We live surrounded by constant stimuli. Every day, our phones buzz with notifications, social media updates never stop, and time seems to slip away through our screens. In the midst of all that noise, writing becomes an act of resistance — and writing romance, a genre that demands emotional connection, pause, and depth, even more so.
I’m a writer, yes, but I’m also a person — and like many others, I feel overwhelmed by the speed of the digital world. Social media drains me. I don’t really enjoy it. I use it only when necessary, and sometimes I go weeks without checking in. Not because I don’t care about my readers, but because I deeply value my creative time. Writing requires silence. It needs presence. It calls for a kind of connection that’s more intimate, more grounded.
That’s why I prefer blogging.
This space feels calmer, more stable, more lasting. It lets me express myself clearly, without being rushed. Here, I can share my thoughts with depth, without the pressure of keeping up with trends or algorithms. A blog post doesn’t disappear in seconds. It stays. It grows. It breathes.
Writing romance —at least the way I do it— isn’t about formulas or speed. It’s about truth, emotion, and intentionality. And that can’t happen when I’m constantly plugged into the outside world. So I disconnect. Often. I turn off the noise. I put the phone away. I create room for the characters to speak to me.
I’m not saying this to make a point. It’s just how I’ve learned to write better. I come online when I have something meaningful to share: a new book, a piece of news, or a post like this one. But I don’t want to — and frankly, I can’t — be constantly available. If I were always looking outward, I wouldn’t be able to look inward. And that’s where my stories live.
People often ask how I stay focused, how I find inspiration, how I keep going. I don’t have a magic formula. But one thing I’ve learned: inspiration doesn’t live in your notifications. Creativity doesn’t come from likes. And the time we need to write —truly write— is time we have to protect fiercely.
For me, silence helps. A slow walk without music. Reading from a real book. A warm drink far from screens. These little things slowly bring me back to that quiet place where stories are born. And when I finally sit down to write, it flows better. It feels more honest.
I know it seems like we’re expected to be everywhere nowadays —posting, recording, engaging, staying relevant. But if you’re a writer too (or simply someone longing to reconnect with themselves), let me tell you this: it’s okay to step back. It’s okay to choose your own pace. It’s okay to put creation above exposure.
Social media can be a useful tool. But it shouldn’t become a trap. It shouldn’t define our worth. And it certainly shouldn’t steal the time we need to do what we love most: write.
So I choose, whenever I can, writing over noise. Blogging over scrolling. Silence over urgency.
And if you’re on that path too, you’re welcome here.
Thank you for reading, for being on the other side of the screen not just as followers, but as readers, companions in this journey of words and emotion.
We stay connected, not by what disappears, but by what remains.
Warmly,
Mary Heathcliff
Romance Novel Writer
.jpg)
.jpg)
