A few days ago, one of my close friends called me and after a bit of casual talk suddenly asked me to write an article. "We are building a website." He beamingly said. "And I want you to write something to put it on the website. Just for fun.-" he added. I am quite sure the last statement was meant to take any pressure out of me but it was to no avail. "But I have forgotten how to write!", I shamelessly blurted out. Then I went for about 10 minutes about my lack of practice and how anything I wrote right now would not be good enough to publish anywhere let alone the world wide web. I wasn't half done with my explanation when he cut me halfway through and reassuringly told me-"You know that you aren't as bad at writing as you think, right?" And that was what really got me thinking-"What actually is writing?"
We all know what writing is. I mean simply it is just a collection of words that come together to make sense. The last part I think is the most important. Writing has to make sense. Be it a fictional novel, a political manifesto, a scientific journal, or a tech review.
It has to make sense. It has to convey the message as simply as possible from the writer to the reader without boring the reader at any point. It has to tell a story as stories are meant to be told.
So, why is it that some writings remain in our memory for years at the end whereas most of them are forgotten as soon as we are done with the last word? Why does a particular genre of book appeal to an individual above others? Why is it that each one of us has a favorite writer who seems to very easily reach deep inside our conscience and remain there forever?
Basically, anyone can put together a collection of words that come together to make sense. I mean I am doing it right now and you are reading it. So what does that mean? In a conventional way of thinking that makes it writing. I mean it does tick all the boxes. The grammar is ok. The words are put together in an alright manner and it is easy to read. Does that make my writing good? Or bad?
I think our writing is a product of our interest and how much are we willing to invest in it. Sure one can download a million ebooks on how to write a best-seller but that doesn't guarantee that one will actually go no to write a best seller. I personally think that our writing is a projection of our honesty. It is a reflection of who we were, who we are, and who we want to be. Sure I can write a review about the fastest bike by Ducati and the latest iPhone but then it would not be writing. I have never ridden a Ducati and the latest iPhone would cost me an arm and a leg. So, writing about either of them would be simply be translating youtube videos on paper. It again would have proper grammar and everything but it would not be able to tell the story. It would not be able to tell convey the message and make the reader feel like they are actually riding the bike or the phone is in their own palm. The writing would simply be lost in translation.
I think anyone can write and everyone should write. It is a beautiful thing to create something out of your feelings and be able to write it down. To hear one's own story is a luxury everyone owes to themselves from time to time. It is an art, a reminder, a journey, and very often than not even a cautionary tale. It is everything you want to say and then some. I think it is extraordinarily simple and that is why I enjoy it. And I think you will too.
