So my friend Moatasem aka Mo3mo3 was teasing me with the fact that he wrote a book while I did nothing with my life, and stupidly I replied that if I ever wrote a book it would kick his book's ass. And before you know it, it was a challenge. It was all a joke but it got me thinking. I've always wanted to be a published writer. But I've always wanted it to be a tell-all book about the struggles in my life, but of course such book could only be written after I overcome those struggles. And as I write this I'm totally okay with how I am and I’m starting to learn how to live with it and more how to benefit from it. So I guess that subject would not be on my list. So what can I write about?
it feels weird cause I know that a writer should have an idea first and then decide to write about it and not the opposite, but how many times did I hold a pen and start sketching not knowing what the outcome would be, sure most of the times the drawing would suck, but other times it's a masterpiece. But that's a book, if it sucked then.... I don’t know it would be a big deal.
That is the dilemma I’m facing right now: do we create art because we have a clear message that we want to deliver. Or is the message inside of us trying to get out only waiting for some stimulation? Should art be spontaneous and free, or should it be objected and structured. A spontaneous art may come out as inconsistent, while an over-structured art work may come out as cold and distant.
The solution in my opinion would be A general idea that forms a loose outline to what the final outcome should be, while the details should be kept spontaneous. But again I’m faced with the ultimate question: what should I write about?
- Mo3mo3 advised me of writing whatever comes to my mind like in his book, but I think the downside of this idea will be that people and most importantly publishers would not know how to describe the genre of the book. (and I don’t want to put my book into comparison with mo3mo3’s)
- A book about my life, and I had some interesting stories nobody knows about, but I don’t know if that would be publishable and whether I’ll have the blessings of people close to me whom I’ll be mentioning
- My friends tell me that I’m a good listener, and being a psychiatrist was one of my dreams growing up. So maybe I should write about other people’s problems and struggles.
Well, I’ll have to think of it for the next couple of days and see what will happen.
Smsmy..as a poet-or a supposed-to-be poet-I wanna tell you something about what you said..
ReplyDeleteWhen writing, I care sooo much about what's in my mind, just until I realize that writing isn't about what's in your mind, it's about creating outstanding images out of the nothingness.
You see, just like you said..and I was just persuading a friend that poetry isn't boring..this is what I told him:
You see a painting and you say "a picture is worth a thousand words", and you hear a poem and your mind works and thrives to portray that poem just like the painting..Art is art, same goes to music :)
So just give a space in your imagination to the portrait that's going to describe your story/novel..and Islam I do believe anyone can be a writer if they hold on to their imaginary paintings :)
Good luck! and I'm happy you decided to do this =)