What does it really take to be a writer? For as long as I can remember I have dwelled in the conception that I have been good at what I think I am good at. For instance lets say Writing. I have had this idea of myself being an ambitious and prolific writer. But the reality sucks, I know. But who could deny a good imagination. So, I have been advertising everywhere about the awesomeness of my blog and literally forcing people to read my blog through reverse psychology. Turns out, I am not even good at the reverse-whatever it is. Because no one actually buys that and my visitor count is still null, like a big void. But I still continue to advertise my blog and attract people. Only that I don’t have that 70% + 40% advertising strategy. Still, the social media is a great help there. If only.
As a result of my wayward publicity a majority of the people I know and people who know me are aware of my blogging hobby. Because well that is the second thing I tell about myself after my name in my introduction. Seriously, I do that. But the point is that a majority of the people are aware of my “extra-curricular” activities, but chose to turn a blind eye to it. Why, you ask? Firstly, I am a no good of a writer even though in my publicity brochure I am the “greatest” of ’em all. But lets just do a reality check and yeah that’s not a pretty good picture. And secondly, they seem to have developed a sort of what we can call it – hatred? dislike? or something like that when it comes to reading. And thirdly, my English is, quoting what they usually say, “too hi-fi to understand”. *ahem ahem* *starts coughing inconsistently*, the latter wasn’t intentional, the former was. My English is too complex to understand. I mean I refer to the dictionary most of the times for looking up the meaning for words that even a fifth standard normal kid would also know and then there is this remark. I actually feel elated, you know. Because at the back of my head, I am having this conception that I am improving myself and have come a long way. But again, reality check. I have barely moved from wherever I had started from. Yeah, I know it is difficult to believe, but that is why reality is so mean.
The other day there was this team building activity of sorts in the office. We were divided into 4 groups by each one of us calling out the numbers from 1 to 4. I was supposed to be a team 3 but that already had so many people that I chose to be team 2, and also there were people whom I knew in this team. So the task was to advertise a new soft drink brand in the market. The first thing that we had to do was to come up with a caption for the soft drink. So, we were hitting out heads for a funny and attractive caption to go with the soft drink brand. And then there were two people who know about my should I dare quote “blogging adventures”, that I call myself a damn good writer. Well, that was my publicity strategy that I had adopted even though we all know where I stand. But don’t worry, I was exactly the same, I mean where I had been standing all along. “Hey, you are a blogger. Tell something nice, something catchy”. With an awkward smile I try to think harder and find something totally cool and attractive. But time was not on our side. “You write so much, come on suggest something blogger”. The time was up and I was still blank in my mind as did my face. Now that is the real me. And that’s how I blog. The other people were more creative and pretty good at it. I kept wondering what about all my imagination and the countless crazy thoughts that I get on a daily basis almost every single day.
That game wasn’t over yet. Now that the captioning was over, we had to advertise it in the market, with the help of few newspapers that were supplied to us. We could do whatever we wanted with the paper, cut it, crop it , whatever, but we had to advertise it for the customer. And then again the remarks kept coming about I being a blogger and the creative inputs that I could give to make the presentation a little better. But you see, I was so blank in my mind that I could put the black hole to shame, literally. I was trying to help but then again, my creativity wasn’t on my side, I mean if I had creativity in the first place to begin with.
And then it hit me. Am I really creative? Am I even good at writing? Is my imagination that renders into these posts/write-ups are worth reading? Am I even good at this? Or is it all just my blank misconception of something good but really there isn’t anything close to it? Could I be called a blogger? Can I call myself creative? Can I suggest my blog to other people to read?
I guess this is the task of the dear readers to tell. So, the ball is in your court. Please be fair when you decide how good of a writer I am. I totally agree that I am an amateur in so Manu ways. And so is the reason for the comments on whatsoever you feel about my writing and in what ways I would be able to improve it. Everything you say is welcomed. So, be as bad as you could be when judging. That’s all I could say.
0 responses to “Am I any good ?”
Oh my, here you go again! Well, let me try to put it in a different way.
You are good, your command over the language is good. But getting readers is a totally different thing. I have seen people who think Shakespeare is too boring for them because they are not interested in the language but in the story or something of that sort, you get me?
People might just not read because they are too lazy or bored or simply don't get reading and writing. SO don't worry about those. Write for yourself. As for creativity, it's not a blender that gives out the juice whenever you want, you need effort. Who said creativity comes without effort? Of course there are exceptions but I am talking about the norm here. So it's not that you didn't get any creative ideas in those team activities and hence you are not good.
