QUESTION:

I am a guitarist and singer but I am not in a band or anything yet. I was just wondering what are some examples of muses and anti-muses. I know the internet and TV are two anti-muses, but I'd like to know what are some others.

Thank you,

--Adam

ANSWER:

Thats a hard question to give a cold, hard answer, so I won't. ;) Reason being, is because it varies depending on who you are. For some people certain things are anti-muse, while for others its the exact opposite. (Like substances.)

Try to identify how things affect you. Bad-witches are always anti-muse; reason being, even if they happen to contribute by chance, they more than make up for it when they take away other progress.

I'm sorry that I can't give you much more of a response than that. In the same way that I cannot give a cold rule that will break writers block every time, I also cannot give rules to ID anti-muse everytime.

Sorry, I'm so impotent about this.

As a closing though, anything that dominates your mind should be looked at. If it dominates your mind, it can affect your songwriting, either good or bad. You have to examine to find out which one. (Example: Someone breaks up with their girlfriend, it dominates their mind for a while. They write a song. Example: Someone tried heroin, but now they need a fix just to feel normal, and then it only silences the urge a bit. It dominates their mind. They don't write a song because their too busy getting a fix.)

The ID rule is: If it doesn't produce, then it MAY be anti-muse, or it may just need to be worked with. However, if it doesn't produce and you find after honestly looking at it, that its preventing you; then you know that it is an anti-muse. I hope that I've been of a little assistance at least.

Getting snared by an anti-muse isn't necessarilly a bad thing if you escape. If you escape, you're more alive than if you never had an ordeal. And chances are, you will get songwriting material. Identifing and anti-muse is more to let you know where some songwriting energy may be going.

Take care! Feel free to write again if you feel I didn't answer your question, or if I've been too vague. All the best to you!

--Shaman Sean

REPLY FROM ADAM:

I understand your reply much better than you probably think. Thank you. Just one more question, sometimes i need to relax and certain things that are anti-muses help me relax, I'm not talking about drugs or anything like that, but rather TV, or riding my bike , walking, etc. Do i have to be productive all hours of the day? Or is it ok to relax sometimes from creating and just take things in? Thank you.

-- Adam

SHAMAN SEAN'S ANSWER:

Heh heh, thats all up to you. lol As far as I'm concerned, I'm not writing most of the time. I'm not productive most of the time. So, if I concentrate all the time on being productive, then it comes close to evening out. Hope that helps. Feel free to write again. Thanks for reading! Take care.

--Shaman Sean

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