Steve Schwartz offers wise words regarding composers waiting for
inspiration vs.  working methodically.  Over the weekend I was looking
through David Dubal's interesting interviews with Yehudi Menuhin.  Dubal
cites the life of Saint Teresa of Avila.

   "Great saint that she was, great sprit that she was, she still had
   what she called 'days of dry prayer,' when she prayed and prayed
   --she never ceased to pray--but there was nothing! And then a day
   would come when she would hear."

This seems to me an apt analogy.

Ed