One tip I'll give you is try superficial things too, apart from your deep ponderings. Like what you see and feel on the surface. And finally YOU ARE GOOD! Okay? Writing for others is good but first write for yourself and then it won't matter anymore.
Oh my, here you go again! Well, let me try to put it in a different way.
You are good, your command over the language is good. But getting readers is a totally different thing. I have seen people who think Shakespeare is too boring for them because they are not interested in the language but in the story or something of that sort, you get me?
People might just not read because they are too lazy or bored or simply don't get reading and writing. SO don't worry about those. Write for yourself. As for creativity, it's not a blender that gives out the juice whenever you want, you need effort. Who said creativity comes without effort? Of course there are exceptions but I am talking about the norm here. So it's not that you didn't get any creative ideas in those team activities and hence you are not good.
One tip I'll give you is try superficial things too, apart from your deep ponderings. Like what you see and feel on the surface. And finally YOU ARE GOOD! Okay? Writing for others is good but first write for yourself and then it won't matter anymore.
It has been a really long time since I commented on your posts. The points you listed out as to why people turn a blind eye, the first point is and always will be “people don't read much, they dislike it”. I went through the same thing when I forced a few of my friends to read it. I don't publicize my writing skills or my blog anymore. We write because we “have” to, we “need” to, we “must”. This feeling is lost on the vast fraternity who don't write or read, and the happiness we find in writing and reading is something they will never feel or understand.
As for your writing skills. It depends on the reader actually. I love reading humor, social issues and short stories. When things get too personal or political I don't know what to comment, but I do read. Same goes with most of the poems. If I see a long post and the first para does not interest me. I don't read it. I myself write itty-bitty posts. Maybe that is the reason I don't read long posts.
You don't need anyone's opinion on how good a writer you are. Just keep writing yo. 🙂
Hope this helped 🙂
It has been a really long time since I commented on your posts. The points you listed out as to why people turn a blind eye, the first point is and always will be “people don't read much, they dislike it”. I went through the same thing when I forced a few of my friends to read it. I don't publicize my writing skills or my blog anymore. We write because we “have” to, we “need” to, we “must”. This feeling is lost on the vast fraternity who don't write or read, and the happiness we find in writing and reading is something they will never feel or understand.
As for your writing skills. It depends on the reader actually. I love reading humor, social issues and short stories. When things get too personal or political I don't know what to comment, but I do read. Same goes with most of the poems. If I see a long post and the first para does not interest me. I don't read it. I myself write itty-bitty posts. Maybe that is the reason I don't read long posts.
You don't need anyone's opinion on how good a writer you are. Just keep writing yo. 🙂
Hope this helped 🙂
Blogging needs no creativity. No writing skills. All you need is a decent way of expressing through what you write and that I feel is there in you. Also creativity never supports you when you really really need it. Dont doubt urself .
Blogging needs no creativity. No writing skills. All you need is a decent way of expressing through what you write and that I feel is there in you. Also creativity never supports you when you really really need it. Dont doubt urself .
An hour after I had posted this, I felt like, “Oh man, I did it again, didn't I?” When I started writing about this, the whole idea was different. But then again, it turned out to be I bragging about the same old stuff.
Yeah, I totally understand you.
I agree with what you said.
Hmm, yeah, will try that. Oh, thanks. 🙂
If I had written for someone else, my blog would have been filled with this cr*p and that cr*p. That's why I don't do those contests even if I badly wanted to.
Writing for myself has always been my intention.
Thanks for your words. 🙂
An hour after I had posted this, I felt like, “Oh man, I did it again, didn't I?” When I started writing about this, the whole idea was different. But then again, it turned out to be I bragging about the same old stuff.
Yeah, I totally understand you.
I agree with what you said.
Hmm, yeah, will try that. Oh, thanks. 🙂
If I had written for someone else, my blog would have been filled with this cr*p and that cr*p. That's why I don't do those contests even if I badly wanted to.
Writing for myself has always been my intention.
Thanks for your words. 🙂
Yeah, I agree to the first point.
Thanks. It did help.
And also thanks for dropping by.
Yeah, I agree to the first point.
Thanks. It did help.
And also thanks for dropping by.
I agree. But the point I wanted to make was that creativity is how we think. We might see one thing and its interpretation may vary from person to person and also by one's mood. We can't say.
And yeah, creativity never supports when we really need it.
Thanks. 🙂
I agree. But the point I wanted to make was that creativity is how we think. We might see one thing and its interpretation may vary from person to person and also by one's mood. We can't say.
And yeah, creativity never supports when we really need it.
Thanks. 🙂
You are very good!!!
