WRITER’S JOURNEY: A STORY OF PERSEVERANCE

It is one thing to put emotions and ideas on paper, it is a different thing to pass that paper to others. In primary school, we used to submit our essays to teachers; we did not have any choice in that matter. Now, it is totally up to us whether we present our work to anyone or not.

Writers are not always keen on getting rid of pent-up emotions. Instead, they put those emotions out on paper where they are ever-present at least for themselves, if not for others.  It is actually a sort of problem when a writer doesn’t have any thoughts confined with them on the surface, because then the person has to dig deep into their memory just to unearth that one specific incident (a person or place) which has the potential to build a world of its own.

When one plants a seed in the ground, one has certain expectations from it. After giving it all the care it needs, one waits patiently for it to bloom.

Just because a written work has been finished does not mean that it has served its purpose. It should now be subjected to the scrutiny readers. It takes a lot to muster that amount of courage to pass the paper- to pass it to be in the world of books which is accessible to all. When I asked Maryam Hassan, author of ‘Evolution of My Words’, about the feelings she had when her book got published, she said:

“Finally, I gave it out to the world. It was kind of a daring move, but I managed to do it. I did what I always wanted to do.”

Who doesn’t find the idea of having their own book in their hands beautiful? The craving of this beautiful feeling is enough to persuade anyone to publish their work. It is the yearning to show the world your creativity. The nagging feeling of negative criticism is present, but then it is the moment of the dream becoming reality that makes the whole process worthwhile. However, the bud has just come out and is only at the tip of the stem. When you see the bud, you get happy because there is a chance of it turning into a blooming flower one day. Ifrah Ghayas, author of ‘Half Moon Embraced’, shared with me:

“The first week after my book got published was the most beautiful week of my life. I wrote it especially for my ammi and when it arrived, first I gave it to her and asked her to read. All my friends and my relatives showered me with immense support and words of praise and love.

The excitement kind of diminished after that, but the waves of appreciation and affection keep hitting the shore from time to time. I am very grateful for everything.

How many make the effort to look at a tiny new bud which is hardly visible? While I was complaining to her about how unfair the whole system is, Farjumand Sidiqi, author of ‘The Orphan Star’, shared some really wise words:

“That’s how it is, you know? And it’s not the first time it’s happening. Yes, everybody wants recognition but sometimes just the permanent audience– one’s family and friends, is enough. Not being too famous actually makes one able not only to try harder but also to try out new things. This is because you’re not really under the pressure of reaching out the same number of people you did last time and hence, you can take the risk of exploring.

I hope that every writer is able to find their own perks to go through the art of not being recognised. “

The bud is taking quite a lot of time to show any visible changes. Maybe it is because you aren’t watering the plant enough? Maybe it is because of not getting enough sunlight? Try to remove all the possible barriers from its path. You have to learn to be more patient. Did you know that sometimes the bud may remain in dormant condition for a while? During this time, you can sow another seed. Who knows that might turn out better.

You are a budding writer. You have just used one chance out of maybe a million. What’s stopping you from giving it another go?

Zaina Shahid Khan is a student pursuing English Literature from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited by: Rutba Iqbal

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.