Writing is never an easy journey. It’s a circuitous way towards a handful of words. Sometimes they are unknown in their nature, sometimes forceful, sometimes evocative, sometimes depressing, sometimes flattering, and sometimes argumentative. Even a tiring journey as this won’t assure the writer a peaceful way with words. Adroitly handling the diverse nature of emotions requires tact. The pen is only skillful only after the writer decides to provide each of them their rightful recognition.
Language evolves with the intensity of emotions acquired from the world around or from the inner chaos that pushes the writer towards the circuitous journey. You will never arrive, but sincerely have some respite at a destination (the blank pages), only to be taken away by the pull of other emotions.
How one starts writing is difficult to clarify. The society says, “writing is mere throwing away of words with madness to escape from chaos…” The writer(s) seems to be wasting their time while trying to shy away from a world that has so much pleasure to offer. In a hasty world, it seems to be almost scandalous to stay away from all this monotonous gratification.
The writer is cautious to not let the ubiquitous euphoria destabilise the mind and his world. “No! Thank you!” “I have quite a tiresome journey ahead.”, says the writer. When all these explanations seem frivolous, when actually what the writer does is simply, quite frantically, with urgency fills the blank pages. Oh! What waste of time!
A writer is not taken seriously until they are published. Mere writing, without being published also starts the gossip, “He’s just delusional that he’s a writer.” A lot of writers lack a body of work, yet they choose to publish. Well, it’s their decision! Let’s not forget, the more important aspect of writing is to write. There’s no escaping the fact that this writing can be tedious and soul-crushing. You know, when people can gossip endlessly about a writer’s intention.
For some writer, it is a huge decision to even share their work with the world. Although there are numerous platforms today for writers, it is never easy facing the readers’ reactions. They may come with accolades or severe criticism. Well, if you are a writer, think not twice to develop some resilience. Believe in your work, never apologise, and learn to defend your point of view. Remember, you started writing because you know that you have the ability to translate such a vast array of emotions convincingly. It is your pen, ink, and creativity!
~Amitav
Amitav Chowdhury 
I’ve always seen writing as an instrument of communication; moreso, the reader writes as much as the writer, the “sinalagma”, as scholars say. A dual process that supposes and harkens that communion. Without reader, there is no writer.
It is an edge of obscurity — that of decisively being a writer, or rather, an author (such distinction exists between merely writing and merely publishing), but I do believe writers spend more time inside the mind-crafted deluge of “being a writer” than anyone else does. You do not see, for example, such claims in painting, or even in music. People don’t gossip all that much, but our nature as writers forces this sensation of living in our own heads far too much, inasmuch as we forge blades and daggers out of words and paragraphs. The plague of a siege with no wall to crumble.
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Let’s start with this quote by Mallarmé, “Everything in the world exists in order to end up as a book.” I wouldn’t agree with the term of a mere ‘contract’ between a reader and writer, it is more of a communication, a relationship that develops over time. I agree with your statement, “without reader, there is no writer”, but that the writer chooses storytelling as passion to create from the observations and experiences. Similarly, the reader chooses to read a particular writer, only if that narrative connects with their own perception(s). As much as writing is created within the head, it is more so for the purpose of sharing stories for the readers. Literature is about literary criticism, but the gossips are for the writer’s ability/inability to write. Writing cannot be confined with walls because it’s concept and philosophy is too dynamic. Different writer, different reasons for writing, but the idea is to tell convey the emotions in a story. Incisive words, critiques, arguments, debates, all helps is evolving this creative process. We have to make language work. Discovering the author through their works is necessary, but also read the writing by alienating them for that moment.
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I concur, although I feel like we are semantically agreeing with each-other.
I suppose that “skeptic vision” of others is something I haven’t quite felt – or seen – around these platforms and instances where I’ve exposed my work. Most people are supportive, but that is such an individual thing to weight, it becomes nearly impossible to widen.
Great post, Amitav.
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WordPress community is indeed a supportive platform. I have come across many fine writers here and lucky to have communicated with them.
More than skepticism, it is skeptical inquiry about the philosophy that a particular story narrates.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. Keep writing and sharing your work. Wish you all the best!
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Well said..
writing is just by chance for many
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Thank you. Some writing are by chance, but literature and writing is a serious journey of introspection. Creatvity is rewarding for the soul, but also faces criticism and neglect.
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Yes agree with you
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I agree writer should be prepared to take the criticism and be ready to give his/her point of view. After all reading and writing go hand in hand, we should understand our readers too. And correctly said a writer should never be apologetic about his or her work because he/she is also on a journey, and you write what you feel at that point of time.
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Some important point you made, NJ. Writing is a conversation between the writer and reader. There will be writing that is uncomfortable, as not eveything in life is perfect. A writer’s journey can be criticised, even their writing, but the writer must continue with the belief of creativity and expressing fearlessly.
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So true 🙂 the most important factor is believing in your craft and also believing that there is an audience for your craft, no matter how small it is but the mere presence of it, is self assuring.
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Ha…..UNapologetic…..
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Precisely. Apologetic we are.
And we can agree not to disagree. It shouldn’t affect our work in a bad way. It should enhence it.
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Writing weakens and gets diluted with unnecessary apologies. To write and to become a writer is destiny; it’s a circuitous and challenging. I feel criticism should make a writer more determined. But apologise, never!
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Beautifully said Amitav !
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Thank you so much.
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