The student muse: creative ways of teaching talent

To the timeless question writers face, ‘where do you get your ideas from?', an historical answer is attempted; one which takes us back to ‘divine inspiration’ as it was expressed in classical culture, embodied in the Muses of ancient mythology. Their influence is traced through literary history, from the poets and philosophers who invoked their aid, to the authors who didn’t seem to need them. The Muses’ position as the implied ‘mascots’ of Creative Writing degrees, where genius may be facilitated but talent cannot be taught, is explored; and ways of using them in a classroom context are suggested.