  Mystery
This week: Silence is Golden Edited by: Fyn  
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I have a challenge for you and it is not an easy one to accomplish. Darned near impossible for me, but I did manage it...bloody tongue and all! Don't speak for an entire day. Not one word. Let no sound come forth from you. Sure, shake or nod your head if you need to and let those in your immediate circle know you are going to do this. Have a note handy to show people.
Why? Because it forces you to listen. It forces you to observe. It allows you to actually hear what is going on around you without the filter of your thoughts formulating what you are going to say next.
It is in the true listening that we pick up on not only what is being said, but on what is not being said, what is being left out and how what is is formed, vocalized and communicated. Often what isn't said can be every bit as much informative as what isn't. But to notice this, you really have to listen and observe. You need to be silent.
It is in the silence that you notice the little things; the hand movements, the eye twitches, the crossed arms and the hesitations. Not speaking lets you really notice these things that are all a part of any conversation. Try it for a day. It takes a few hours for you to start really picking up on the nonverbal clues, but once you have, you will notice them more even during a regular conversation. You will be amazed at how much extra information you can get and then know what to look for when you are speaking. This gives you, as a writer, more in your 'descriptive arsenal' so you will be a better writer.
When writing a mystery or any writing, communication is key. Letting our readers read all the varying nuances is easier when we realize that dialogue is not simply words, but touches, the pauses, the spoken and the not spoken. It is the looks around the area, the fiddling with a necklace, the preoccupation with an empty envelope and the happiness with a side interruption. It is in the observation that gives us, the writers, the ability to describe this to the reader as it puts them in the picture more.
One thing I noticed is that I was more aware of when others were silent. This leads to a questioning of why and observing for the reasons rather than an asking. I also noticed that when those people spoke, it seemed as if they said more. Given that when we are speaking we are more focused on what we are saying than on what others respond, this is an excellent way to focus ourselves on the hearing of other people's words.
Another thing I became more aware of is how often people interrupt each other. This can be useful when you are writing dialog to make it more realistic to any given conversation.
So try the silent treatment. You may find you learn a lot about the art of conversation be keeping quiet.
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Emotive, melancholic feelings gliding on the soul as lost seagulls over a despairing sky.
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bertiebrite hoping for peace says: I am a great fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and always credited him with the creation of the detective novel. Being a woman and a writer, it is good to know that I have been wrong. Thanks for this information.
Although I was aware of her, it wasn't until I did more research that i learned so much about her. A fun discovery.
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Mystery: November 02, 2011 Issue [#4695]
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