ŷ������

“Writing is not life, but I think that sometimes it can be a way back to life.��

The writer sits bent over his tools. A lamp is the only source of light. The muse lingers in the corner and whispers its inspiration. Then comes the ingenious spark - the flash of brilliance that will set fire to a plot, characters and eventually a roaring novel. These are the classical notions of a writer which I have always struggled with. I was always too perturbed about the otherworldly aspects of a writer.
Romanticised? Yes, of course.
Delusional? Somewhat.
But there are truths to some of these things. A writer needs his tools. A writer needs his, or her, place to sit and craft. And no matter how skeptical you may be, there is a muse (it just isn’t ever the seraphic figure you would imagine).

Another thing which always bothered me (and still does), are my doubts. To consider writers such as Salinger, Steinbeck, McCarthy, Tolkien and Hesse as my aspirational benchmarks, is a daunting standard to compare oneself to, never mind try and emulate. Not only are they profound writers, but prolific too. They’ve all written numerous novels. They’re working writers. They have a system. An ethic. So if you strip away the mystics and romantic beliefs, you’ll find an approach. There’s no undefinable process or supernatural ability that sets them apart from the rest of us. Yes, talent is a variable. And not all writers are the same. Talent varies from one writer to the next, and that inherent skill is up to the lucky draw. I guess the most terrifying doubt to plague anyone pursuing the creation of something, is that one single question�� Is anything I’m producing actually worth anything?



Stephen King’s On Writing, doesn’t deal with that. Instead, it’s a refreshing take on the nuts and bolts of writing. King’s candid dive into his own history as a writer not only reaffirmed many things I already thought to be true, but most importantly (for me, of course), is that the book de-mystifies the art. Quite simply put, it boils down to sitting before your workplace and getting started, and once you do that don’t stop. Write what you want. Write for yourself, first. And then open it up to others. Most importantly, be honest. It is an art of practice, of honing one’s style and skill.

King says, “Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs; sometimes paragraphs quicken and begin to breathe.�� When I picked this book up, I was apprehensive of what I was going to find. A part of me thought King would reveal attributes that I simply lacked. Things that I missed completely. Instead, I found a straightforward conversation from one of the most successful writers, and it was surprisingly comforting. There is no magic in the same sense that I first duped myself into believing. The spark of brilliance granted by a muse. Nope. The magic lies in putting one word after the other. The rhythm that follows, and then, when everything goes well, the wonders that are revealed to the writer himself.

On Writing, reaffirmed one important thing for me. Inspiration doesn’t come knocking. You find it in the labour. For me, that is such a comforting thought. No matter how tired or uninspired I may feel, or how disheartened I may feel after a poor writing session - there is one thing I always experience. Enrichment. It knocks the socks off anything, because I sat down and wrote. Perhaps some of it is shit. Perhaps all of it will be discarded at a later stage. But even if that is the case, I got it out and made space for the good stuff. And at the end of it all, I’ve learnt, and in may ways, I hope I’ve become better. Most importantly though, I’m happier for it. And isn’t that what it’s all about? I think King would agree with me on that��