COURTING THE NUMERICAL (NO, THE ALOPHABETICAL) MUSE

Frances.goulart@gmail.com

Courting the Numerical, (no, the Alphabetical) Muse !

Any writer worth his, her or their salt needs a muse to spark his, her or their creativity from time to time.  For some, it might be fantasizing about a beautiful human in real life or in fantasy, or gazing out at majestic rolling hills, a pastoral landscape, or having a faithful family dog with its chin resting on your slippers.  Picasso’s muse (and lover) was the photographer and surrealist artist Dora Maar who inspired several famous portraits including Weeping Woman.  Similarly in Greek mythology, each of Zeus’ nine daughters were muses granted the power to inspire select humans in the arts and sciences. But a muse to spur your creativity can be as humble and everyday as a single “power” word, a mantra, or an aspirational affirmation such as “I express myself effortlessly through my creativity”. (Saying it might make it so!)

You can laugh, but my muse is numerical. Numbers have lives of their own. They have historical, mythological and even mystic powers.  Most importantly, they can bestow good luck or bad luck on a writer in need of a creative crutch. They have much overlooked and underused muse potential. I believe the right number can bless my work and hasten my chapter by chapter progress.

But you have to woo the right numbers. You are playing with fire if you pick the wrong number to kickstart your novel, biography screenplay, chapbook or whatever.

History, mythology and folklore are full of  good and bad numbers. You don’t have to look far to see their power.

In Japan, for example, the number 9 is unlucky, probably because it sounds like the Japanese word for “suffering.” While In China, 4 is  avoided because it sounds like “death”. Likewise, 13 (especially when it is connected with Friday) is widely considered a no-no number. Who wants to live on the 13^th floor or live at #13 whatever, if you have even the trace of superstition in your bones?

But choose the right number and you are off and running-- and writing! Right now, I am working on chapter 3 of my children’s fantasy novel (you know, one of those Once a upon a time tales), so 3 is my lucky number. What are the other luckiest numbers? According to superstition and myth, (in some but not all cultures) they are, 8, 9, 12, 21 and 77.   

How do I invite the #3 muse?  I will surround myself with 3 copies of the bible, three red socks, 3 blue china spoons, 3 greeting cards from my last birthday. They are arranged next to my other writing must haves—my coffee cup and my laptop. Or typewriter, if I am in a real retro mood.

When I get to chapter 8 (also a lucky number in Chinese culture) I will build a little pagoda of hardcover books on my desk, 8 books each one on a different inspiring topic. Keep it upbeat and wait for the magic!

And for Chapter 12, (I may have to shift my writing operation to the larger kitchen table), the   pagoda will be replaced by 12 mini muffins, 12 chocolate drops, an 12 gummy bears (it’s a post lunch break, time to refuel, I haven’t researched how the muse feels about food but I bet even the Greek goddesses wouldn’t turn down a sweet)?

Now, for chapter 21 (Will I even has a chapter 21?) I will have to get out the side table and set out 21 toy trains (or 16 trains and 6 mechanical toys) or 21 photos from my 21^st birthday party (If I can find them). You have to honor the muse by being innovative, even a bit whimsical!

I don’t think I will have to worry about 77. How often do you get to a chapter 77?

Oh, and unless you think this is so much wishful thinking or superstitious gambling, I say emphatically no,

 There are rules to this ritual. For instance, I avoid fractions and square roots. There is far too much potential for sorcery lurking there.  And anything with decimal points. Those are too tricky. Or roman numerals. Let’s be honest, No one knows what they stand for them beyond V and X.

Of course, besides being good or bad muse magnets, there are  numbers to avoid  that are neutral, that  are thought to bring neither good or bad luck.  One and 10 are generally considered neutral.  

So Should I avoid a chapter one? Can I start my book with the number 2?  

And would it make sense to leave out chapter 10, in the pursuit of best results?

My writing room is getting a bit cluttered, what with the cups and books and trains and sweets and so on.

You know, now that I think about it. As magical as they are, numbers are not the be-all end-all! I believe I will start over with a better muse. I feel more creative already. Why? I have decided to label my chapters with the letters of the alphabet, not numbers at all!

The letter A (or alpha, as the Greeks put it) symbolizes beginnings so that will be my chapter 1! And the Letter “D” (even though it is the equivalent of the number 4) is associated with balance!  Every novel needs balance.   It is said that when the first consonant in your name is D, you are the determined type and this quality leads to success in life, according to the science of acrophony (look it up!) And I suppose that must mean success in writing too!

Or consider the letter “C”. People with names that start with C are said to be creative, charming and intuitive! Bingo! Hopefully that applies to book chapters, too

And my final chapter (The Happily Ever After chapter)   I am labeling  “XYZ”“… do you know what those three letters XYZ signify … besides’ the end’?  They mean “so on and so forth”.  And I take that to mean, you have the wind at your back, dear creative writer!

Bless me from A to Z, my alphabetical muse!