More than One Muse September 27, 2019 Get a bunch of writers together and they'll quickly begin asking each other about their writing habits. One question that often comes up in these conversations is whether or not they listen to music while they write. I generally don't. But on the rare occasions when I do, it must be instrumental music, or there's little chance I'll get any work done. If a song has lyrics, I get sucked into listening to them. I want to hear the rhyme scheme, follow the narrative, see how the chorus fits with the other lyrics. This may be because I also write poetry but for some reason, lyrics cause my muse to get all mixed up and distracted and I can't write. I've stopped many a playlist in mid-song for that very reason. That isn't to say that we, as writers, should never mix our muses. There's a lot we can learn from the other arts. Back in September 2018 I mentioned using history as a source of inspiration, plots, characters and details for your own writing. But music, too, can provide these things--especially if you pay attention to the lyrics. Warren Zevon was, in my opinion, one of the best "story-teller" songwriters of the late 20th century. Listen to "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" or "Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" and an entire plot will unfold--with a beginning, climax, and resolution. Or try listening to Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill" for beautiful, economical word choices that convey a profound depth of emotion in just a few lines. A follower of Calliope can enrich their writing by studying Clio and Euterpe. The same goes for all the other muses--a writer can learn from them all. Astronomy or architecture, dance or comedy or tragedy; all are sources of stimulation and ideas for a writer. Just don't try to mix them simultaneously or--like me--your muse may get all mixed up and distracted. (c) 2019 by Andrew Gudgel email: contact [at] andrewgudgel.com