So much for a book!

Someone once asked me to write a book. I tried hard to listen to his sarcastic laughter. I couldn't. Loss of hearing I guess.

On second thoughts, I have tried to stitch together some nights, and write a story. A story. It doesn't begin, it doesn't end. It doesn't even go on. It's short, shorter than expected. It's just a flap of time. Stolen, by a self obsessed writer, who sees herself in every character.

She can't otherwise. It's difficult for my story to have more than one character, I cannot be that generous. A severe limitation of my imagination, it's pretty constricted, can't stretch a bit. I find it challenging. To create a person, out of nothing, inside my mind, whose every cell I am supposed to know, to knit together his attributes, to bring into existence his subconscious, and then hide it, to ensure he justifies his presence in the plot's every move, it's hard. It's hard to create a character you don't know.

So I create me, the only one I know. Again and again. And sometimes I crib in the guilt of selfishness.

There have been books, of course in which all the characters are reflections of real people in the author's life. With names changed, so that they can't file that hefty lawsuit. Writing that way must be easier. But I wonder if it's worth it. May be it is. How does it even matter!

15 comments:

The Sage said...

ha ha ha...

deeps said...

not a bad start i guess...
niways i dont think having an MS worth publishing is an easy job wheather or not one writes about others or oneself :P

WomanInLove said...

Its the same with me...every character will have a bit of me..though we can create things out of the blue..by sheer power of observation and rest is imagination..which will again reflect me in it

Soumya said...

"Stolen, by a self obsessed writer, who sees herself in every character." - That's me too.

Aashayein said...

and I second with Soumya and WomanInLove!

Surya Prakash V said...

In the act of exploring the world, I am often discovering my back yard.

It is impossible to write about anything except me. For I am my knowledge of what I am not.

You are perceptive; use it wisely. You are already a published author; your words reach me every other day; and I am glad I know you better for your words.

Surya Prakash V said...

I would pay for it.

wildflower said...

Rishi
Was that so funny! Seriously? :)

Deeps
Good, we fall in the same category then.

WomanInLove
:) You are where imagination merges with reality!

wildflower said...

Soumya & Mansi
Fellow Women! :) I see blooming signs of some serious sorority there..

V
Flattered. But some people totally suck. They won't let me be me, and they would give some vehement opposition to your praise for my writing.

Surya Prakash V said...

If one makes an argument in support of ones limitations; the limitations become real.

We are all living within these limitations; until we decide to soar over them; it's a simple decision that demands effort.

Wi - what is it that your mind can't achieve if it truly desires?

It's just a matter of time after the decision is made; all gaps fill themselves.

It took me a while to realize that the one pointing a flaw is also in flaw; the flaw of mistaking a trait for the person; the part for the whole. Errors may be pointed - knowing, that they are a means to an end, not the end of knowing.

One can never go wrong with self; you can be wrong with me; but that would make a good story or a good joke :)

The Sage said...

it was kinda funny for me at least, baby flo...

Raj said...

want in on a secret? every character that a writer writes about is part him or her. every. its not him. its human. you perceive what you perceive. a million different people, a million different perceptions. no ones to blame.

and don't write stories. not because you cant but because you don't want to. or maybe i am wrong. but thats how i saw it :)

wildflower said...

V
Well least to say, you make me feel powerful.

Rishi
:(

Raj
Nice thought, thanks!

Blasphemous Aesthete said...

It was only yesterday I read an article (to kill time) titled 'On writing a best seller' by Harish Dhillon, and yes, it might be easy to portray someone we have known for some part of our lives in some character. But then, there are some dangling points which our imagination seems to interpolate in everyone's character, in our own way.
Perhaps you should write a monologue if you feel so constrained on characters, but should write.
Characters were never kind on my imagination either.

Cheers,
Blasphemous Aesthete

wildflower said...

Yeah, writing is like a life-process for me. So I should. A monologue, sounds good. I have been interested in trying such things off-beat. Thanks!