In the latest Glimmer Train bulletin, professor and author Carrie Brown discusses the role visual art can play in the writing life. She says:
A writer can wander the halls of a museum filled with great works of art, or flip through a book, or even a box of old photographs without being struck by any one of the images before him. But inevitably there will come a moment when the writer’s gaze stays somewhere—there’s that “majestic silence”—and at that moment, the writer knows to stand still and listen and look.
Definitely check out the entire essay, which fully introduces this thought and its context in a detailed way (with a visual!).
Also recently at Glimmer Train:
- On Shortcuts by Mark Hitz
- On Being Interrupted by Joan Wickersham
- Click here to review the full bulletin.
Jane Friedman has spent nearly 25 years working in the book publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She is the editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2023. Her latest book is The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), which received a starred review from Library Journal. In addition to serving on grant panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, she works with organizations such as The Authors Guild to bring transparency to the business of publishing.
[…] Jane Friedman: Writers: Look for the Majestic Silence […]
Agreed, Jane. I’m new to your blog & appreciate this reference. An elegant essay from Ms. Brown.
Following you on Twitter now.
Sending stuck writers to dance & theater performances can be a catalyst.
A book I recommend to writers about combining business sense with the guarding of creativity, is Twyla Tharpe’s (with Mark Reiter) on, The Creative Habit: Learn to Use It For Life.
Thank you! Great suggestions; I’ve heard of the Twyla Tharpe book, but have yet to read it.
[…] Jane Friedman: Writers: Look for the Majestic Silence […]