Quinoacollective t1_iugj18h wrote
Reply to comment by emergensy in ‘House Of The Dragon’ Author George R.R. Martin Muses On The Many Ways The Series Could Have Started by HumanOrAlien
As an author, I don’t agree. There’s nothing about writing, or any creative pursuit, that makes it somehow magical and different. It’s just a job like any other.
I think people talk about ‘inspiration’ and ‘the muse’ and ‘writer’s block’ to avoid the simple fact that writing is work, and human beings don’t really like to work.
None of my novels ever got written by sitting around waiting for The Muse. It’s a habit; pen to paper every day. Hard work and discipline are mandatory. Magic inspiration dust is optional.
emergensy t1_iugk45j wrote
Well with all due respect you’re not A Song of Ice and Fire author and equating yourself just because you also write is a stretch.
People talk about writing and other products of a mind that need to exercise imagination like this because imagination is a muscle. Once you hurt your muscle you can’t run for a time and mental health matters. You don’t know him.
Quinoacollective t1_iugwzi1 wrote
No, I didn’t write ASOIAF, but I do feel somewhat qualified to comment on the profession we share and which I teach to students.
I can’t comment on his mental health. Don’t know his personal circumstances. All I know is that the idea he can’t finish his series because of ‘inspiration’ is complete rubbish.
emergensy t1_iugxqh2 wrote
“Inspiration” is essentially a headspace that is connected to mental health first thing, if you conceptualize it in a way that sounds legit. As someone who published both research works (and could do that even in the worst times of my life because it’s simply work) and fiction, that I did struggle to retrieve at times, because going to the headspace of imaginary worlds and events when people close to you suffer is challenging and there is a block, I can tell you that it absolutely is not “rubbish” and you have no authority to speak on it whatsoever. The greatest minds of civilizations couldn’t finish their works, destroyed it, destroyed themselves over it, but sure, it’s rubbish lmao
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