Jun 30 2008
Writers: Don’t Just Look – Observe. Don’t Just Hear – Listen.
Ernest Hemingway had this advice for writers: “When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you’re going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe. You should be able to go into a room and when you come out know everything that you saw there and not only that. If that room gave you any feeling you should know exactly what it was that gave you that feeling.”
No matter what you write, your ability to really see will help you be a better writer. I once read that Hemingway could go to a dinner party and know everyone inside and out by the time he left. He was a master of observation and he used that skill to really know people – who they were behind the veneer and what made them tick. And that, of course, made him an insightful writer.
You don’t need to be a novelist to put the power of observation to work for you. Even if you’re writing in the business arena, keen observation will enable you to focus in on what to write and how to best present it to a particular person or audience.
Start a personal habit. When you talk with people, do what Hemingway suggested: really listen. And look. Look them in the eyes and try to understand what they are trying to communicate to you. Use every word that comes out of their mouths to help you gain a better understanding of who they really are.
You’ll be surprised what a simple practice like this can do, not only in your writing, but in your life in general.
What great advice from a great writer!
I started painting several years ago. I can remember distinctly the day that I realized I was truly observing color. I was looking at a forest. Suddenly it wasn’t just a mass of green, but different shades and nuances. The experience was invigorating.
Observational advice from Mr. Hemingway…
Mr. Steve Osborne of TheWritersBag.com posted an excellent article yesterday, on the importance of observation to the writer. It was a piece that struck a chord with me, not least as the body of advice comes courtesy of one of…
[...] Osborne presents Writers: Don’t Just Look – Observe. Don’t Just Hear – Listen. posted at TheWritersBag.com, saying, “Steve Osborne, author of “Writing Tips for the [...]
This is true on so many levels, and will help you be a better human as well as a better writer. People are always communicating on two basic levels: what they are saying, and what they are saying *behind* those words. On some people it is easier to read those motives than others, but no matter who you are you do it too. Learning to read other people’s subconcious messages will help you understand yourself more in the end. Excellent advice