Q is for Quiet

We live in a noisy, thriving world. It is proof that life is always around us. Whether it is the city or the country, there is always noise. In fact, there is nothing more unnerving then total silence. I’ve only experienced it a few times in my life and thankfully it has only lasted for a few moments. It usually happens at night, when everyone is sleeping. The lights are off, everyone is sleeping, and even the wind has died away. The silence is deep enough to wake you up and you lay there, straining to hear something, anything. Then the refrigerator kicks on and its familiar hum is soothing, allowing you to sleep back into sleep.

 

 

So how do you tune out all the distractions so that you can concentrate and write? Oftentimes, it’s too noisy to write, other times, it’s too quiet. For me, I use music to write to. It helps block out environmental noise so I can concentrate, but it’s not so quiet that I start focusing around me to see what’s wrong. (I grew up with three brothers, the only time the house was quiet was when they were sleeping or planning something. They often wondered how mom caught onto their schemes, but when it grew quiet she knew that they were up to no good, lol.) I tend to go with songs that I know well, they are enough to keep me centered in my writing but I’m not distracted trying to figure out what they lyrics are or who the artist is.

 

I also use music to help me when I’m writing. I have songs that fit perfectly with certain characters, so I play those when I have to get into their personality. I have playlists with sad songs, upbeat songs, suspenseful songs, so whatever emotion I need to capture can be evoked by listening to them.

 

So what are your feelings on quiet?