In this world there are talkers and there are listeners. A writer is both. Many may not agree with me, but here are my thoughts on this.
A few months back, a friend and I spent the afternoon together. About half-way into our visit she said, “I’m doing all the talking.” And it was true, I suppose. But seriously, I didn’t mind. I was simply enjoying listening to what she had to say. It had been awhile since we’d last talked. I knew what was going on in my life. I wanted to hear about hers.
What my friend didn’t know is that all writers talk and most times we’re the centre of the conversation, and…. monopolize? Oh yeah, we monopolize alright since there’s usually no one else around, we, and our characters, are the centre of our attention.
Writers do a good deal of talking in their heads. We talk to our characters and sometimes we talk to ourselves. We also do our talking on the page. We talk and we talk and we talk, talk, talk, talk. We say the same things over again but in a different way, and then the next day we start all over again—same conversation since we didn’t get it right the day before! So while the words may not come out so others can hear us, you can be sure we writers talk. My friend had nothing to apologize for. Sometimes with all the “talking” I do in the run of a day it’s simply nice to let someone else take over for awhile.
So with all the talking that takes place in a writer’s life I firmly believe that writers also need to be listeners. We need to fine-tune our hearing so that we can allow the story to come through to us from that place where stories reside before the writer breathes life into them. We have to be conscious of the wants and needs of the characters we write about. We need to listen to what they have to say even when they say things that are not to our liking. We need to listen to the hearts of our characters and find out what makes them tick. What are their likes and dislikes? Their biggest fear? We need to be their best friend or, in some cases, their worst enemy, and we do that by listening. An author who is a good listener learns to respect their characters and give them the freedom to tell their story in their own words, and in their own time.
So to my friend who thought she was being selfish and dominating the conversation all I can say is that sometimes there’s a time to talk and sometimes there’s a time to listen. Hopefully, we tap into that balance somewhere along the way. A writer is both talker and listener. We’ve mastered both of these arts and if we haven’t yet mastered them we’re constantly working to achieve it.
I’m taking a bit of a break from blogging until the New Year. My life will be much less complicated then. I’m looking forward to catching up on my blog reading and I’d like to check out some new blogs from the followers I picked up this past while.. Have a wonderful Holiday and I hope to see you in 2015!
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Frieda Wishinsky
/ December 21, 2014Happy holidays. I enjoy your blog and listening to your thoughts abut life and writing.
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2014Happy Holidays to you, Frieda! And thank you for your lovely comment. 😀 May you have continued success with your writing! I know you will.
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Darlene
/ December 22, 2014Without listening where would we get our ideas! I love to eavesdrop (listen) to conversations on the bus, in coffee shops etc. Have a wonderful Christmas with just the right amount of talking and listening. See you in the New Year!!
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Heather Wright
/ December 22, 2014Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Years with friends and family and that 2015 holds only good things for you and yours. Looking forward to your return in the new year!
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Laura Best
/ January 3, 2015Thanks, Heather. We had a great Christmas and thank you for your well wishes. 🙂
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ December 22, 2014Have a wonderful time off to rejuvenate and start anew in 2015. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ January 3, 2015Thanks so much, Tess! I look forward to reading more from you in 2015. 🙂
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ January 4, 2015Thank you, Laura. I’m tickled at your encouragement and support. ❤
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Laura Best
/ January 4, 2015We all need encouragement, Tess. For many years I didn’t know another writer. It would have been good to have that encouragement and support from someone who was a writer themselves so it’s important for me to do what I can to encourage others who are on the same path. 🙂
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ January 5, 2015My reason for joining the blogging community was to meet writers and get feedback. ❤
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Laura Best
/ January 5, 2015It is a wonderful way to meet writers. I feel most fortunate!
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ January 6, 2015Indeed. It is a wonderful community.
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Let's CUT the Crap!
/ January 5, 2015I’m not sure I didn’t lose my last reply:
Yes, encouragement is so important.
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cluculzwriter
/ December 26, 2014Excellent post, Laura. Very poignant. I tend to talk a lot too, sometimes. Happy New Year!
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Laura Best
/ January 3, 2015Thanks, Joylene. I’m expecting to have some access to high speed for the next few months abd look forward to visting your blog and being able to leave comments.. 🙂 Happy New Year to you!
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Lynn
/ December 26, 2014Talking and listening… there seems to be a balance to be achieved to make any conversation an enjoyable one – and not always an equal balance each time. Sometimes I get overly chatty when I’m passionate about something, but I also am interested in hearing about other people’s lives – especially their stories about what made them who they are.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Laura, and that the new year brings to you exciting challenges that lead you into satisfying writing accomplishments. I look forward to reading more from you in 2015. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ January 3, 2015There is a balance, Lynn. It’s sometimes fun to talk and sometimes fun to listen. We had a good Christmas with everyone home for Christmas day. The addition of two grandchildren these past years makes it’s exciting. Thank you so much for you kind wishes. I hope all is well with you and that you continue to write, blog and review in 2015. 🙂
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