Art is an act of communication, and if we are constantly communicating our smallest thoughts, how will we have time for big ones? Cell phones miniaturize your life, breaking it down into tiny sound bites. I think we call them "bites" for a reason. They tend to devour our time and attention. There's no room for following your own train of thoughts. You can be interrupted at any moment-- and you will be.

Virginia Wolfe said writers needed a "room of their own." Most of us do not have that, but we can build a portable room of our own by turning off our devices when we are working, and taking walks with no cell phone.

Are you willing to experiment with this?