One of my favourite parts of the Yeats exhibit was a survey that was sent to creative types as part of a study to understand their inspiration and working processes. The completed survey, in Yeats' handwriting, was available to view.
These were some of my favourite questions and his answers (in bold below) from the two-page survey. One thing it reinforced to me is that creative endeavours involve discipline and effort; they are not fully-formed pieces that are brought on angel wing. Ann Patchett told me this*, but now I believe it. * disappointed sigh*
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Do you have a passive attitude of waiting for inspiration? Never
Do you have absorption in other interests? Usually - detective stories
Do you have vague thoughts or daydreams? Always
Do you revise your work? Always
Do you work systematically, regardless of inspiration? Always
Do you feel dissatisfaction, sometimes amounting to disgust, with work after you have finished it? Yes
[followed by questions about how to process / deal with this disgust] It is impossible to answer these questions without writing an essay
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* September 2002 lecture in Nashville: "The muse is dead. It's a job. Get to it."
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