Friday, March 4, 2011

My Experiments with Truth - My Limbic System!


I have been trying to post something new for the past few weeks and sadly none of my efforts have been worth posting. OK, I’ll be honest; I haven’t been making any effort at all! The thing is, writing for me is so much about the moment; and about the fluidity of my thoughts in that moment. Sometimes I can sit for months and nothing happens, my mind is devoid of ideas and everything I write seems to be forced. I know what you’re thinking, it’s called WRITERS BLOCK! It’s not the first time I’ve faced it, I go through exhaustive periods when I not only am starved for ideas or inspiration, but I completely lose the will or motivation to write. It feels like a chore, something I am imposing on myself and as far as I know myself, the moment that factors in, I just turn off and it takes me a long time to get myself active again.

Another thing I have noted in my writings over the years, most of them have been written when I’m on one or the other extreme of the emotion scale. Leaving a very few posts, most of my posts have been deep, intense, introspective and indulgent. I have hardly ever written when I am emotionally stable. I don’t find writing light, frothy posts easy. They just don’t come out the way they should. Whenever I try, I get frustrated and just give up. I think that is my most basic and fatal drawback as a writer. I have sub-consciously or semi-consciously stereo-typed my writing because on that stage, I find the words so forthcoming and sublime. On the other hand, when I have written something simple and frivolous, it has come out so bad, so atrocious and sub-standard that I have questioned if I can write in the first place!

I know, maybe I am over reacting and all writers go through this at some point in their lives. However, for me the journey is tougher because I am kind of a snob…ok…ok…a lazy procrastinating snob! Some things I believe as just below me and some things are not worth writing about (which is false, coz anything and everything is worth writing about, all that’s needed is a discerning eye). To add insult to injury, since I have lost my adolescent thirst for reading, I am very, very short on ideas and topics to write about, having to write about something that needs to be researched and analyzed, I just quit then and there. I don’t even pursue it, the few times that I have forced myself to; the results have been rather encouraging. One more thing, sharing my views on most things is not my modus operandi, I am usually the person who sits in the corner and listens intently. I don’t really have strong opinions, and I don’t like to force feed my philosophy to anyone, both traits in hindsight, I might have benefited from, maybe to a certain extent.

So you must be wondering, all of my thousands of followers…yes all 14 of you! :P Why this monologue? Why am I projectile vomiting my inhibitions and insecurities as a writer for all of you to read and maybe some of you to ridicule? Well it’s sort of my way to start a personal crusade to become a better writer. To write about things that I find interesting, but also to take interest in things that fall outside my palate, to break the shackles of my own mind, and to push myself, to shed my skin, to wake myself up and snap out of this complacent, self centered egotistical bubble that I am living in. It’s an honest attempt, one that I hope bears fruit. So over the course of the next few months, I will be trying my hand at writing about things and topics that I have not ventured till now, it is my honest endeavor to grow, both as a writer and a human being.

P.S. – All and any suggestions are welcome :)

8 comments:

Nandita Prakash said...

lovely & honest post
straight from heart
rather straight from ur soul
i agree wid the fact that natural writers can write only when facing extreme emotions
my poems say the story of same strong emotions i guess
felt very close to ur narration
felt like mine
keep it buddy
keen on reading more :)

IMROZ NAQVI said...

Thank you so much Nandita...Please keep coming back :)

Mehak said...

could relate to this quite a bit.
i think you should try write something everyday, even if it's totally crappy. over time, it'll begin improving... just set aside about 10-15 mins a day when you don't do anything but simply write whatever comes to mind.

IMROZ NAQVI said...

Thanks Mehak, I agree with you..will try it out...thanks a ton for the advice...now I just need to convince my lazy ass to follow it :)

KP said...

I have felt the same way at times, but learnt now that inspiration to write is around us and with in us.. and when we put our whole heart in it, what ever we write turns out to be beautiful.. after all we are all just amateur writers..

Unknown said...

@KP: Yup, well said!

Catching Amber said...

I recall one night I started watching what is likely the most disturbing film I'll ever see, called Earthlings, essentially about animal rights...

The next morning, I awoke with perfect lucidity, found myself pacing back and forth a bit, and then sat down and wrote a short story, nearly in its entirety.

Language, whether from my cat's hungry meows in the morning or Hemingway's "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (which likely addresses your post in itself), evolves out of a need to communicate.

If we want to express facts, we'll write a lab report full of facts. To write with heart, we must feel that need in our hearts. What will prove your metal as a writer will be fostering that need for connection, for answers through embracing the confusion and disconnectivity that is aware human existence. You've been writing whenever emotions have the strength to find you - but they're still there even when they're not pounding on your door. Step outside and find them.

Unknown said...

@Catching Amber: Thank you so much for your introspective piece of advice...and I agree with you completely :) Please keep reading and share your blog if you write as well. Would love to read it!