Friday 7 September 2007

belles-lettres-----Sunday Scribblings

Sunday Scribblings prompt is: Tell us what comes up when you think: writing.

What does one say about writing? Any who writes understands the strange compulsion we have, to write. Even when we think that our muse is dead, we want to write, we need to write. We want the words, which are blocked, to pour forth.

Some are born writers. Some learn the ropes. Some writers make use of such words that one needs to check the dictionary after each line. A few others have the aptitude to write simplistically which is understood by most. I think writing should be such that even a non-professional should assimilate it. To get across what we want to say, is very important. Indiscriminate use of obscure words fails in that purpose.

Words are in the blood of a writer. When those fail for any reason whatsoever, it feels as if something is dying. I have had that feeling a few times. To overcome that, I resort to write reviews. Somehow, that loosens up the block and I start penning down poetry again. I have felt words wanting to hammer out of me. Any other writer would understand that state very well.

Every writer wants that his/her work to be read and appreciated. In the blog world, we get instant gratification but our words are forgotten as soon as the next post comes up. Nothing can take the place of a book where we savour the words. We leaf through it repeatedly and wish someday someone would treat our writings the same way.

Touching another aspect, there are books, which help us understand poetry or prose. A few teach us the nuances of writing in a particular style. I read, understand, assimilate and develop my own style. I make use of structured poetry to write about modern contemporary issues.

Currently I am reading A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver, one of my favourite poets.

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For more on writing..



44 comments:

  1. Oh, YES....when you feel compelled to write, not having the words is so painful. And yet we go on. Great post.

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  2. You've written it well! I've picked up a few ideas from this post. Especially the writer's block, use of simple words and recommended book. Thanks and have a nice weekend!

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  3. "When words fail us, it feels like a part of us is dying" - a great piece of writing in itself. Your post also reminds me of what business guru, Tom Peters, says, "words ensnare me."

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  4. a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do :)
    i make light of it but i think it's true at whatever level we write
    i enjoyed sharing your thoughts
    thank you

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  5. The problem of wanting to write and having nothing to say plagues me as well. I usually just wait and then the words will come.

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  6. There's a lot to this post! I wonder if everyone is a writer, somewhere deep down. Maybe it's accessing the feelings inside that make some of us write and some of us not...
    Very thought provoking, Gautami- oh, and BTW- I miss looking at your very pretty face on the sidebar!
    xo

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  7. Your writing is very accessible and I think that is so important - I hate it when I have to read something ten times before I fully understand it.

    I've just started reading some poetry again and I'm enjoying it - I thought school poetry had put me off for life, but I was wrong :-)

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  8. I find that perusing the works of others sparks inspirational creativity within.

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  9. Acery true piece. Nicely written I might add.

    Michele sent me over to say hi!

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  10. I'm not a natural writer like you so the prompts really help me.You've express the feeling of writing so well - pretty much all the things I would say about writing.

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  11. Hello, Michele sent me. I do enjoy reading what you have to say about writing...and I also enjoy your reviews!

    Have a good week-end!!

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  12. Interesting article. Some writers do have the flairs that keep the readers wanting more. Sadly I'm not one of those writers. I thinks this is a talent that not many writers have.

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  13. Writing is about communication - so writing something that requires the use of a dictionary every other word shows nothing except that the author is not interested in the reader.

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  14. I was a painful shy child. I think the roots of my interest in writing stem from wanting to communicate in a way allowed for introspection and thoughtfulness.

    To this day, causal superficial chatter makes my skin crawl.

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  15. I love the ease and facility of the blog world to share our writing, but I agree, it's so fulfilling to actually hold the words in one's hand.

    Lovely post :)

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  16. Loved reading your book reviews what a wonderful way to beet writers block

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  17. I love mary oliver's work and need to see if I can make time to pen thoughts on my the hows and whys of my writing

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  18. A wonderful post. I wish I wrote with more flavor and poetry, but I think my gift is more smplicity.

    :)

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  19. It is a strange compulsion, isn't it?

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  20. I write all day, and then for entertainment, I write more...I rarely attempt poetry because I'm bad at it.

    I love reading it.

    And I write reviews to track what I've read.

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  21. That's a great post with lots of food for thought.
    I don't feel confident of my writing. I'm not sure if it's any good or not. Sometimes I think it must be too simplistic, but I guess it takes all kinds.

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  22. I know what you mean. Sometimes the word rush to come out and other times the stream is dry.

    Michele sent me back.

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  23. Interesting how you use review writing as a way to unblock. For me, I find reading poems or quotes can help me. If I have an idea or a concept in mind and can't find the words, I will also write it down in my journal and brainstorm ideas around it. It may stay there germinating for a while, but more often than not, the exercise will jumpstart my writing again.

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  24. Thank you for your kind words on my submission for this weeks SS! You write with such authority...like a teacher!!

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  25. I will be picking up a copy of The Pearl soon. and I bookmarked your review site.
    Namaste

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  26. I have written my whole life and loved it but only recently have I thought about learning how to write more creatively again - I used to be a pro at it as a kid/teenager - oh the drama I could pour forth in a journal. Can you recommend any good books on creative writing?

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  27. I agree with what you write..so true about books vs blogs. Thankfully for the person who will never write a book, blogs are around as they do give instant gratification :)

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  28. I believe in writing through writer's block, that's why sites like Sunday Scribblings are great outlets for stretching ourselves. And I get to read the wonderful words of so many other great writers.

    But you're right, nothing replaces a good book. And the Mary Oliver book is a gem.

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  29. this line of yours: 'words are in the blood of a writer' says it all!

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  30. "Words are in the blood of a writer."

    How very profound... this was an excellent piece!

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  31. descriptive style, and your words flow beautifully, and the thought that "when words fail us it is like a part of us is dying."
    I know this feeling, it hurts to wrote. It hurts not to write.

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  32. I have The poetry Handbook by my bed as well. She will be speaking in Portland this coming year.

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  33. This was a wonderful read. You captured the traits of a writer so beautifully.

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  34. Your line "we get instant gratification but our words are forgotten as soon as the next post comes up" really hits home for me.

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  35. Blogging can be very ephemeral indeed, yet there are posts that sink deep inside me. Even though the texture of pages and looseness in managing really do make books unbeatable.

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  36. Mary Oliver is one of my favorites, too. I'll have to look up her Poetry Handbook. Thanks. dahlia and balu

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  37. Good write and advice, Gautami.

    And Mary Oliver is also one of my favorites. She is from here in Cleveland, Ohio by the way.

    Our muse needs a rest once in a while, but we can still write. Hire a guest muse. Why even the orchestra hires a guess conductor when the regular conductor is away.

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  38. between reading and understanding, yes, sometimes i do get time to write :)
    nice blog gautami
    will come again for sure
    tc

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  39. I don't forget the things that you write about. I love reading your creations. People like you give me hope.
    In spite of the fact that IDIOTS are running the world I can find an oasis of homeostasis amidst a handful of sentient beings who have, remarkably, discovered a way to transport their thoughts into my thick skull.

    That is a blessing.

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  40. I'm very late to the game this week...but I can so relate to what you've written, and that compulsion we all have as writers to get those words out. It's unbearable at times!

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  41. I don't usually leave comments on blogs, but I found your post to be an insightful parallel of a similar train of thought that I was pursuing earlier in the year.

    Still, I must confess, I disagree with a portion of your post.

    Please see my response for further details:
    http://bleedingheartcommunist.blogspot.com/2007/09/senseless-verbiage-response.html

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