Listening

There are times when I'm writing a lot, and words pour out of me. Then there are times when the outward spill of words has slowed or stopped. It's like the difference between speaking and listening.

I believe writers need these listening times. They are the times that give us something to write about. They're the times when something boils beneath the surface, but we can't even guess yet what it is. They're the times when we watch the world around us with extra attention, taking in the sensory details we might overlook when our heads are full of our own plots and characters. We may read more, or give more time to a hobby. We may go through old projects, or clear our desks.

We may stare off into space. Listening.

Do you hear that?