The Silent Treatment in Creativity

Silence has many interpretations. It is the absence of sound. To others, it is the absence of noise. Noise is a different type of sound. It is not just the opposite of silence. It can also be associated with chaos, disruption, and interruption.

From a creative point of view, what is silence? Why is it needed? What purpose does it serve in creativity?

Generally speaking, we call noise the opposite of silence. It is disruptive and counterproductive. I haven’t met anyone who likes it.

In the age of social media and rapid information, things are quite different. All you need to do is go online and enter your query into a search engine. You prompt AI to get your answer faster than waiting for an email!

Social media keeps you hooked through its content. Just one reel or short is enough, and before you know it, you’ve lost track of time. When that happens, your mind builds up too much noise, consciously and subconsciously. That is something you don’t want to entertain in your mind.

As a creative individual, you must actively decide how much information you want to absorb.

Silence is Golden

I don’t mean the song from Demon Hunter! The work I do relies heavily on my PC; without it, I feel like a fish out of water. Though it was not suffocating!

Earlier this year, my family and I moved to the ground floor of a vacant house for some minor repairs. During those five days, I had limited access to my PC. My company at that time was Silence and my smartphone, and that’s where I experienced Silence in its glory!

My mind was calm, and my creative spirit craved some action. No one can spend the entire day on their smartphone, doomscrolling, watching series, movies, or playing games.

I picked up my notebook and started writing quotes on silence. It took me a good hour to finish some of them. During that time, the silence helped me deepen my thoughts. It was then I realised that silence needs room to grow in your creativity.

Making use of Silence:
In music production, there are many musical elements like dynamics, rhythm, melody, etc. I will take Dynamics as an example. It is the loudness and softness and the change in the intensity of the music. In other words, a song must include loud and soft parts, and sometimes brief silence if the song requires it.

Silence has an excellent creative function when used in music. It is necessary because it builds anticipation to keep the listener engaged with the music.

In creative writing, like writing a story, silence can be used as a word, or creatively used to signify the term. For example, Henry cocked the gun and fired. He cocked the gun again and waited. His ears paid extra attention to sounds: it rained, his footsteps fell on the wet ground, his breathing seemed louder than usual, and then, as suddenly, the clouds cleared. The moon appeared, shining its light in the alley.

In the midst of the deafening quietness, a shot was fired, and Henry fell to the ground.

In the above example, I have not mentioned the word silence anywhere. I have let the reader determine and build the scene and the intensity in their imagination.

Worldy uses of silence, a slight deviation from creativity:
My peace of mind matters more than proving my point. Read that again!

Why do I stick to it? As a deeply introverted person, overthinking comes naturally. Mentally, things play out that may never come true in real life. So, protecting my mental peace helps me invest my mental capacity in meaningful activities.

After I was married, my wife and I had many disagreements. Sometimes that led to verbal fights. Yes, I did respond verbally, but after many fights, I let the change come. Because why continue something unhelpful in a relationship?

When fights occur, both parties are angry. Tempers flare, and words are thrown across the room. I have learnt that it takes one person to start a fight and two of them to continue. Ask yourself, what if the second person does not wish to contribute to the fight? That’s where silence is helpful. Silence in this context does not imply submission or servitude; rather, it is a means of safeguarding your peace.

You must determine how important that peace is to you. The greater the importance, the more fiercely you will protect it.

12 years later, my wife and I have not verbally fought over anything. Yes, we have disagreements, and we rarely shout at each other. However, verbal fighting does not occur because I choose to remain silent. She has learnt that too in our capacity and adheres to it as well. If you have had a verbal fight with anyone, temporary silence is fine, but break that silence before it gets uncomfortable.

Not letting silence become awkward: This is the most fundamental aspect of silence. Creative silence should not make you uncomfortable. If it does, it is better not to be silent at that instant.

Unnecessary silence can cause unnecessary harm. Be absolutely cautious when exploring silence. It is best to allow it to come naturally rather than forcing it into your creativity. When silence arrives, ask yourself if you’re comfortable with it before embracing it.

How to gauge the arrival of silence?

Silence, like creativity, cannot be forced. It is not a habit, nor is it a talent. Silence is like the wind that does not need permission to arrive and depart.

The best way to receive silence is to take a walk in nature. Walk where silence exists naturally. Let your mind wander, carry your phone, but keep your headset neatly tucked away. Absorb the silence like a sponge.

Creative Silence is also like a drug. Once you understand how it functions to help you grow creatively, you don’t want to abandon the idea of silence. I spend my silence sometimes on walks. My workplace campus, perhaps, is the largest repository of silence I have ever found! Lush with trees, birds and water bodies!

The alone walk in silence is energising and focus-inducing. Sometimes, I do not let the creative juices flow. I let the silence do the talking, immersing myself in its recreational beauty. The mental peace it provides rejuvenates your senses.

What brings you silence? If there is any activity or location that welcomes silence in your thought processes, by all means, please pursue it. Silence is an experience in creativity that everyone should explore and exploit.

So, when you explore silence, allow it to penetrate your mind and settle down. There are benefits of silence that vary from person to person. When explored creatively, the benefits can be astounding. Choose to discover rather than look for silence in your creativity, as I did.