There was a time when merely reading books made me the
happiest person alive. But these days that has ceased to be the biggest
entertainer.
Now, more than reading, I crave to write, I value the time I get
to create new characters and a new world.
Why? Because writing opens up a different portal, a parallel
universe where I am the God! I make my characters laugh, love, cry, fight and live happily
ever after. There comes moments when the
chatter of their voices doesn’t allow me to sleep, moments when their trauma or
heartache becomes mine. There are also moments when they put me in dilemma by
having their own thoughts and aims and take the story to places quite alien according to my
carefully planned story line. They bring in new friends, new characters and
twists adding excitement to the whole creative process.
My muse, my creative genie, as I would like to call it, has become my biggest entertainer. It becomes hyperactive sometimes and sometimes much to my horror goes on hibernation. I have to tease and prod multiple times when that happens. And boy, somehow I have mastered to entice it now and again with a promise to be loyal to it.
The best part about creative writing is the feedback from my readers. The moment when a reader searches you out on Facebook or twitter just
to let you know that they loved your book. It is when hearing feedback from strangers
that I get maximum satisfaction. Friends sometimes give surprises when they argue
with you for the treatment of some characters in the book. It is oddly
satisfying when a character creates such a sentiment in your readers. One
friend said he fell in love with the heroine of ‘Without You’ and wanted to
somehow meet the original person that inspired the character, so as to try a
hand at getting into his/her good books!
Exposure and fame does follow success for a writer. I too
had my moments and was featured in many online interviews after the release of
my book in June. I also got press coverage in The New Indian Express on August
12.
My book’s offline book launch was done by eminent writer Nandita Bose, whose writing I love. Check my post here where I talk in detail about the book launch.
So this magical thing called writing, together with my
creative genie is bringing me happiness and making my little world a better
place. I don’t regret leaving my well paid day job anymore, because writing is
giving me joys that money cannot buy.
Words with their magic can change your world. Dear reader,
do you not wish now to test their magic?
I share your views. Writing means a lot to me too.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to find you featured in so many papers :) Keep writing!
Thank you Anita for reading. You are always such an inspiration.
DeleteHere's wishing that genie a long, long life. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the TNIE piece. Nice to see a clip here; it just awakened my nostalgia. TNIE Bangalore used to have a people page that was devoted to people who 'ought to be in the news.' And I used to be in charge of writing stories for that page for a good part of my stint there. :)
All the best for your future writing ventures, Preethi.
And congratulations, again.
Thank you D. Nambiar. I think this was in that page that you mentioned. How lovely :)
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