Creativity Quote by Judy Collins

Collins treats “inspiration” less like a lightning strike and more like a skittish animal: chase it and it bolts; stop stalking and it circles back. The line is disarmingly practical for a musician often associated with high feeling and lyrical intensity. She demystifies the muse without insulting it, making room for craft, patience, and ordinary living as part of the creative process.

The intent is partly self-protection. For artists, a dry spell can feel like a referendum on your talent. Collins reframes it as rhythm, not failure: when the song won’t come, you don’t interrogate yourself, you change your state. Walking, movies, conversation - these are not procrastination here; they’re deliberate reentry points into the world, ways of restocking the emotional pantry. The subtext is that creativity feeds on attention that isn’t clenched. “Let go” is the actual technique, and it’s quietly radical in a culture that treats productivity like virtue.

“Especially if I turn my back!” lands with a wink. She’s describing a reverse psychology familiar to anyone who’s tried to force sleep, calm down on command, or be “spontaneous” on schedule. The muse becomes a contrarian friend: it shows up when you’re busy living, not when you’re begging. Context matters: Collins came up in an era where singer-songwriters were expected to sound authentic, as if the work arrived fully formed. Her joke punctures that mythology while preserving the magic - not by worshipping inspiration, but by giving it space to find her again.