Writing is considered a solitary occupation. A writer sits in front of a computer or typewriter or has pen and pad in hand. Loneliness is part of the occupation, or is it?
A recent article in “Science News” magazine reveals scientists are taking another look at loneliness and its causes. It is no longer considered as the same as being alone.
What Is Loneliness?
Anyone who suffers from loneliness can tell you about being in the center of a room full of people, yet they are still alone. At other times a peron can be alone as off walking in the woods or sitting at a computer and not be lonely.
Although present measures of loneliness don’t touch on this, the key seems to be connections. If a person feels connected to a group, pets or a place, that person is not lonely.
Writing Loneliness
In my recent novel “Hopes, Dreams and Reality” the main character is cut off from everyone she knows. She is left alone for the first time in her life. Yet, she depends on her goats and cats for companionship. This keeps her from sinking into loneliness most of the time.
“Life’s Rules” has a main character who has cut herself off from everyone. She lives in the midst of a neighborhood, yet knows no one. She walks to town for groceries and library books, knows the people there, yet doesn’t know them.
Her life revolves around travel books and language tapes. These give her that sense of connectedness so she isn’t lonely until she makes a connection with another person.
Describing Loneliness
Most people have had that empty longing we call loneliness at one time or another. It isn’t a pleasant feeling, one we try to avoid.
When writing about such a feeling, a writer deliberately recalls the feelings. These are described in writing. And the aftermath colors the day afterwards.
Then writing is not only solitary, but lonely.
