Loquacious Muse

Image by khaled Aljaber from Pixabay

​My muse is talking to me in my sleep now.

She’s badgering me, almost as bad as my children do in the last hour before bedtime (which is really saying something). She clearly wants my attention in the worst way.

It’s time though. I’m finishing my final read-through/edit of my young adult fantasy. I’m right on schedule to have it finished before November. I know it. The calendar knows it. And clearly my muse knows it and is not remotely patient about it.

Lately the dreams she’s sending are strange, and almost all are a sort of story prompt. Some are even a curious blend of things I wouldn’t normally think of. Treasure maps to secret dragon worlds in a scavenger hunt where you have to find the maps inside chainsaws that end just as the case on the chainsaw is being opened. (Definitely scratching my head on that one.) Or space ships with wizards strapped to the front like the figurehead on the front of a boat, but the wizards were alive and shooting spells at asteroids. That one ended right before the spell struck the asteroid.

Last night the premise was pretty simple – a parent trying to set up two teenagers to go on a date. But the emotional background to it was so complicated it took me ages to write it all down in my potential story journal when I woke up. It stopped as a hooded figure appeared in the doorway of the restaurant where the dream was taking place.

Like I said, story prompts.

I genuinely believe having a writing schedule I stick to is what has established this strong link with my muse. Since I created a schedule where I can consistently meet with my muse (either in writing or editing) she has been so much more vocal. Granted, she’s giving me some pretty strange dreams of late, but it just means she’s excited to work on a new project – and is possibly lining a few dozen more up after this one.
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Now that I made room for her, she’s always there. And with a new project coming, she’s even more vocal. Hence, stalking me in my dreams. It’s a good problem to have.