Writers can't usually write in chaos. At least, none of the writers I know can. When you have animals knocking over furniture and kids demanding attention and televisions blasting... it's nigh on impossible to hear your story and write it out.
So tonight when my daughter was gone (it was a sleepover but she only made it till midnight and then needed to come home) the house was quiet. Did I run to the computer like a greedy bitch and start typing maniacally away? No. Not even close.
I watched a movie and ate fast food. Then I watched a television show. I cleaned the stairs and the fireplace. And then I wrote.
Solitude is an amazing thing. It's necessary to recharge and to have silence. It's especially needful for creativity to grow. But just because there's quiet doesn't mean there's creativity.
I need to clean to get my muse to speak. I can't function in a dirty house. I have to have things put away and dishes done. I need also to take part of my time to channel some awareness outside myself. Therefore watching a movie or lstening to music or reading. It centers and calms me and then once that's all done, I feel ready to let my words flow.
We're all different I know. I'll even bet there's someone out there who loves to write as her house full of screaming kids collapses around her ears and the dogs howl at the moon.
I'm not her.
May I substitute a loud television for the screaming kids? Don't have a dog anymore, so that point is moot, lol.
ReplyDeleteThe OH is getting a little hard of hearing and when he's home, the TV is always on. >(
I took a week off work, thought I might get something done, but guess who didn't work that week either?? Suddenly loads just disappeared ...
Bah!