Two Sylvias' Weekly Muse: April 9, 2023

Issue 50

Dear Poets and Writers,

We hope that your celebration of National Poetry Month is off to a wonderful start!

One of the most common inquiries we receive here at the Muse has to do with this question: How do I hold myself accountable with my writing, especially when there are no consequences if I choose not to write? While a few of us who read the Muse might be “professional” writers, holding jobs where there are definite deadlines and consequences if we do not turn in a draft on time, most of us are creative writers—our livelihood does not depend on a poem being completed by a certain due date. So, how can we create the motivation to have a regular writing routine? How can we show up in front of the blank paper (or blank screen) and switch on our creative ideas? What are some writer-tested methods for getting that poem started, revised, or completed?

Best-selling author Nicole Chung, who has won numerous awards for her memoir writing and is a contributor to both Slate and The Atlantic, ha…