The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write (Paperback)

by Mark David Gerson (Author)
Key Phrases: fifty keys, record this guided meditation, meditative space, Muse Stream, The Voice of the Muse Companion, Voice of the Muse Writers Circle (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Every writer can gain a solid dose of insight and inspiration from this book. I recommend it." -- W. Terry Whalin, author of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams

If you have a story in you and don't know how to get it out, The Voice of the Muse is for you! Mark David Gerson, whose mastery of storytelling was powerfully and poetically demonstrated in The MoonQuest, now shows you how easy it is to get your stories onto the page. --Joan Cerio, author of "In the Key of Life: An Activational Journey to the Soul"

If you have a story in you and don't know how to get it out, The Voice of the Muse is for you! Mark David Gerson, whose mastery of storytelling was powerfully and poetically demonstrated in The MoonQuest, now shows you how easy it is to get your stories onto the page. --Joan Cerio, author of "In the Key of Life: An Activational Journey to the Soul"

The wise guide any writer would dream of. --New Age Retailer

[A] phenomenal guide to overcoming writer's block and unleashing your creative potential. ... No writer could ask for a more encouraging guide. --Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., "The Written Word," author of "The Marquette Trilogy"

The wise guide any writer would dream of. --New Age Retailer

"This debut moves quickly yet gracefully, its songlike prose a match for its ethereal characters and its allegorical message of inner truth. Fans of quest-centered fantasy and visionary fiction as well as New Agers should enjoy this emotionally solid tale..." -- Library Journal

If you have a story in you and don't know how to get it out, The Voice of the Muse is for you! Mark David Gerson, whose mastery of storytelling was powerfully and poetically demonstrated in The MoonQuest, now shows you how easy it is to get your stories onto the page. --Joan Cerio, author of "In the Key of Life: An Activational Journey to the Soul"

The wise guide any writer would dream of.

"This debut moves quickly yet gracefully, its songlike prose a match for its ethereal characters and its allegorical message of inner truth. Fans of quest-centered fantasy and visionary fiction as well as New Agers should enjoy this emotionally solid tale..." -- Library Journal

If you have a story in you and don't know how to get it out, The Voice of the Muse is for you! Mark David Gerson, whose mastery of storytelling was powerfully and poetically demonstrated in The MoonQuest, now shows you how easy it is to get your stories onto the page. --Joan Cerio, author of "In the Key of Life: An Activational Journey to the Soul"

The wise guide any writer would dream of. --New Age Retailer

Product Description
Unleash the power of your creative potential!
~ Learn practical, fun techniques guaranteed to get your stories on paper
~ Weave worlds of wonder beyond your conscious imagining
~ Discover how to write naturally, eloquently and powerfully without struggle
Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out, whatever your genre or form, The Voice of the Muse will deepen your creative experience and awaken you to new skills, new stories and a renewed confidence in your innate gifts.
You'll never feel the same about writing again!
The words lie within you. They hover in the shadows, longing to be noticed, yearning to heard, aching to be shared. Together, through this book, you and I will give them voice.
~ Mark David Gerson, "The Voice of the Muse"

Winner of a Silver Medal as one of the top writing books of 2009 from the Independent Publisher Book Awards

Works well in conjunction with The Voice of the Muse Companion: Guided Meditations for Writers, a 2-CD set that includes the author's recording of all the guided meditations in the book.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: LightLines Media (February 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979547555
• ISBN-13: 978-0979547553
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #663,505 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book on Writing and Overcoming Writer's Block, April 13, 2008

By	Tyler R. Tichelaar "Superior Book Promotions ... (Marquette, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mark David Gerson, author of the award-winning visionary novel, The Moon Quest, shares his secrets as a creative writer in this phenomenal guide to overcoming writer's block and unleashing your creative potential. Gerson offers numerous helpful tips, processes and visualizations to get the right words down on the page and to make those words flow without struggle.

As a creative writing instructor for over fifteen years, Gerson shares the writing techniques he teaches in his popular seminars, and which have made him an award-winning writer. He includes numerous visualizations (also available on a CD) to encourage people to unlock their creative potential. Gerson tells us not to worry about what we are writing but simply to keep writing even if all we can write is "I don't know what to write" over and over. The important thing is to keep the pen moving.

While some of Gerson's techniques are commonplace in creative writing courses, what he excels at is encouraging the writer to believe the book desired can be written. In fact, Gerson believes that book already exists and the writer simply needs to learn how to relax and stop the resistance that is preventing those words from getting onto the page. Gerson analyzes in depth the real reason for writer's block, how to overcome it, and how to channel that resistance into energy that leads to words on paper. The book's numerous short essays remind us to listen to our voices, to acknowledge that the story and characters know where they want to go, and that there are no perfect rules but that you can write however you want and it will be perfect for you.


[...].

Read "The Voice of the Muse" and you too will be ready to answer the call to write!

