Can I Write ?

Written in May 2005

I've always wanted to write, but haven't tried my hand at it seriously. I started off pompously hoping to finish a book by the time I was 20. I am now 20 years, 33 days old, but my "book" is still at page one. I had an idea in mind, writing about a character who was in many a manner similiar to what I am, my characteristics, feelings and traits. Overwhelmed by the initial enthusiasm, I began and finished the one page. I even edited it. Alas, the enthusiasm didn't last and my dream of being a widely read famous author(how audacious!) by the time I was twenty will remain unfulfilled.

I admire and adore Ruskin Bond and his writing. My desire to write took birth when I read that he won the John Llewelyn prize at the age of 17 for his book, The room on the roof. I thought I was setting myself a modest target, by allowing myself time till I was 20. I was 17 then.

For me, writing was till very recently, a thing done for school work. I only realised very recently that I had to write often if I wanted to communicate well. My intention to write was further encouraged when I saw the movie "Before Sunset", in which the female protagonist talks about the Journal she keeps of everyday events and her desire to write and compose more songs.(I found Julie Delpy wonderful in that role.) Also, when I saw my brother's blog, I liked his writing, and wanted to learn the skill.

I have been nursing a desire to become a film maker, I have been to several screenings at the Hyderabad Movie Club, and realised that if I wanted to make a great film, I needed to write a great screenplay, and the only way to learn to write a screenplay is to start writing some. So that notion extended to writing as well, and here I am trying to write.

It's great fun. To read back on what you've written and have others read your writing. It's always great to speak about your experiences, your beliefs, your ambitions. And its even better if you wrote about them and have the others read them.