“Chain that muse to your desk and get the job done.”
That’s a Barbara Kingsolver quote about writing. It seems a bit abusive doesn’t it? Jack London said this:
You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.
Ouch! What did inspiration do to you Jack? Wouldn’t you prefer it to be a happy pup than a clubbed seal?
Consistency in our work is vital. Things that are chained or clubbed are not. That’s why I love what Somerset Maughm said:
I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.
His attitude is steady, consistent. He shows up and writes. Inspiration is the glow that radiates from his Work.
The factories of a nation at war are dedicated wholly to the war effort. They only produce weapons. Let go of the Inspiration Wars. Show up, then type or scrawl. It’s the way The Work happens.
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