Today it’s a joy to welcome back Dave Weiss, artist, writer, speaker, and founder of AMOKArts, where Dave helps Christian Creatives use their gifts for God’s glory. I read Dave’s post recently and knew immediately that I wanted to share it with you!
Your Muse is DEAD, by Dave Weiss of AMOKARTS
You’re going to see a side of me you may not like today. I am hoping you will stick with me. There is one thing that always drives me a little crazy. It happens whenever I hear a creative type who seems to be waiting on his or her muse. Waiting for inspiration to strike. Worse still are people who blame this lack of inspiration on God. So today let’s get it straight. The concept of muses comes from mythology, it’s pagan. It has no place in your Christian life. Your muse is dead.
As far as blaming God, that happens when you say God is not inspiring you today. Now I’ll be the first one to admit there are days when it’s hard to find the idea and there are days where you need to unplug, cease striving and be still. I do not think it is fair to blame anything on a perfect God though…
Inspiration is not something to wait for, it’s something to seek. It’s not some whispy goddess who capriciously decides to withhold your creativity. The muse is dead, actually she was never alive. Most of inspiration is work.
What we’re really missing most of the time is not inspiration, it’s motivation. We all know those days where we have the idea and everything is flowing and creating is fun. And then there are those other days where it all just feels like work. Guess what… on those days the best thing you can do is get to work. Let’s just say for a moment that on any given day there is no new idea. My first question is have you finished and shipped yesterday’s idea or last week’s or last year’s? Most of the times when I feel stuck, the reality is, I’m not stuck. I have a project that is at a point where it’s not fun, it’s work and I’m just not motivated to do something that isn’t fun. In those times the answer is to suck it up and push through. Sometimes the new idea doesn’t come because we have to finish the old idea. It’s called faithfulness.
Look at God. He created the Universe in six days, saw that is was good (ready to “ship”) and then rested. That’s a good word for us all. Give your project your best, get it done and done well, ship it and take a break. Maybe instead of looking for a non-existent muse, we should look at what we already have going and finish that, before we start seeking the next idea.
God is not witholding from you, when He has something for you to do, He will make it clear. In the mean time look to what He’s previously given you that you left unfinished and start working on that.
Inspiration must be accompanied with motivation and determination. Don’t use it as an excuse for procrastination.
What do you need to finish?
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Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Call-Out for Kudos…I Want to Brag on You!
Have you had something exciting happen recently in your writing or speaking life? Maybe you’ve had an article published, signed a book contract, released a new book, got an agent, or started a new blog. If so, we want to hear from you!
It’s really simple, but I do ask that you contact me with the info in this format and order:
**Your name
**Your state in two-letter abbreviation
**Link to your website or blog
**Your good news
**Link to your good news, if online (online bookstore, online article, etc)
I can’t wait for us to celebrate with you!
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Call for MoGo7000 Totals
If you wrote at least 7000 new words on a book project in January, you can get your first entry in the drawing for the 2014 MoGo7000 $100 cash prize! It’s open to everyone who qualifies.
To report your January results, please leave a comment below with your total new words written in January. (Please do not send your totals by email or through the Contact page. Totals must be left as a comment here by next Monday).
If you missed out on last year’s money-winning writing challenge, don’t worry, a brand new challenge is underway! Here are the MoGo7000 Challenge rules. All you have to do is write at least 7000 NEW words on a book project in any month and you’ll receive an entry into the end-of-the-year drawing for $100.
Each month that you qualify with 7000 new words, your name goes in the “hat” for the drawing. Reach the goal one month and you’ll have one entry. Meet it 12 months and you’ll have 12 entries!
So what are you waiting for? Get started now and you could have $100 this time next year. And it doesn’t cost you a cent. 
Now, quit putting it off and get to work!
Blessings,
Vonda
