Taking Time to Listen Within

Topics to write about have not been coming easily lately, and I know why. Not enough consistent quiet time. It is hard to frame our thoughts when there are demands placed on our time or when there is a steady stream of unfiltered noise around us. That just makes us tend to react rather than reflect. In proportion of course, those aren't bad things at all. In fact they can be quite good and add structure and definition to our lives. However, a serious attempt at writing requires quiet or solitude. Since I am obviously not that serious, and if I had to choose one over the other, I would prefer the activity. But listening as the mental notes fall into place and then writing them is best done when there is quiet. Cold Mountain is a beautifully written novel and - I think - should be required reading for an American Literature class. What exquisite metaphors! I remember reading an interview Charles Frazier gave in which he said something like he forced solitude on himself in order to finish the book. I look at that sort of solitude as a sacrifice that real writers make in order to produce their best.