I have always been a big fan of writers, poets and generally everybody who can put pen to paper and write a story, poetry or prose.. And now more than ever. Every time I sit to write my blog, this blessed Blank Page stares at me and challenges me to beat him! I am, what you may call, a typical wannabe writer who believes he can express his innermost feelings through the written word.
The pen is definitely mightier than the sword and while it is clearly easier to express my emotions by beating away at the buttons on my laptop with no one to interrupt, I being an Arian, don’t like to be dishonest with my feelings even though they might be curt or insensitive to people… So the struggle now is to express without corruption, yet not be abrasive to the people that might feature in my writing.. That, according to me, is the biggest responsibility of a writer.
I envy people like Javed Akhtar. He is a genius…period! He has fluidity and warmth, whether he is writing a dramatic piece like Zanjeer, or a couplet about love. I remember all the wonderful times I have spent with him just listening to his poetry about love and romance, especially the ones he has written for Shabanaji. He is forever surrounded by creative, likeminded people who I am sure help in making the soil of creativity, a bit richer. Although, I am quite sure I will never be able to write like him in this lifetime, I’d definitely like to take
a page out of his book and attempt to create an ambience of creation around myself!
I also love Shobha De for her sheer grace and poise when it comes to writing even about the lowest common denominator.. Even her most irreverent piece has her brand of charm and a certain aura of respectability. She never minces her words yet maintains the decorum a writer must when writing about a person who cant defend himself/herself immediately. Unless of course she is pushed too far!!! Have known her closely for over a decade now and she never ceases to surprise. Her writing still has the freshness and cutting edge of a hungry, unsatiated writer. I, of course, have a special fondness for her in my heart as she wrote my debut TV show Swabhimaan, and she is the one who gave me the moniker, the Prince of Housewives!
Coming to myself, my biggest roadblock is the absence of downtime in today’s hectic environment. My mind is buzzing with 800 different things at one time and it is almost impossible to focus when I am staring at the blessed blank page. Which is why I feel my writing is very erratic and non linear.. I tend to jump from one thought to another even before I have articulated the first one in its entirety. I wish I had gone to some sort of writing school where I had learnt the ‘Art of Writing’. I heard someone saying that no one can teach you how to write but I am sure it would be a good road map of which potholes to avoid!
But one thing I promise. I will continue writing and expressing myself with as much honesty as possible.. Some days I will fail, some other times I will succeed. But I will beat the blank page one day!
Credits: Times of India