On writing

I am a firm believer that writing should not be a struggle. Perhaps this is caused by too much movies where you see writers sitting in front of their laptops, wearing specs, pondering 'bout the life outside the window, typing their hearts away!

But I know not everybody can do that. We've been moody writers for once in our lives, this I know for a fact. But what about those who write for a living? They just can't be seasonal writers. Surely they must have some secrets or exercises that motivate them to put some words on a blank piece of paper.

Inspiration and imagination really matter in writing.

When I was a kid, I used to do this make-believe thing or play-act. I'd imagine that am a grownup, sitting at the park, a book in hand. Those days, I still have good eyesight and wearing glasses is just a statement for being cool. I love looking at grownups who are indulged in reading. And so I thought, I could do that!

I tried reading (thick) novels that are beyond my comprehension until I end up very exhausted. Do I even know how to read? But fate must have played a joke on me. Fast forward today, I'm wearing glasses for real! And I came to love books.

They say that when you're a reader, you must have been a writer too. Writers are wide readers.

I'm a reader, but am I also a writer? Moody, yes. Full-time, no.

But I've done a lot of writing jobs and I've got a few good articles published. I dunno. Probably, I just don't believe that my whole life depends on writing alone.

Sometimes I can't help but envy those people who could just write about anything and everything without struggle. Whenever I find myself having a hard time writing, I stop because it's not supposed to be like that. Although I heard a known writer before saying that writing that certain (award-winning) novel was the hardest thing he ever did. But I thought, he's just saying that! I've some friends who are talented songwriters too. It's like they just hiccup lyrics and melody. Voila!

What is holding me back from writing? They say that when you write, you just do. Do not edit every after sentence. And this is what am doing right now. Or maybe the problem is we want it to be perfect. But when we reread it, we want to add this and change that. We cannot attain perfection, can we? However, there can be excellence without perfection.

One of my favorite writers, Steve Berry, shared this:

Every writer I've ever met has a little voice in their head. The little voice doesn't tell you to write a bestseller or anything like that. It just says sit down and write. If you write, I'll be happy and I will hush. If you don't write, I will nag you to death.

I wanted this entire blog to be as light as it can be. Dedicated to people who love a piece of something nice. I don't have to force myself to write if I don't feel it. I trust that it'll come naturally. If I can't write for now then I'll just use the time for more reading! 

I was thinking, could I still apply that make-believe thing like I did before? Me as full-time writer? Who knows it might work. Just need some believing!

After all, writing must not be a struggle, it must be a therapy.