The Joy of Creative Solitude

Lori Twining ~ Sensational Sunset, Halls Island

Being surrounded by noise all day makes it challenging to be creative. By noise, I mean people talking, children crying, dogs barking, brakes screeching, horns honking, music blaring, cell phones ringing, notifications pinging… it never stops. Your heart beats faster and faster until your blood pressure is through the roof and your anxiety level is sitting at the maximum setting. 

As a writer, how can you find a quiet moment to squeeze out a line or two of a bestselling novel if you can’t even hear yourself think? Most of us can’t find large blocks of uninterrupted time to create, so finding creative solitude is essential. Everyone needs a little space and time to be in the moment, to find their happy place, where they can take a break from the chaos, close their eyes, be clear-headed, and wallow in the silence.

I finally found that perfect place of creative solitude, where you can be mindful and make intentional decisions to find the answers you didn’t even know you were asking the questions for. Let me tell you a little bit about it. 

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Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Summer Writing

This title perfectly describes how I am enjoying writing during these mid-summer days. Well, not exactly lazily. More like leisurely.  I’m eager to write morning or evening pages and it is fun because there are no expectations attached. I commit to twenty minutes but almost always write longer.

It may be too soon to declare that a new habit is established but this latest attempt at the daily practice has continued for more than a month now. How freeing it is to just write direction-less.

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Vacation Writing

Life has been too hectic lately and as often happens, writing has taken a back seat to work and all kinds of busy-ness.

So, for the next three weeks, it is vacation time as hubby and I hit the road for beautiful Rainy Lake on the border of Ontario and Minnesota. 

As excited as I am to see friends and to celebrate a wedding, I am really looking forward to having lots of distraction-free time to write as well. Relaxed writing, that is. The meditative, restorative, not worrying whether it is good or not, writing.

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