Most of my readings hover around Non-Fiction, mainly History, Military History, Biographies. Very rarely I stray towards fiction. My last read on fiction (which is also not entirely fiction) was Shantaram. Later I saw a CNN interview with the author – Gregory Roberts and I agree with what he said on writing – that Novel writing is an art and it means, “entering the readers mind, touching their soul”.
I just read a book – Why we Write by Meredith Maran. The book introduces twenty writers of various genres who talk about their writings, their motivations, their coping with the problem of actually sitting down to write. Two things become clear. The reason to write is both unique and common. Unique because every writer has one or more compelling reasons to type out his words. Common because all writers agree that writing is drudgery.
Stephen King in his book -On Writing- says that we don’t really know from where our writing comes from. I know it’s true. I just write and the very act of writing makes me search my thinking and tapping the letters on my iPad brings forth My Writing. For me, there is no “Which is first- Egg or Chicken” dilemma. For me it’s writing first and through this I dock with new thoughts. One day I will meet my best seller.
As I wait, I hustle with thoughts of great writer’s thoughts on writing. Also, I am reading them after I have some Ten Years of regular writing and then 5 more years of fits-and-starts. I haven’t been consistent but I love the idea of being a Prolific Writer.
I’m reading Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I’m reading this because firstly, I forced myself to try fiction after an interval and secondly, the book’s first chapter got me. In fact, the publisher in me bought the book after, I think, one and half page. I am impressed when words paint a picture for me. Subtle descriptions of a scene makes me visualise the story. This is what I will call a successful story.
neerajshrivastav 