Comments on: Writing and the Solitary Life http://spectatrix.com/2008/10/15/writing-and-the-solitary-life/ the passionate introvert Fri, 30 Mar 2012 07:25:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: spectatrix http://spectatrix.com/2008/10/15/writing-and-the-solitary-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1381 spectatrix Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:51:32 +0000 http://spectatrix.com/?p=59#comment-1381 <p>Patti,</p> <p>I didn't mention it in my post, because I was focusing more on how solitude might affect one's writing, but I think solitude can be productive in many other ways. I've definitely found it to be helpful when I've needed to make sense of a situation, or simply to recover my own mental equilibrium. But that's not to say that solitude has to be productive; sometimes it's just a pleasure :)</p> <p>Milena,</p> <p>I totally agree; it's all about what works for each person. I think I tend to idealize the type of solitude Marilynne Robinson describes (and that your friend found in the mountains) precisely because it's not the kind I am most likely to partake of. I share my life with my wonderful husband, and friends and family, and wouldn't have it any other way. I think this post was mostly about me reminding myself that solitude can help me accomplish certain things, and it might be good to make more room for it in my life whenever I can :)</p> Patti,

I didn’t mention it in my post, because I was focusing more on how solitude might affect one’s writing, but I think solitude can be productive in many other ways. I’ve definitely found it to be helpful when I’ve needed to make sense of a situation, or simply to recover my own mental equilibrium. But that’s not to say that solitude has to be productive; sometimes it’s just a pleasure :)

Milena,

I totally agree; it’s all about what works for each person. I think I tend to idealize the type of solitude Marilynne Robinson describes (and that your friend found in the mountains) precisely because it’s not the kind I am most likely to partake of. I share my life with my wonderful husband, and friends and family, and wouldn’t have it any other way. I think this post was mostly about me reminding myself that solitude can help me accomplish certain things, and it might be good to make more room for it in my life whenever I can :)

]]> By: Milena http://spectatrix.com/2008/10/15/writing-and-the-solitary-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1333 Milena Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:02:00 +0000 http://spectatrix.com/?p=59#comment-1333 <p>...is describing isn’t a default state, but a purposeful one. Not a retreat, but a mode of being that enables a writer to do her best work. That sounds like a great place to be.</p> <p>As long as it works for you then it is a great place to be. You may tap it for whatever it gives to you. I had a friend who just went and spent 5 weeks in a little cabin set in some nowhere mountain in the middle of Colorado. It took her hours to drive there, and find the place she had rented for herself alone as a retreat in which to purposely foment her writing muse. Apparently it worked. She completed a manuscript.</p> <p>I don't write myself, just dally. And I do so with a jumping, laughing, playful toddler distracting me every second minute. That's probably why I only dally... ;-)</p> <p>Thought provoking post and as I've never read Ms. Robinson either you have now peaked my interest. Thank you.</p> <p>I like your blog too!</p> …is describing isn’t a default state, but a purposeful one. Not a retreat, but a mode of being that enables a writer to do her best work. That sounds like a great place to be.

As long as it works for you then it is a great place to be. You may tap it for whatever it gives to you. I had a friend who just went and spent 5 weeks in a little cabin set in some nowhere mountain in the middle of Colorado. It took her hours to drive there, and find the place she had rented for herself alone as a retreat in which to purposely foment her writing muse. Apparently it worked. She completed a manuscript.

I don’t write myself, just dally. And I do so with a jumping, laughing, playful toddler distracting me every second minute. That’s probably why I only dally… ;-)

Thought provoking post and as I’ve never read Ms. Robinson either you have now peaked my interest. Thank you.

I like your blog too!

]]> By: Patti http://spectatrix.com/2008/10/15/writing-and-the-solitary-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1316 Patti Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:28:16 +0000 http://spectatrix.com/?p=59#comment-1316 <p>I relate powerfully to the quote you posted from Marilynne Robinson...I'm very much like her in the amount of solitude I crave and find comfortable. I do, however, recognize that, for me, too much solitude is not healthy, so I have to make an effort sometimes to get out into the world. I just wish I was doing something more constructive with my solitude, like Robinson is!</p> I relate powerfully to the quote you posted from Marilynne Robinson…I’m very much like her in the amount of solitude I crave and find comfortable. I do, however, recognize that, for me, too much solitude is not healthy, so I have to make an effort sometimes to get out into the world. I just wish I was doing something more constructive with my solitude, like Robinson is!

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