It is a general feeling that writing an article or book is a difficult task and requires special skill and command over language. Hence, we leave the job to those who write regularly and take pleasure in reading whatever they have written. Even if we disagree with the opinion of author, we express our opinion orally to our friends, but do not attempt to write our impressions, leave apart describing our own ideas and thoughts.
Why this apathy about writing? If asked about it or prompted by somebody to write, we put our excuses like non availability of time or resources. In reality, we are afraid of writing and feel that people will realize our inability of writing or drawbacks in writing style. There are many psychological hurdles in writing, which prevents majority of people to refrain from writing.
Even if one decides to write questions prop up What to write ? and How to write? The best answers I can give to remove these hurdles is Anything and Anyway. Yes, you read it correctly. Write anything and in anyway as you like. At least till the time you master the art of writing and train your brain accordingly. While talking we never ask the questions what to talk and how to talk, but while writing it becomes a formidable task. Why not write whatever you want to talk? Suddenly you become cautious and writing gets obstructed by reasoning.
I have read an effective solution to overcome this hurdle. Just follow the steps as described. Once you decide to write take paper and pen. Make good writing arrangement. Close the room door not to get disturbed by anybody. Hold the pen in hand. Select left top corner and there you go ! Start writing continuously for ten full minutes. Never stop for a moment in between or otherwise you will be stuck at that point. Our cautious mind would not allow to continue writing. It would start revising, finding errors and alternatives and get completely confused and engrossed with a result of inaction.
While speaking our thoughts are expressed neatly in the language and that flow of thoughts is so rapid that our conscious mind doesn’t get chance to interfere. We can record our speech and write it down later. You will find that quite smooth and consistent. Next step is to write meaningful and to the point.
Once you have overcome the hurdle of writing we can move to ‘What to write?’. You can practice writing initially just by copying written or printed material. Mere reading is not enough. Writing gives a new experience of words and their arrangement in sentences. You can write well known information about yourself, your liking or place you visited in full sentences. In school days, we have often written essays or created stories from points or broken sentences. Same trick can be applied to write on our focused subject.
Leaned people advocate proper planning followed by systematic writing. However, in my opinion, human mind does not like bounded channels for thought expression. Hence, preferred way is to write whatever you feel and know, in any manner, without any order or restriction. It is very easy to sort it out and rearrange in proper order for final draft.
I remember an episode narrated to me by retired chief engineer Shri. V. H. Kelkar. He told me that they were to prepare and submit regional development plan for Sangli District. In the preamble of report submitted they had written “ But for a lack of sufficient time, the report has become so large. It would have been possible to make it concise if more time and resources were at hand.” Meaning is simple. Making the writing concise and to the point requires more time and thinking.
Now about good writing style. Mere description of places and events do not create the necessary visual impression in the mind of readers. Hence, it is necessary to provide background information, your feelings, thoughts and reflections. While describing events, do not write only the text of speech but give it personality touch as regards his habits, his look and tone of speech. You can add description of the place and surrounding of conversation to paint the scene.
It is necessary to mention some minor events and guest appearances of people in the scene , sounds and sensory perceptions even though they may not have further links or aid story flow. In actual experience of event we observe many such things which are not related but that is reality. The same effect has to be achieved by describing event such that reader will be able to visualize the event more effectively. The description should not be mere replica of the event in totality but should be blended with authors feelings and impressions.
If you can succeed in this, you would become best writer, no matter, what language you use, style you adopt or words you use. Finally, you should have a burning desire to tell something to readers or express your opinion or feelings. Writing shall give you a permanent ownership to your thought and creation. With internet, it shall go world over and shall remain accessible to everybody for all time to come.
So? What you decide? Start writing --- become good writer.
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