- Tyler R. Tichelaar, author of The Marquette Trilogy

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your muse is closer than you think and ready to help, April 26, 2008

By	Malcolm R. Campbell "The Sun Singer" (Northeast Georgia) - See all my reviews

When I was a child, muses were depicted in books as emaciated women who appeared to be chronically dying of consumption. For the tough-as-nails writer in training, this image was more than a few frail breaths shy of fetching.

English teachers, dreamy writers, lunatics and others in need of a good sun tan told me that a writer's first duty is communing with his muse. As a journalist's son, I found it hard to imagine slamming down drinks after work with newsroom veterans discussing resorting to a muse as a reliable source.

Plus, I was already new-age infected. I believed then, as now, that within the great illusion of time, that I had already written and/or was currently writing books in alternate universes which needed to be translated into the argot of our current reality. It's a many worlds quantum thing.

The writer's prime directive, the ground-level imperative of his/her existence, is manifesting what already exists in the dream worlds of other universes and making it real here. This imperative is as basic as breathing and to ignore it leaves most of us a few syllables short of sane on a good day.

Shunning consumptive images when it came to methods and sources, I've spent a muse-free life stealing stories out of the cosmic library.

Imagine my shock, when I found myself buying a copy of a book called "The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write" by Mark David Gerson. I figured it might make a nice gift for somebody. Turning past the copyright page, I read: "Writing is alchemy...truly a tool if wizards and sorcerers. It's the magic wand, the incantation, the wave of the hand that transforms all."

I've always believed that, not that I mentioned it to the guys down at the local watering hole.

As I read on, I began getting that shivery feeling that comes upon me when non-alcoholic spirits are loose in the room. Worse yet, it was all deja vu for while Gerson was saying what I've always thought (except for the muse part), he was casting a spell while doing it, one that I should warn you is the spell only an advanced wizard can cast, so if you're a writer, read this book at your own risk; or if you're not a writer but have thought of becoming one, then also read this book at your own risk because once you're enchanted it will be too late to turn back. Heaven help you then.

Gerson believes stories pre-exist, waiting hidden away in dreams to come alive. But while I've worked more or less as a blacksmith hammering them into this world, he provides ways to tune into the "muse stream" whereupon life flows onto the page like a warm sweet river.

Have I had a muse all this time? Perhaps. Perhaps I've tried to maintain too firm a hand on the creative process, again and again imposing logic in between my intuition and the page. I am very strong willed and stubborn (it's a Scot's thing), so with a few drinks and a fair effort, I can still throw Gerson's book in the trash where it won't harm me. I can still punch my prospective muse's lights out.

But I don't think I will, for the muse-stream writer Gerson's urges us to become represents the "me" that I wanted to be. Surrendering to "outside" forces has never been my strong point as necessary as it is, but Gerson wants us to surrender to the story and allow it to manifest into the world.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listen To The Song Of Your Heart, August 4, 2008

By	Stephanie Lynch "AKA Arwen" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Receive this gift and keep it with you."

"Listen for the song of your heart. Listen for its rhythm and its words."

"Living Your Creativity"


Three times I opened this book at random. The messages I received are above. The last is actually a chapter title. I will start this review off with saying I don't know that this book will appeal to everyone because some people are like the dwarves when Aslan tries to give them beauty. The dwarves still saw ugliness. If you are not prepared to receive the message of this book, stop reading right now.

If you, like me, know that there is a magic to hearing that inner voice and are ready to open up to the Muse, do not read this either. Just go buy the book.

_The Voice Of The Muse Answering The Call To Write_ spoke to me on so many levels. From guided meditations that are simple yet profound to practical lists and advice on writing, Mark David Gerson has truly written a gift of a book. I predict that once you have read it, you will want to send it to people you know.

Don't mistake this title and think it is some smarmy New Age dribble. I am New Age and I know smarmy--this book is not even close. Gerson's goal is to show his reader how to listen to themselves while ignoring that inFernal editor so many of us carry. He takes on those of us who are bound to our keyboards as well as those of you who are bound to your pen. His gentle wisdom combines with a great sense of humor creating a book that I will turn to again and again.

Gerson doesn't shy away from taking personal journeys with his reader. When you immerse yourself in this book, you will feel as though you've sat down with someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously yet is very serious about their work. And I'm sure if I -- no when I -- meet Mark David in person, he will probably have a list in hand. This book has a lot of lists and bulletin points which, for me, makes it so much easier to read. I was able to focus on chunks and didn't feel as if I needed to forge ahead to the next thing. Pacing is a fine art and Gerson has it down.

Towards the back of the book, Mark David shares the mission of this book. I think this sums up perfectly how I felt about this book.


_The Voice Of The Muse Answering The Call To Write_ is about freedom. Freedom to grow, freedom to create, freedom to write. Through a dynamic blend of motivational essays, inspiring meditions and practical exercises, it nourishes, nurtures and reassures its readers, inspiring them to open their hearts, expand their minds and experience, with ease, a full, creative life.



Mission accomplished, Mark David Gerson. I hope you continue to bring this message to the world. To those reading this, listen to the song of your heart. I think it is probably telling you that you need this book for your own creativity.
(I originally posted this review on my blog.)