The Muse...
03/10/10 12:52
What inspires us to write has probably been the most asked question by friends and fans alike. The creative process has long been a mysterious road that bends and winds and somehow ends up at a destination - not always the one intended at the outset. For me, there seems to be two distinct processes. The first, process is very brief and flows from start to finish fairly rapidly - sometimes as little as 10 or 15 minutes. Something grabs me (it could be an idea, a phrase, or a simple melody). The rest flows out naturally and quickly. Here I am truly only an instrument, and while I may edit, rework and polish at the time, or later - the real work happens spontaneously.
The second process is much more deliberate and thought out. While it often starts out in a similar fashion (with a kernel of an idea about topic or melody), the rest of the process involves a lot of hard work and wrestling with every part of the work. I have literally struggled for a year or longer with some songs. Some are never completed and are set aside for a later, more inspired time. I have also found that collaboration helps. Often when I am stuck, working together with another person brings added inspiration and possibility.
I have found over the years that the more I write, the easier it generally flows. I think it is much like a physical skill - the more you practice, the better you get. However, the mystery remains and there is always, for me, something magic in the doing.
The second process is much more deliberate and thought out. While it often starts out in a similar fashion (with a kernel of an idea about topic or melody), the rest of the process involves a lot of hard work and wrestling with every part of the work. I have literally struggled for a year or longer with some songs. Some are never completed and are set aside for a later, more inspired time. I have also found that collaboration helps. Often when I am stuck, working together with another person brings added inspiration and possibility.
I have found over the years that the more I write, the easier it generally flows. I think it is much like a physical skill - the more you practice, the better you get. However, the mystery remains and there is always, for me, something magic in the doing.
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