Preconceptions

Via: Daily Prompt – Label

Image: Pixabay

Are writer’s quick to judge? If writers habitually sit around in public places, siphoning characters out of their neighbors, are their inspirations founded on preconceptions programmed into their outlook of society? I mean, sure, they add onto what they see but would it be correct to say that their imagination is still founded on stereotypes that they are prepossessed to notice?

Read or Write? (05 min read)

Via: Daily Prompt – Overwhelming

 

Image: Zaireen Lupa

 

Stephen King said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” And who better to listen to than this king of the craft, right? But even before coming across that particular pearl of wisdom, I had discovered the benefits of reading for the profession of writing. First and foremost, reading good literature (ranging from classics to simple feel-good entertainments) was what turned me towards the need to create literature of my own. I would read an especially eloquent phrase or passage and marvel at the world of meaning behind the selection of each word. I would be inspired to create in that all-consuming awe-inspiring manner and sometimes envy the range of skills, this depth of knowledge possessed by the authors I read – that they got there before I did – even as I devoted myself to their praise. To me, good writing has always been akin to godliness and the fact that I am able to partake of that godliness is an honor.

Image: Pexels

So when I started roaming the WP blogosphere at the end of January and started perusing the reading lists of many book lovers and reviewers, I felt ashamed of falling so far behind. I read only one complete novel in the month of January 2017! I am that person in all of my groups who is defined by her reading habit. It is not uncommon for people to introduce me first as a reader and writer in social engagements. The summer I turned 12 years old, I consistently read 25 books every week and at the end was given a token reward by the Queens Library in Main St., NY, NY from where all these books came. As usual, I broke my reading challenge goal on Goodreads last year and I keep increasing the number every year because, to me, reading avidly is an accomplishment. So to have only one book read in an entire month? Stunning. Castigating.

It’s not that I didn’t see it coming. Every week, as the time came around for me to work on my WEDNESDAY REFLECTIONS, I would panic and pick up a book. But I just couldn’t push myself to finish any. What happened? I started writing. Those of you who have been following my blog the past month would know I’m taking part in this online fiction writing course. Well, there are multiple assignments every week that require us to come up with new characters and stories. We also get into a lot of group discussions on the forum based on our observations of the course materials provided. Then there is this blog itself. Apart from starting my two weekly articles to record my writing experiences and books/movies I am coming across, I have also been responding to these damn Daily Prompts. Why? Because the writing course is doing its job and has turned on the faucet in my head. I constantly write. Grammarly reported to me this week that I wrote 29,088 words between January 23-29. That’s just online. Never mind all that I’m composing on MS Word or my notebooks. Meanwhile, Goodreads sent me an e-mail prompt that I haven’t updated my Currently Reading section in a while. Well, slap me silly and call me a delinquent!

Image: Pexels

The first three-quarters of last year, I hardly got any writing done because I was enjoying reading so much. This year, I have hardly read anything. Between writing like a maniac, I mostly shower, eat, and rest. On random occasions, I watch a movie; once or twice, I leave the house to see the world. A few times, I tried reading before bed but I conk out before I finish a single chapter because writing relaxes me these days as much as it depletes me of my energy. It’s such a high, it’s overwhelming – and I don’t want it to stop.

Meanwhile, so many promising books came out in the past few months and a lifetime before that, which I haven’t gotten to. And so many are lined up for the coming year. My reading list continues to grow and I haven’t stopped filling up my devices with e-books and my shelves with hard covers and paperbacks. And there’s the fact that Stephen King also said, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

Easy for you to say, Mr. King!