Writers Benefit From Quiet Places

A few people might look at today's quote and say "Huh?" I think it's a pretty profound statement that fits our writing journeys quite well. 

Consider rejections. We all get them. We all hate them. If we stop ranting about getting yet another rejection, step back and look at what is actually happening. Is there a pattern of any kind? Are you getting rejections from the same kind of markets? Is it only with your fiction? Or your poetry? Or your family stories? Use some quiet time to assess the situation. None of those may be a factor, but they could be. At least, take the time to be quiet and look at the overall picture.

I've been to conferences where one or two people ask all the questions. They may be genuinely seeking answers, but some like to be recognized, toot their own writing horn a bit. Those are the people who could benefit from being quiet and listening carefully. 

If you're having difficulty in a writing project, take some time to slip away to a quiet place and do some thinking. Get away from your home surroundings, the people who are needing your attention, and head for the quietest, most peaceful place you know. Maybe it's your garden where you can sit and sip a cup of tea, drink in the summer blooms around you. Perhaps, it's by the side of a lake or a river. For some reason, being by water is soothing. Choose a secluded spot where there are no other people. Then sit and listen to what your own mind is telling you. The answer to a writing problem may come to you. If it doesn't, don't fret. Instead, drink in the serene break you've taken from your writing difficulty. It's possible that, when you return home, you'll see the way to fix whatever was wrong. 

Even going for a walk in a quiet place can be helpful. Go to an empty church and sit there by yourself. Pray if you wish, but it's not necessary. Or to a museum that is not filled with crowds, one that you can sit on a bench and absorb the beauty around you and listen to the stillness.

Be quiet and listen. You might be amazed at what you hear.