The Cone of Silence
Here it is. The forty-minute cone of silence in my life.
The morning routine is my significant other hauls two of the four kids off to school, while taking along the baby in his car seat so he gets to view the world outside his car window. Forty minutes round trip, give or take (my significant sweetie usually combines the trip with going to the bank or stopping for gas). As for me? Silence.
I resist the urge to do a carthweel to my computer.
Actually, that's because I CAN'T (and that is something on my 100 Things I Want to Do Before I Die list).
I usally light five candles. Say my prayers. I sometimes turn on classical music softly--but sometimes not because, after all, this is my forty-minutes of pure unadulterated silence. And I write. I also get ready to write--meaning, I clear my brain so when I DO get a few minutes here and there when a child isn't hanging on my pant leg, I actually can have a coherent thought.
When you are young--say, your twenties, and you want to write, you take the silence for granted.
Not anymore.
Must run . . . the bliss will be ending soon!
Happy Writing!
The morning routine is my significant other hauls two of the four kids off to school, while taking along the baby in his car seat so he gets to view the world outside his car window. Forty minutes round trip, give or take (my significant sweetie usually combines the trip with going to the bank or stopping for gas). As for me? Silence.
I resist the urge to do a carthweel to my computer.
Actually, that's because I CAN'T (and that is something on my 100 Things I Want to Do Before I Die list).
I usally light five candles. Say my prayers. I sometimes turn on classical music softly--but sometimes not because, after all, this is my forty-minutes of pure unadulterated silence. And I write. I also get ready to write--meaning, I clear my brain so when I DO get a few minutes here and there when a child isn't hanging on my pant leg, I actually can have a coherent thought.
When you are young--say, your twenties, and you want to write, you take the silence for granted.
Not anymore.
Must run . . . the bliss will be ending soon!
Happy Writing!
posted by Erica Orloff at 8:01 AM
8 Comments:
It was nice to stumble across your blog! I just got reading Do They Wear High Heels in Heaven-and it was SUCH a touching novel to me due to recent events in my life.
I am young-I'm only seventeen, but I treasure silence as much as you do. I live with six other people, so my house is incredibly hectic. It's nice to find those moments where you can hear nothing but yourself breathing and the bustle outside your house and you can just sit and write-or just sit and think, if you wish!
Hi Jasmine:
I hear you. I think we're all so wired . . . technology and the pace we keep. It's really a gift when we get to "be still"--it's a spiritual thing for me, even.
Thanks for saying the novel touched you . . . more than any other book I've written, I've heard from so many people who felt Lily's story.
Erica
I completely agree with being still. It has a deep spritual root in my life as well and the rare moments of pure silence are definately treasured!
I can see why the novel would touch a lot of people-the story is amazing. In a way, Lily is the sort of person I've always aspired to be. Not quite perfect, but still learning every day.
It's so nice to see that you respond to your comments. I have an immense respect for your writing and look up to you quite a bit. Your talent is something I can only hope for one day.
Jasmine:
I try to respond to every email to my site and to the blog comments . . . if someone spends a few hours reading my book and then feels compelled to write me, I can certainly spend some time thanking them for reading. :-)
As for writing talent . . . it's a journey and I am sure you are well on your way. For me, the mechanics developed in my twenties, and then the more life I lived, the more I felt I had something to say. (Not that I always know what that is!--actually, though, ALL of my books are about "created" families. For my characters, it's less important WHO you love--gay, straight, race, religion--than THAT you love . . . and created families can provide us the solace we need in life.)
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Thanks for the words-as for right now, I'm stuck on writing "what I know." I still haven't got the hang of successfully creating made-up families and characters. Its definately something I'm still working on developing.
If you don't mind, one day(as I enjoy your writing and will definately be reading more-which ultimately means blabbing in more of your blog posts. (: ) could we discuss the topic of having a book published a little more? I'm curious about the process and figure there's no better way to learn than to ask an author!
Hey Jasmine:
I have to do a new blog entry anyway, so I will talk about that. I just came back froma conference where I spoke about publishing . . . and what a strange biz it is. :-)
Catch ya tomorrow then!
E
Thanks muchly, Erica!
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