Do you have it in you to be a
successful writer? The fundamental question to answer here would be: what is
the definition of a successful writer? I believe depending upon the person you
ask there could be 100 possible different explanations. Someone could define based
on the top 10 NY times best sellers, another based on the number of copies in
print, the winner of the Pulitzer prize or the most famous one in the kind of
genre you are speaking about etc. My own personal take on this is that the
theme of the book could be anything from religion to science fiction to crime
comedy, but the book should be able to engage you in such a way that you will
not be able to put down the book and it should remain a force in your sub
conscious for your mind to come back to it in your discussions / musing about the
books.
The budding writer should also consider
how the best in the business are doing it. More or less a good template would
be to come up with a gripping story outline, develop strong characters, do thorough
research on the background and the period in which the story / characters are
have been set. You combine all with some neat narration. And still it will not
be sufficient. There should be enough twists or the so called “taking the
breath away” moments. The most unexpected character will end up being the
murderer in Agatha Christie novels. Dan Brown will mesmerize you by mixing some
ancient old myths of Jesus Christ with fiction. Ken Follett’s vivid description
of the middle age kingdoms will actually take you back there. Osho will explain
the religion and the path to eternity as if it is adding salt in your curry.
P.G.Wodehouse charms you with the light hearted cheeriness and bonhomie of his
characters (how could you ever forget Jeeves). John Grisham makes exciting
drama out of otherwise mundane court room proceedings. The smooth and sweet
prose from the Jeffrey Archer will not let you put the book down.
Also there is one genre which a writer
can never write. They are the so-called autobiographies. Either it is Gandhi or
Mandela or Tendulkar or Iacocca, all of us want to read the biographies of the
famous and inspiring personalities only when it is said in their own words,
thoughts and emotions.
And then there is this famous “Writer’s
Block” thing. It tells you that churning out your very first book is the most
difficult thing to do and once the flood gates are opened; there is no stopping
to it. Looking at this in another way this is a fair consolation to all the
aspiring budding writers to hope that it is only the early stumbling block to
get going. Honestly I believe this is more to do with a block in the mind than
in the ability to write. If you have a talent to write, sooner or later it will
flow out by itself and usually it also shows in your regular job correspondence
/ general communication etc.
Having said all the things above, I
have thought quite a few times whether I have that special “ability” to be a
budding writer and eventually turning into successful one. All I managed to do
a few blog entries like this one. And the honest answer that has always come
back to my writer aspirations is a “NO”. I figured out that I am good at
reading and open to all kinds of genre and that the ends of it. And what about
being a reviewer / critic? It is not my cup of tea either.
