Helpful Tips for Budding Authors

As a budding writer in my childhood days, I was often riddled with questions and doubts as to what I should write. A few days ago I was yet again confronted with the same dilemma mirrored in the minds of young aspiring writers, with whom I had started the ‘Budding Authors’ Programme’. I was able to bring some clarity and order in the thought that we put in to shape our creative expression.

I share below a few practices that have helped me to hone my skill. I hope they will be of some use to the ‘Budding Authors’ as well.

• ·        Read to write- An aspiring writer should read books from a diversified bibliography. By reading I do not simply mean the uninvolved act of consuming the words. It should be a mindful activity engaging all our senses and faculties. If I can draw an analogy here, then I would say that conscious reading is like savouring a delicacy. The presentation, look, smell, touch, taste and feel of the dish overwhelm and arouse all our senses. We are so involved with the act of eating that we are able to break down the dish to its very minute ingredients. We are so inspired by the sumptuous feast that we intend to recreate it at the next available opportunity. Some of us are even able to accomplish the feat with a great amount of success.

And that is how we should read. We should read to write, contemplating continually the thoughts and feelings that the writer harboured while writing the piece. Revisit the writing to absorb it completely – appreciating the use of various tools of writing, figures of speech and the overt and covert expressions. This is how we become ‘creators’ as opposed to ‘consumers’.

• ·        Be a listener – A good writer is a keen listener, not only of the ear but also of the eye. We should observe patiently the elements in our atmosphere – living and non-living both, and their interactions with each other. For example, the way a door is slammed in anger or softly closed during an act of stealth. These observations are the fodder for our writing, and engaging our minds and that of the readers.

• ·        Get inspired easily – A writer should not wait for inspiration to pen down words. Even the mundane should be inspiring enough to write about. In fact the simpler the premise of writing, the better is the creative expression. Great writers have been able to describe with vivid imagery the banal stuff of life. However, I am not recommending that we write about only boring subjects; a writer should talk about beauty as well but not be limited by it.

• ·        Catch the thoughts- Thoughts are like balloons, if we do not catch them at the right moment, then we lose them forever. A certain expression may remain etched in meaning but not form, in our memory. So we should always keep handy a writing pad and pen to write down whatever unfolds in our mindscape. We should also write every day, giving no thought to the purpose of our writing. It is a skill that improves with practice. So we should develop a habit to write every day about everything and anything.

• ·        Details are captivating – We should take our time in weaving a beautiful web of words. A writer can prolong the gratification from a single moment by elongating it into a verbose composition. We do get entangled in our own web at times and lose the way. The way out in such a situation is to go through drafting and re-drafting our work. Write a piece and leave it at that. Return to it after some time, some days and rework it, but not too much.

• ·        Right to write – It is our right to write what we want. We should not let others and even readers decide for us what we want to write, how we want to write and when we want to write. Hundreds of writers from time immemorial are writing the same stories, yet the readers are enamoured by a good piece every time. It is the writer in us –the nature, character and attitude - that makes the difference to an old story.

• ·        Work in progress – No writer can claim that she/he has reached the pinnacle of her/his craft. In fact the day of such a claim is the beginning of the descent. Hence, we should all evolve like a continuous work in progress- improving, modifying and honing our craft and skill with every word we write. The focus for us should not be on having arrived, but on being in forward motion.

• ·        Review of work – it is essential to learn of our shortcomings as a writer. I advise writers to meticulously select a mentor who can objectively review their work. It is of vital importance that we absolutely relish the work of our mentor. She/ He can be an intelligent reader with deep thoughts and efforts invested in reading. We can try to sharpen our skills according to the broader perspective shared by our mentor but diligently retaining our identity and individuality in the bargain.

I would like to conclude by emphasising that like me, this piece is also a work in progress. You all are welcome to share and add to the views here.

It is not the idea of perfection that captivates a reader. It is the idea of uniqueness that elicits strong affinity bordering on unshakable attachment from our loyal fans.