Words, Words, Words

So many ways to quote Shakespeare, and so many ways to read his works.

Alas, dear friend, I promise not to rant and rave about the works of William Shakespeare - in particular about the play I quoted: Hamlet (short version of the title).

What I will do is speak about muse, as it is still that month dealing with novel writing. I've not had time for many posts, mostly because I've been writing, editing, reading, and playing with words. However, I will offer up some words about inspiration and ideas.

I am often asked from whence my ideas come. (Sorry) I don't know, is the honest answer. They come from many places. I'm certain you're expecting me to say "Shakespeare," given my prattle about the Bard. And I'll confess, Shakespeare's plays are certainly one of many sources. For those who've read The Strange Cases of Rudolph Pearson, you'll note that there is a bounty of Shakespearean quotes. Certainly, I played with the character Prince Hamlet when developing Pearson throughout the novel. Not only did Professor Pearson quote the play often, but the character also suffered from some of the "conditions" of which Prince Hamlet suffered. The most obvious being the question of sanity.

With that said, my inspiration for the character was not Hamlet. Nope, I wanted an unlikely character in an interesting situation. Although, I confess, given the Lovecraftian themes a professor is also a likely character.

But let me not wander too far from my topic. For me, reading and re-reading (and teaching) the works of Shakespeare is a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration. I've had solitary sentences (in context) give me myriad story ideas. His works are replete with wonder and amusement. If you take the time to worry yourself with the text and subtext, your fancy will certainly be struck.

I do know that reading Shakespeare is not cup of tea everyone can drink. And I don't sit around reading Shakespeare looking for ideas. Honestly, inspiration comes from every direction - when I'm looking. Music is a great source. Film, the news (oh, what dreadful stories are to be found there), the shopping mall, video game (yes, I have an archaic Xbox, and a contemporary PS3).

In the end, I don't know that my muse comes from any group of things or any single thing. When I choose to consider something, I find myself inventing a history, surrounding ideas, themes, and characters. Most often, the character comes first, then the plot and theme follow. Perhaps that is called daydreaming. I like to call it "my job." :)

Allow me to throw out a line from a Beatles song:

"When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybodies help in any way."

The song is Help, and besides having a catchy melody, it has instant character. I wonder how many tales could be written from this line?

Mind you, for me it is more than the lyrics. It is the melody as well. I've found my muse in symphonies ranging from Mozart to Wagner. One is often quite cheerful and the other brooding. Sometimes, it's the reverse. A dark Mozart is great motivation for me, and a frolicking Wagner puts me on edge.

Ah, but here's the rub. I don't think anyone can be told where to find inspiration. So my answering the question is not likely to do much other than inspire you to find your own muse. And don't overlook your own experiences. Writers are the sum of their experiences. I don't know that one must suffer to produce art, or commercial entertainment, but it does help if one is exposed to a wide variety of experiences. Perhaps a little suffering is good for the soul, but so is a great deal of joy. Mayhaps is all boils down to: writing. Writing and something is bound to turn up. Words, words, words...