18 signs you may be saying NO to Muse (Camp Nano)

In the spirit of Camp Nano, I've decided to post something inspiring to help out struggling writers who may be dealing with the doubt of others or their inner critic and have hit a block in the road and are now left questioning their talent.

                         Here Are 18 Signs You May Be Saying NO To Muse:
                                                          with some commentary by yours truly:)

1. If you get an idea at the top of your head and say (or think), "No! My character wouldn't do that." (Your characters are speaking to you, listen! No one knows them better than themselves.)
2. If you get an idea and dismiss it because it's "too stupid". (No idea ever is.)
3. If you get an idea and blush while thinking, "I can't write that." (Yes, you can. Just do it.)
4. If you get an idea and think, "How does that fit in with my story?" (Make it fit.)
5. If you get an idea and think, "I'll have to think about that." (No you don't. Write first, think later.)
6. If you get an idea and think, "This is getting in the way of what I planned out for the plot already." (So what? Let it get in the way, maybe it'll crush that block of yours.)
7. If you get an idea and think,  "I don't have the energy to write that right now." (Yes you do. Just get up.)
8. If you get an idea and think, "I don't understand how that makes sense." (It doesn't now, but it will. Give it time.)
9. If you get an idea and think, "This is too scary." (No. Maybe you're too scared to write it because of what people will say.)
10. If you get an idea and think, "I'll just write what I wanted to first, I'll remember that later." (No. No you won't. Write it down now.)
11. If you get an idea and think, "That's just illogical." (No. It's imaginative.)
12. If you get an idea and think, "That'll be too boring, no one will be interested." (Then make it interesting.)
13. If you get an idea and think, "That couldn't happen." (It quite possibly could, actually.)
14. If you get an idea and think, "Uh, that makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Maybe when I'm more comfortable writing that sort of thing." (How will get more comfortable writing it if you never attempt to write it? Write it now, write it proud!)
15. If you get an idea and think, "Help me with my idea and then we'll talk about yours." (Nope. Rule #1, Muse never negotiates, only holds grudges if it's ignored.)
16. If you get an idea and think, "That's cute, but is it cliche?" (No, it's freaking adorable - just write it already!)
17. If you get an idea and think, "Way too outlandish! Entirely unbelievable." (No. In that world, gravity may be a myth. Your fictional world is yours to believe in even if no one else finds it believable, but for anyone to believe it you yourself have to first. Believe in yourself so much that eventually everyone else will have no choice but to also!)
18. If you get an idea and think, "Will you be here tomorrow?" (No. Muse only comes to you when it feels like it, cherish the moments you have with it. It's like that family member that you haven't seen in over three years who only visits you on holidays but missed the last three years, it takes time for them to come around, but when they do, HUG THEM TILL THEY CAN'T BREATHE!)

Don't say NO to Muse. Never say no. But that doesn't mean you have to wait around till it comes to you while you drool into a cup and twiddle your thumbs! Write whatever you can until it visits you, then listen intently to it and fix every error it highlights for you. You may be attached to that paragraph, but if it needs to go, throw it out without remorse or regret... Or, just copy and paste it into a side document, there are always ways:)
                                                                        - Lei

Your Writer-Self Never Leaves You Alone; But You'll Treasure All The Weird Moments It Gets You Into:)

Have you ever had days where you find yourself staring at the cursor moving in a circle over your blank word document because the only thought in your mind is, "That idea seemed smarter at the time I was putting away the dishes...", but then you shut down your computer or laptop and leave out all of your pens and notebooks splayed across your desk or bed while you enter the shower, hoping to just wash off and relax when, "OH MY GOD I KNOW HOW WE CAN WORK IN THAT SUBPLOT NOW! I REMEMBER THAT IMPORTANT LINE OF DIALOGUE THAT YOU HAD WHILE YOU WERE DRINKING LEMONADE THE OTHER DAY! I KNOW HOW WE CAN FIX THAT CHAPTER, OH MY GOODNESS---WRITE THIS DOWN!!"

*knock, knock*

"Who's there-"

"EVERY IDEA YOU THOUGHT YOU'D FORGOTTEN!"

You stumble and slip your way out of the bathroom only to arrive at your desk, dripping water onto the page, but not one word comes to mind anymore. Yep. And that's just the tip of the iceberg you'll be encountering when dealing with your Writer-Self.

Here are the 6 ways to know when your Writer-Self is present:

     1. Anything, literally, anything can inspire you. And everything does. So when
          you see something even the slightest bit intriguing, you look away, but it's too
          late. A story seed is already planted, and the ray of light muse shines down upon
          you only makes it grow. So what if you already have a billion other story ideas,
          what's one more!

     2. You listen to the radio because all of the songs in your iTunes is based off
          of stories and characters and you just want to spend one hour of relaxation
          away from your story, but you find yourself looking out your window dram-
          atically because the song that just came on is new to you, and that's why it's
          just become your new inspiration.

     3. Someone catches you looking through celebrity photos and saving only the
          best ones with the highest of quality and they accuse you of having a crush
          but you know you're just casting characters for your book.

     4. You try to interview your characters by acting like them and looking in the
          mirror. You even take it as far as talking like your characters to yourself and
          even wearing articles of clothing that match their personality so you can decide
          whether or not it's fashionable because, you don't want them horribly dressed!
          Unless it matches their personality, of course.

     5. You've become aware of the saying, "Anything can be a story." and are now
          paranoid someone will steal half of the ideas you've written down over the 
          years. But what sends a chill up your spine is when you pick up a book you 
          find in your local bookstore and read the book jacket's description, nod and 
          smile as you put it back, then cross that idea that came to you over a year ago
          off your list while writing above it, "Already written."

     6. You begin to hear your characters from the multiple stories you're writing help
          you make everyday decisions and call you out when you make their character do
          something shocking and surprising. They never let you off the hook for one of
          their deaths!

Above all, your Writer-Self is inconvenient, always late, makes you look like a total weirdo, and...
You wouldn't have it any other way, but mostly, you're thankful you're blessed for having a family and friends who love and understand that crazy mind of yours! :)
  

                 "The entirety of a writer's life consists of... 
 

               ...either writing or thinking about writing."

                                                                                                                                                  - Lei