Remember my 'you are an underdog' statement…
I totally get whats happening with you… At certain points we do need other people to come and tell us that we are good, we are loved and there are people there with us at all times… We know it, but we just want to hear it… Kind of like self -confirmation… 🙂
You are very good!!!
Remember my 'you are an underdog' statement…
I totally get whats happening with you… At certain points we do need other people to come and tell us that we are good, we are loved and there are people there with us at all times… We know it, but we just want to hear it… Kind of like self -confirmation… 🙂
Thanks. 🙂
That's not what I wanted actually. I don't people to tell me that I am good. I want them to tell that I am bad and what I am bad at. With that I actually have something to change something or the other. But before all, I really want to to tell something, their version of the story, their opinion or anything.
Actually, I don't know it. I have like a bulky 200+ people and hardly ten people show up. That does mean that there is something wrong here. But I do want to hear it like I mentioned earlier. And its' nothing related to self-confirmation.
Thanks. 🙂
That's not what I wanted actually. I don't people to tell me that I am good. I want them to tell that I am bad and what I am bad at. With that I actually have something to change something or the other. But before all, I really want to to tell something, their version of the story, their opinion or anything.
Actually, I don't know it. I have like a bulky 200+ people and hardly ten people show up. That does mean that there is something wrong here. But I do want to hear it like I mentioned earlier. And its' nothing related to self-confirmation.
“my visitor count is still null” …says the guy with a lakh of em in his bag!!
hehe…you can drag a horse to the pond but you can't make it drink water eh!
dude…that's entirely different for one…creativity can't be forced. And lets not talk about those who say 'too hi-fi to understand'. They are too lazy for their own good!. Well, i am lazy too but you know what i mean. We should make all such people read mein kamph or make them watch Inception on loop! Everything else in this world should then look like making paper planes.
Trust me you are damn creative, i mean you are awesome at character modulations, your posts are always funny (even when they are not! i can't for the love of god understand how you do that!!), and your blank black hole is far bigger than a lot of people's imaginations. Should you even doubt your self after looking at the creative pictures you take?
“my visitor count is still null” …says the guy with a lakh of em in his bag!!
hehe…you can drag a horse to the pond but you can't make it drink water eh!
dude…that's entirely different for one…creativity can't be forced. And lets not talk about those who say 'too hi-fi to understand'. They are too lazy for their own good!. Well, i am lazy too but you know what i mean. We should make all such people read mein kamph or make them watch Inception on loop! Everything else in this world should then look like making paper planes.
Trust me you are damn creative, i mean you are awesome at character modulations, your posts are always funny (even when they are not! i can't for the love of god understand how you do that!!), and your blank black hole is far bigger than a lot of people's imaginations. Should you even doubt your self after looking at the creative pictures you take?
Becoming a blogger is a piece of cake: like Red said, all you need to know is how to express yourself decently.
But a writer is a whole different deal. And the first step to becoming a writer is to not get caught up in the numbers 🙂
Becoming a blogger is a piece of cake: like Red said, all you need to know is how to express yourself decently.
But a writer is a whole different deal. And the first step to becoming a writer is to not get caught up in the numbers 🙂
You are absolutely right.
Thanks. 🙂
You are absolutely right.
Thanks. 🙂
Dude, I made that one lakh all by myself. Believe me, I open my blog at least 5 times a day. And then again 5 more times. I am obsessed, you see, very obsessed.
What can I say, it isn't thirsty or whatever.
Yeah, right? Haha, lol to Inception on loop. 😛
Aww, you are just too generous. Thanks dude.
For the love of God, don't try to understand that. It is as messed up that you can't even begin to imagine.
I do ok-ok photography. And believe me, none of it is creative. They are just as casual or should I say normal as they can be.
Dude, I made that one lakh all by myself. Believe me, I open my blog at least 5 times a day. And then again 5 more times. I am obsessed, you see, very obsessed.
What can I say, it isn't thirsty or whatever.
Yeah, right? Haha, lol to Inception on loop. 😛
Aww, you are just too generous. Thanks dude.
For the love of God, don't try to understand that. It is as messed up that you can't even begin to imagine.
I do ok-ok photography. And believe me, none of it is creative. They are just as casual or should I say normal as they can be.
so talented but so modest
tell me how many proposals did you get already?
so talented but so modest
tell me how many proposals did you get already?
Modesty is virtue that I still wish to have, yet it is a distant dream.
Proposals? You know me and obviously, you know the answer to the question as well.
Modesty is virtue that I still wish to have, yet it is a distant dream.
Proposals? You know me and obviously, you know the answer to the question as well.