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My muse is music.

I have to have music around me at all times because it makes me enjoy this world all the more. This post is not so much about music but how I can’t seem to focus on my art.

Stoc

Stoc: Volume Three

My work on my third novel in the New Druids series is plodding along, albeit not as quickly as I would like. I am finding it difficult to find the time and when I do I have time, to focus on the task. I think many of us have this problem and the symptoms are as old as the heavens.

Here’s what I do know: you need to be in the right mindset. I have to one, find the time, two, recognise that this is an opportunity to progress my work, and three, commit myself to actually doing the deed. Hard to get all three of those items lined up just right. For example, I have the time now, I recognise that it is a perfect time to write, but I find myself writing a blog post rather than writing on my novel. I am easily distracted.

“Wicked, bad, naughty Zoot!”

Yes, I blame Monty Python, because why not?

But I have not procrastinated. So that is good news! I have managed to put away the Christmas lights, I raked the front yard, and I have brushed out the garage. But wait, there’s more! I also put away the snow blower and pulled out the lawn mower. A truly glorious day!

I should probably close this out and get to writing. Did I tell you that I am having all sorts of difficulty working out a massive battle scene in the third novel? I probably shouldn’t tell you that. Spoilers, I guess…

So, right, Music.

I mentioned it way up above in the title of this post. Why? Because music is a grounding muse for me. I play music and I can typically fall into positive patterns of behaviour. I play music on my piano. I run to music. I ride the bus with music. I sit in airports and rocket through the sky in thin-skinned aeroplanes with music. I also write to music. I write my novels to acoustic guitar most often, like Andy McKee, or Jack Dawson. Or I listen to post-rock from Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, or Godspeed You! Black Emperor. It calms me. If not post-rock then Band of Horses is always a winner.

Here are some samples:  This Will Destroy You: The Mighty Rio Grande or Explosions in the Sky: Your Hand in Mine and Band of Horses: Detlef Schrempf

Ciao.