October 22, 2008 - Inspiration, at Last

Inspiration was low and I was in desperate need of a Muse.  I had searched every corner of my mind and couldn't think of anything that inspired me to write/draw.  A few days later, I had decided to write more, and was thinking of joining NaNoWriMo; but I was still without muse.  Then along came Kobu to save the day!
I never really thought or planned about Kobu at all.  I'd never had any idea that he'd turn out to be my special Inspiration.  But it just worked out that way.  Lately, as I told you in my last blog entry (you did read it, right?  o.0), I've been intent on learning how to draw Manga.  (By the way, I've discovered that Manga is the Japanese drawing style, and that Anime is the name for Manga TV shows or films - at least I think that's what it is.)  By reading a few really good tutorials on how to draw Manga, I was inspired to draw a few characters myself.  I only liked one that I created.  He was original, funny, and easy to draw.  So...I started drawing more pictures of him.  And more.  And still more.  He was just too fun to draw!  A few days later, after I decided to join NaNoWriMo (with much persuasion from Tinuviel and VintageAuthoress), VintageAuthoress gave me the idea of writing my novel about him.  It was a fabulous idea - besides, I didn't have any other plans.  But my Inspiration, as I called him at the time, still didn't have a real name.  (I called Kobu my "Inspiration - not "Muse" - because in Greek mythology, the muses were goddesses of artistic inspiration.  Many writers speak of spending time with their muses while they're writing in a state of "flow" or say that the muse has refused to visit when they have writer's block.  If muses are based on goddesses, then my Inspiration could not be called that - he's a guy!)  I looked up the Japanese word for "inspiration".  There were a lot of different results, but I liked "Kobu" the best.  The other words were really looooong.
Here is one of my pictures of him: 

   Yup, that's Kobu for you.  I'm sorry if he looks a little nervous, but he's new to all this and is pretty shy (I had to bribe him with mangos to make him stay in the chair  :D). 

Well, I don't really know the point of this entry; I just wanted to put my inspiration into words.  I'm as happy as can be now, and almost all ready for NaNoWriMo.  I'm really excited about it all!

Try thinking of a Muse or Inspiration for youself, if you don't have one already.  What inspires you to do what you do best?  :)

-Enilarwyn