Dear M,
In one of those meanderings across the Web, I came across the review of a book. This book (though I have not read it yet) had been highly acclaimed, much awaited, and since the author had literary genes and hereditary associations of some kind with the fictional world, it was a best-seller before it hit the shops.
I remember reading rave reviews a few years ago. I had forgotten about it somewhere along the way, otherwise I would certainly have put my hands on it.
In the review I read yesterday, the blogger has thrashed it in the simplest and most straightforward way possible, that I buckled under its force.
I didn't like it. I was disappointed. It is trash.
Thank God it ain't my book, was my first response. I mean, so what was all that hype about then? But of course, as we already know, someone will always like what we write, and many will always hate our style. Now this review has done two things - it has reminded me of this book and it has made me want to come to a conclusion myself. (Let's just say that there were certain words thrown around in the review which added to my curiosity). I am sure I will be picking it up sooner rather than later.
Now to J.K. Rowling. In the now-famous piece of history, J. K. Rowling suffered a setback when she tried to publish her new novel under a pseudonym and was rejected by pretty much everyone she had approached. Eventually she confessed to her own agent and that's how the rest of it became history.
What's the lesson and what am I trying to say here? (This is what happens when you force yourself to write and over-write every damn day. I am losing track of thoughts.) I think the point is that we aren't perfect, none of us.
Or maybe the point is that the writing is the journey and that success is relative. (I told you I am exhausted.)
Or maybe the point is that... there is no such thing as the Perfect Writing - which looks adorable in everyone's eyes. Maybe we don't have to worry about how far we are yet to go or to learn, to become good writers (or good at anything, for that matter.) What's important is that we keep trying. We keep writing. We keep finding satisfaction in every word we write. Everything else can go to hell for all we care. We write about people, but we could stop caring about what people think.
Love.
In one of those meanderings across the Web, I came across the review of a book. This book (though I have not read it yet) had been highly acclaimed, much awaited, and since the author had literary genes and hereditary associations of some kind with the fictional world, it was a best-seller before it hit the shops.
I remember reading rave reviews a few years ago. I had forgotten about it somewhere along the way, otherwise I would certainly have put my hands on it.
In the review I read yesterday, the blogger has thrashed it in the simplest and most straightforward way possible, that I buckled under its force.
I didn't like it. I was disappointed. It is trash.
Thank God it ain't my book, was my first response. I mean, so what was all that hype about then? But of course, as we already know, someone will always like what we write, and many will always hate our style. Now this review has done two things - it has reminded me of this book and it has made me want to come to a conclusion myself. (Let's just say that there were certain words thrown around in the review which added to my curiosity). I am sure I will be picking it up sooner rather than later.
Now to J.K. Rowling. In the now-famous piece of history, J. K. Rowling suffered a setback when she tried to publish her new novel under a pseudonym and was rejected by pretty much everyone she had approached. Eventually she confessed to her own agent and that's how the rest of it became history.
What's the lesson and what am I trying to say here? (This is what happens when you force yourself to write and over-write every damn day. I am losing track of thoughts.) I think the point is that we aren't perfect, none of us.
Or maybe the point is that the writing is the journey and that success is relative. (I told you I am exhausted.)
Or maybe the point is that... there is no such thing as the Perfect Writing - which looks adorable in everyone's eyes. Maybe we don't have to worry about how far we are yet to go or to learn, to become good writers (or good at anything, for that matter.) What's important is that we keep trying. We keep writing. We keep finding satisfaction in every word we write. Everything else can go to hell for all we care. We write about people, but we could stop caring about what people think.
Love.
Hey you. I liked this post, the way it moves. It also makes me think, about the questions you raised - if too much writing could really be good.
ReplyDeleteI have been writing quite a bit this week, and I feel that maybe too much writing continuosly is not all that great a thing. That maybe when you keep writing, it affects how your sentences come out. That I would end up writing regular sentences and not give out anything new.
I don't know the answer.
Too much of anything could be exhausting, right? I think a long sleep did me some good. Also an evening walk in the cool B'lore breeze. Yeah that works wonders too.
DeleteThanks for the comment, Neeraj.