## Writogram

Thoughtful writing

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### Meera Iyer

@meeraiyer

Published

Oct 12, 2023 · 8 min read

# On the silence between sentences

Love Nostalgia Calm

There is a specific kind of gravity in the pause. In our rush to fill the world with noise, we often overlook the architecture of the void. Writing, I have found, is not merely the act of placing words on a page, but the careful preservation of the gaps between them.

When we speak of silence in literature, we are speaking of the breath. It is the moment where the reader is invited to inhabit the space the author has left behind. It is in these unwritten corridors that the deepest resonance occurs. I remember a letter from my grandmother, written in a hand that was beginning to fail her. The ink was sparse, the sentences truncated, but the silence—the vast stretches of cream-colored paper between her observations—spoke of everything she could no longer find the strength to say.

Modern communication has declared war on the pause. The blinking cursor, the 'typing...' indicator, the instant reply. We have become terrified of the lag. Yet, if we look at the music of existence, the beauty is found not in the sustained note, but in the staccato release. To write thoughtfully is to trust the reader with the silence.

— The most profound truths are often found in what we choose not to say.

## Discussion

Julian Reed 2h ago

This resonates deeply. I find that in poetry, the line break is where the actual poem happens. It's the moment of suspension that gives the words their weight. Thank you for articulating this so beautifully.

Elena Sol 1h ago

Exactly, Julian. It's the 'negative space' of literature. Without it, the density becomes overwhelming.

Marcus Chen 4h ago

The mention of your grandmother's letter really struck a chord. There's a fragility in physical writing that digital text can't replicate. The silence is more tangible there.

#### About the Author

Meera Iyer

Cultural essayist & Poet

Exploring the intersections of language, memory, and the digital age through slow-form essays.

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