The Life Of A Writer

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends. In the end, it’s all about enriching the lives of those who will read your work and enriching your own life, as well.”- Stephen King

“I’ve always thought of writing as love affair. It is a simple act of LOVE.”- Bea C. Pilotin

“Words, just like flowers, they have their scents, too.”- Bea C. Pilotin

Writing a story is not quite an easy job. I consider it as one of the most crucial and sensitive job of a person because of the great responsibilities attached to it. The work of writing is so preculiar that until now I’m not so sure what kind of activity it is. Well, it’s not about flawless grammar or having a wide array of pretentious fancy or expressing a high-flown bombastic language to choose from.

When I was in my College years, I always wrote articles and giving it to a friend to read. I remembered telling her, “I have tried to write one story that I knew you’re afraid to read. I just wish that you don’t just skim through the pages and have it tucked under your armpit.” The next morning, she had one note left on my desk and it’s clearly written, “I had your story read just last night. One, two and three words and the earth tilted on its axis.I fell truly, madly and deeply in love. I have lost myself completely in that story and I felt I became part of it!” I sat on my seat, looking around in the empty classroom then realized my friend is a poet!

To be a Writer is not just to simply write. To be one is to hold the steering wheel on the road of wisdom! You write because words are formidable and compelling. It’s your true secret life. An emotional fingerprint. You write because words, just like flowers, have their scents too. 

They tell that a Writer is susceptible to emotional attack, like criticism. Some readers will criticize the story depending on how they understand. Others will think this Writer is a racist. Others will think, that Writer is a narcissist or an empath. I know that you have reached a point when you thought of giving up writing. But you have realized that even if you’ll give up writing and become a dancer. These critics will still hate you…and will still criticize how you dance.

Not all readers will have positive comments, remember that always. So, just respect their opinions and admire their understanding. Get upset for a minute? You have to do that. You get upset for a minute, call a friend and complain. Then feel better after that. Always learn how to defuse negative comments. And every time you see negative comments from the readers, like “bad vocabulary” “poor grammar” “passive voice” “the contents are pretty vanilla” “nothing grabbed me.” Just keep on writing for some sort of motivation. You could satisfy the readers but you must seldom please everyone. That’s fine. For as long as you do not tell unpleasant words that will break their hearts, I would say, you’re doing just fine. Don’t respond then you’ll see, after few days you’ll find out they’re on their next victim.

And the next time you heard them unfairly criticizing your writings…tell yourself, “OUCH, that hurts so bad but thank you for reading my stuff, anyway!” When people appreciate it, write them again the one story worth telling. I’d like to share with you what my Father is always telling me. He said, “Carpenters have a saying, too. Measure twice and cut once. So when you write, always speak the words of love with all the sincerity. Try to be more conscious with the words you are telling.”