Snake Charming My Muse

A ranger holds a snake during a wildlife talk at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park which is located in a town of the same name in Hernando County, Florida. Copyright by WyoJones. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Being a writer often feels like snake charming. Yes, I just called my Muse a snake and I will pay for that later. Or possibly right now.

Ouch. Yes, paid for it now.

I don’t know if other creatives feel a push/pull thing going on with their own brain. To get the words flowing, I often have to trick my own brain into thinking we’re not going to be doing that much or working that hard.

It’s a weird feeling, because all the time I’m thinking — with my brain — won’t my brain know I’m trying to trick it? But it never seems to catch on. That doesn’t mean it is easy to trick, because it knows me pretty well by now.

But it’s… a bit like having a pet. We do this thing that involves me telling my own brain, “Good brain, let’s go play in that story for a minute and then we’ll do XXX while you totally slug out.” Or sometimes I admit (craftily) that I know my brain doesn’t want to work, but if it will help me out, we’ll go do XXX while it totally slugs out.

Yes, I talk to my brain like it is a dog (because everyone knows cats will never fall for anything).

Interestingly enough, I had to trick my brain into helping me write this blog post.

Honestly, I wouldn’t work with my brain at all, but I can’t seem to type or talk without it. And there is the walking and other stuff, that I clearly need it for (it’s dumped on my tush a time or two), so I have to keep it sweet.

In addition to the sweet talk, I give it Diet Dr. Pepper, chocolate and it’s current favorite, lime tortilla chips (it really loves those chips). I recharge it with fun books and movies. I let it keep me up at night whenever it wants.

And sometimes it lets me write books.

My brain thinks it looks like this:

Copyright by WyoJones. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

But I know it looks like this:

Copyright by WyoJones. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Shhh. Don’t tell it!

I am not going to ask if you think I’m crazy, because obviously I’m bat crap crazy. Instead, I’ll ask, are you crazy, too? Haha Do you ever find yourself talking to your brain like its separate from you? (Hint: the correct answer is yes, of course. Lol)

I love comments so much that I pick a favorite to receive my monthly AnaBanana gift basket ($25 value).  (And don’t forget that once a quarter I’ll be tossing in something fun from the Perilously Fun Shop!) Recipient is announced the first blog post of the new month.

Perilously yours,

Pauline

Last day of the .99 sale!