Midway in life's journey I found myself in the dark wood, and then I discovered precisely what you are describing in this wonderful post. Writing in confined spaces!
Several decades ago, I was serving as a senior administrator at a university, in the middle of several are extremely challenging writing assignments, and often submitting opinion pieces to a bunch of newspapers around the country.
Until I wasn't.
Oh, I kept up the appearance of productivity but I also discovered just how easily I was distracted by almost anything. The best I could do was play music in the background and try to dig deeper.
Then one day, I was sitting in a chair in my basement. And I slowly began to make friends with silence. After a while, I thought to myself: wow, being in this confined space is not incarceration, it is absolute liberation. So -- and I know this is a little weird -- I blocked off one very small corner of the room with dividers. And began writing while walled off in a very small space with nothing to look at and nothing to hear (except my own voice).
This is in no way a recommendation. Everyone find their own way. And the way I chose would certainly be horrifying to some people.
But ever since, a tucked away confining space has been my secret when it comes to big writing projects. I'm not a hermit. I love even the most raucous give-and-take with friends and family and colleagues.
But, almost by accident, I stumbled upon the joy of hiding.
The most perfect mess
Midway in life's journey I found myself in the dark wood, and then I discovered precisely what you are describing in this wonderful post. Writing in confined spaces!
Several decades ago, I was serving as a senior administrator at a university, in the middle of several are extremely challenging writing assignments, and often submitting opinion pieces to a bunch of newspapers around the country.
Until I wasn't.
Oh, I kept up the appearance of productivity but I also discovered just how easily I was distracted by almost anything. The best I could do was play music in the background and try to dig deeper.
Then one day, I was sitting in a chair in my basement. And I slowly began to make friends with silence. After a while, I thought to myself: wow, being in this confined space is not incarceration, it is absolute liberation. So -- and I know this is a little weird -- I blocked off one very small corner of the room with dividers. And began writing while walled off in a very small space with nothing to look at and nothing to hear (except my own voice).
This is in no way a recommendation. Everyone find their own way. And the way I chose would certainly be horrifying to some people.
But ever since, a tucked away confining space has been my secret when it comes to big writing projects. I'm not a hermit. I love even the most raucous give-and-take with friends and family and colleagues.
But, almost by accident, I stumbled upon the joy of hiding.
Steve
We are enough. Thanks
Sooo ... where did you go?