The Only Way to Keep Writing

And a writing prompt for you.

A hearty welcome to you, premium subscribers. Feel free to peruse the more than three years of materials in my extensive archive, which includes earlier posts only available to patrons of Sitting in Silence. You’ll find interesting stories, rare essays, and craft documents.

Today, I want to return to another topic of great importance. This is a continuation of my series on finding motivation and inspiration. Enjoy.

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I read a very interesting piece in the New York Times the other day. It was about the loneliness epidemic among men i.e. men have a harder time sustaining vital relationships over time. Now, statistically, most of the readers of Sitting in Silence are women. Which means you, dear reader, are probably a woman. But you may know some guys, I imagine. You may even like them.

The article struck me as true. Which is to say that we dudes tend to have harder time maintaining social connections. In our 20s, we often have a vibrant circle of friends but after 30, those networks wither and die.

I compare this to the ladies in my life, who take the time to call their loved ones. It’s such a simple act, but so effective.

Personally, I don't think I've spoken to any man on the phone this year but once or twice. Why is it important to think about this now? It's because writing is perhaps the loneliest creative endeavor. We writers can find ourselves in a world of our own making, a Potemkin village in which we seclude ourselves.