Lonely is the word?

[At Dusk I Reign]

Writing, they say, is a lonely business. You sit at a keyboard (or, for those of a certain vintage, with pen and paper) and delve deep into the imagination, hoping to uncover something which has so far remained disguised from others. Unless you're collaborating on a project there's no one to turn to: others can provide feedback (positive or negative), but like dying the act of literary creation is a singular experience. It can be dissected but never truly shared, critiqued but never truly understood.

That's its magic. That's what makes it fun.

Okay, I may well be alone in this (it wouldn't be the first time I've found myself out of step: the drummer I march to frequently misses the beat and wanders down cul-de-sacs). I don't believe I am, though.

Some things just shouldn't be shared. They're personal, impervious to the herd mentality, requiring neither approval nor derision.

Writing is one of them.

Yes it can be a solitary experience as you tap away, sometimes cursing the gods, sometimes thanking them for sending a muse with which to set the page alight. That's no bad thing, though. It can even be good for the soul. Whether it be fishing, walking, or sitting at a desk and staring out the window in a world of your own, such things allow the mind to stretch itself, to cleanse and renew.

We live in a busy world. Chatter comes from all sides, be it friends, family, or random strangers it's impolite to throw random foodstuffs at. Writing provides a shell, an impervious shield which deflects mundane reality and allows the bearer to concentrate on the things which really matter.

We're not just flesh and bone, nutrients for the soil. We dream. We imagine. Even surrounded by a throng, the thoughts which flicker through our brains are peculiar to us alone.

Lonely? Not a bit. Even in a room by myself I've got a host of characters in my brain which no one else has ever thought of to keep me company: they may not be real, but what use has a fantasist for reality?

As a writer, someone who's suffered the heat of the artistic forge, do you ever feel isolated? Or, like me, do you revel in the opportunity to wander landscapes without any outside interference? Do tell.

 

[Ophiucha]

I don't write alone, per se, so I don't consider it a lonely - for better or for worse - endeavor. My fiance is often in the room with me while I write, and any frustration or concern I have can be discussed with him. I tend not to turn off gmail or Skype, so a call to a writer's forum or a call from a friend could occur while I write. I don't live in the 'real world', I live on the internet, truth be told, and I don't consider it a lonely place. To me, you may just be an icon with a fancy script saying your name, but I am nonetheless talking to you, and given the nature of this forum, I may very well talk to you about my writing.

Even if, when it comes to the actual act of writing, it is just between my fingers and the keys, it isn't lonely. I can talk about my writing, I can be with people while I'm writing, and yeah, I don't mind solitude if my fiance's at work and the wireless is out. But I don't need it, by any means, and even alone, I am in my home, with my kitchen and my books, and I feel content.

 

[Chilari]

I don't feel lonely when I'm writing. The only time I ever feel lonely is when I'm at home (or my parents' house) alone. And that's regardless of whether I'm writing or not. Sometimes I start to write to stave off lonliness, or if not actually write, imagine the next scene. Whether I'm writing at home alone, or in the postgrad office at uni surrounded by my friends studying, or on the train, what I'm doing is private, but not lonely. My characters populate my mindscape, and I'm too busy working out what happens next, or how to write this scene, or the exact wording to use, to get lonely.

 

[drkpyn]

I do not feel lonely when writing. I am always watching my characters move around me while I try to figure out their thoughts and feelings. The world I go to when I write is so busy and complex that even I can't keep track of everything going on. I often wish that I was alone so that I could try to figure it all out in quiet!

The only time I do feel alone is when I'm stranded on the toilet and there's no one around to bring more another roll of toilet paper.

 

[Fnord]

I did my best writing when I lived in a dungeonesque apartment with no internet and nothing but a crappy computer, a card table, and a folding chair for furniture. Now I'm finding it exceptionally much more difficult when I have so much other stuff going on, am married, and have a bunch of distractions all over the place.

 

[JBryden88]

Writing in of itself is solo, BUT, as I have learned in my creative writing class, if you get the right people, at the right time, you end up having a bond for life with fellow writers that become some of the best friends you'll ever get. And then, no matter what, writing will never be a lonely experience.

 

[Kelise]

I've never really found it lonely. I have a few good friends from NaNo, I have Lana, and I've always had writing groups or people who also write that I keep in close contact with.

My best friend, Kane, is awesome to bounce ideas off, and my partner is supportive of how I'm going to turn a rp we're in into a book, sooo I have more than enough people to talk to about it, help with issues or blocks, word war with...

 

[Helbrecht]

I would agree that writing is a solitary and private experience, unique to each person but I'd also like to echo dissenting sentiments expressed in a few replies other people have made. I don't feel isolated when I'm writing, because I'm usually actively engaging with people while I'm doing it, chatting away with my mates in the pauses when I'm waiting for a new idea to come into my head. There's a few friends I'll be bouncing ideas off and indeed, there's communities like this one which I like to actively involve in my creative process, and involve myself in that of others.

I think the main isolating factor regarding my writing is that none of my friends (well, none of my real-life friends, barring one in particular) really understand why I write, and therefore, I willfully keep my social life and my creative mindscape completely separate, although there are very frequent moments where one will influence the other. If I've witnessed or participated in something with friends that evokes certain descriptions or metaphors in my head, I'll probably reuse it in my writing at some point if it's interesting enough. Likewise, if I'm trying to think up witty or profound dialogue, I might try and work a line I want to use in my writing into a conversation with someone and gauge their reaction. If it makes them laugh or it gets them thinking, then it's a good line and it deserves to be used. (Moral of the story, never be my friend, or else I'll use you as a literary guinea pig. Mwahaha.)

In a way, while the two are separate, one couldn't function without the other. I do regard writing as a sort of "me time", I guess, but it's extremely important to strike a balance between writing and everything else, and if you can do this you can often achieve a sort of synergy. I've never really considered abandoning aspects of my life as it is to focus on writing, nor could I ever really stop myself from writing if I tried. Case in point: My exams start next week and instead of studying, I'm sitting here scribbling a short story.

I'm also lucky enough to be going out with a wonderful girl who's just as passionate about writing as I am, and since I've met her even my writing isn't completely solitary any more, put it that way. xD There's a thought, actually - I might point her in the direction of these boards some time.

Anyway, in conclusion, I'd have to answer with a resounding yesbutno. Intriguing question, and some very intriguing answers so far.

 

[Chilari]

I think I'm lucky enough to have several writing friends. I belong to a local writing group and we meet semi-regularly (well, when I'm not too busy studying or too lazy to go anyway). Also my housemate reads a LOT of fantasy (we've lived here 8 months, the librarians in the local library know her by name), and writes for fun a bit. I think that, perhaps, if I didn't have writerly friends I might get more lonly than I do.

 

[Kate]

I've also heard a lot of people say that it's a lonely business. But as folk above have pointed out, it doesn't have to be. Yes, it's something that happens inside the head, and for a lot of people (myself included) that's better done with no one around. Solitary doesn't always mean lonely.

I know very few people where I live and if it wasn't for my fiance, I would probably go months without talking to someone face to face, or on the phone. Solitary, unsociable, yes. Lonely? No.

 

[Digital_Fey]

Most of the writers I know are actually quite sociable, either online or off. I think that's because loneliness - real, gut-wrenching loneliness - is detrimental to the act of writing. Sure, I need peace and quiet for the writing itself, but I'd go nuts without a couple of fellow human beans to drag me out of my fantasy world from time to time. I find that too much time spent alone with my creations can lead to writing in a vacuum, without the fresh ideas or objectivity that you get from discussions with other people.