likely to remind people of A Game of Thrones. It was called, The Eyrie. Yes, the one in the George RR Martin books is a place, whereas mine is an organisation, but nevertheless, it will draw comparisons. So I needed a new one. I'd originally come up with the Eyrie because the former king's symbol had been a golden eagle, so the organisation that formed in his memory, was aptly named. I told my husband all this and he agreed that it was a little similar, given Game of Thrones popularity. He suggested going through the names of other animal nests to try to find something suitably regal. He suggested Sett, for badgers, but I didn't think the badger was regal enough. So he suggested a lion, but den didn't have the right ring for an organisation sworn to overthrow the empire. So he suggested looking at collective nouns. Eventually, I settled for Weyr - a collective noun for a group of dragons and changed the former kings heraldry to a rampant dragon. So while his suggestions weren't right for what I wanted, he nudged me in the direction I needed to go to discover the one that fit best - even better than Eyrie, I think.
Without him, I would probably eventually find the idea I'm looking for, but not without a whole lot of wandering around in the wrong direction. He hasn't read a word of it yet, because he wants to wait for an edited draft before he does. At that point I'll be making him my chief beta-reader because I know if there's anything that doesn't make sense, he'll point it out. It will be interesting to see his reaction after all he's done in helping it form.
It's not that I couldn't write without him - I did for a long time before I met him - but rather that he helps bring out the best in my writing. I have found my muse.
Who inspires your writing?
12 comments:
I can't blame insipiration on a person. All my muses are imaginary. And they derive from my childhood. I get the greatest ideas in the shower, so it's safe to say my best muse hangs around int he shower...darn pervert. ;)
so funny, I always brainstorm with my husband because he is full of awesome ideas. I tell him all the time he should be the writer, not me, LOL
Don't know if I have a muse. How sad. I think I'm muse-less. Sometimes my favorite authors inspire me to get writing, but that's about it.
You two seem like such a perfect pair. :)
Maybe muse was the wrong term. I can get the initial idea anywhere. The characters, the overall story idea,all come to me while daydreaming.
I suppose it's more of a brainstorming thing, as Christina said. I get my best ideas by bouncing the lesser ideas off him.
We're neither of us perfect, Kelly, but I think we're actually perfect for each other. Sappy, I know, but there it is (you can get the barf bags out now) ;)
What a sweet tale of you and your husband. He sounds like the perfect muse for you!
My muse likes to visit when I nap. She's tricksy that way.
Although, I have to admit that my daughter is pretty good at brainstorming with me. She loves fantasy, so she's a good one to ask, my husband is great for the technical stuff, but not a fan of fantasy. Whatever! ; )
There are four people in my life who inspire my writing -- my girlfriend Katie, my brother Bob, and my mother and father.
Katie and I started writing together over a decade ago, and still now do so! While we write separate pieces, it was roleplaying and writing stories with her that first made me realize how much I loved writing.
My brother and I are pretty much the exact same person. He and I read the same things, love the same genres, and constantly talk about books. He's a great brainstormer when I'm stuck on an idea! My mother and father are the same way -- they're both constant readers and usually help discuss ideas with me when I'm coming up with them!
It's so fantastic to see that your husband is such an inspiration to your writing, Cheryl! There's no partner better than one who can help you take great ideas and make them amazing!
I do the exact same thing with my boyfriend! I call him my "idea wall." I just bounce ideas off him until something sticks! Lol!
It's really great to have someone who can help you work through the problems you run into :)
You're so lucky to have your muse/brainstorming partner living with you!
Like LG, I lack a live-in brainstormer. I'd like to find a CP, tho, and am hoping for a fit soon. My hubby is great but clueless and right now, my beta readers are filling the gaps.
I think i get most of my ideas from daydreaming. night dreams seem to be no use to me, but I can guide my daydreams in roughly the right direction. Most of the people around me have no interest in me bouncing ideas (or anything else) off of them.
Just by changing a few names, this would describe my husband and I really well. :-)
I wouldn't go as far as calling him my muse (I'm with L.G. on that one), but he's definitely my most important sounding board and in that role he's very important to my writing.
He's got an uncanny sense to pick up things that don't make sense, and even if his suggestions aren't right for my story, they're still stepping stones on the way to a solution.
Great article, and glad to have found your blog. :-)
(L.G. pointed out we have a similar opinion on Sacha Baron Cohen.) ;-)
I mostly brainstorm alone, but my sister helps me out on occasions. Often, ideas come when I'm just telling her about what I'm writing, I think it's saying it out loud that does the trick. She's also my first beta reader.
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