A recently published author said in an interview, that in the process of writing her first ever novel, she chose not to read any book at all, put herself to an absolutely no reading routine, because she didn’t want herself to unconsciously adapt to any other writer’s writing style, while writing down her own book. I feel that I can actually relate to what she has said; I mean that there is a possibility that such a thing could happen. One could get much influenced by his/her favorite writer that they might begin to pen down their thoughts or stories or opinions in a similar fashion.
Maybe I should or would put myself under that kind of punishment too, as and when I begin to write my own book. Only that I think that it’s going to be extremely excruciating and awfully painful for my brain and myself (also for the people around me). I imagine it to be like fasting, as in abstinence from food and water for endless days. I would probably turn schizophrenic, reading the label on a tea-bag while having my cup of tea, and imagining, or more like hallucinating it to be a book called ‘Villette’ by Charlotte Bronte or ‘Vanity Fair’ by William Thackeray.
I would probably be caught by my family members, lying on the floor of my room, suffering a ‘cold turkey’ period. I would be accompanied by sneezing, shivering and periodic goose-bumps on my body. I would undergo an intense phase of emotional and psychotic disorder, which would definitely make me lose my appetite and the sheer thought of food would make me feel like throwing up and actually worsen my pain. In all probability, I would become an insomniac, staring at ceilings, walls and just randomly in the air. People would talk to me and I would not respond to them and that would lead to my staying in bed all the time with the muscles of my body getting stiffened day by day.
It might be decided by my guardians that I better be shifted to an asylum for the purpose of my own good, where psychic psychiatrists will try to converse with me in an irritatingly polite manner and keep repeating to me these words: ‘I am your friend; I am only here to help you.’ And I would have no choice but to keep answering back by saying: ‘I am not mad; I am not mad.’ My relatives and other people who know me would make me a subject of their drawing room discussions; I would be the hot topic in many kitty parties. Mostly, people would be heard saying to each other: ‘She used to be such a sweet and darling girl (stress on the word: succchhhaaa).’
All in all, it’s going to result in the most tragic circumstances for me and the people around me. In such a condition, I don’t think I’d ever be able to write my own name down, let alone a whole novel. So, it’s really not a good idea for a person like me to take any sort of break from reading books while taking the bait of writing a novel. However, what I can do is that I try and abstain from reading books by my favorite authors, and whatever I decide to read, I make sure that it’s done by different, in fact a variety authors, in order to avoid that particular tendency which the recently published author has described could take place. That way, I wouldn’t adopt anybody’s particular writing style. I think that that’s how it’s going to be.
Happy Me; Happy World. I be an angel.
8 comments:
haha, I've noticed that I unconsciously adapt other peoples styles, it's only when I am submerged in my own thoughts that I write with my own voice. Maybe in order to write like yourself you need to be in the company of yourself.
though the insane asylum probably isn't the best place for that.
Umm.. I think that you do have your own style. Seriously. Ofcourse, there are comparisons made (in almost everything that we do).
That writer didn't read any book for 3 years. That means 3 times 365 days without a book! For me, that means this post - in short an asylum. Books be drugs for me!
hey, think of the greater good here! all attributions of insanity aside, at least you'll have an original thing in the end.
or you could skip all that and try writing only when you're high (like in Heroes ;)Hey Presto! pure original stuff. with even a touch of divinity maybe ;)
SaJ: haha! I am certainly not risking my sanity in performing this task. And I don't think writers stop reading when they are writing. This one did, and it's her first book. So every time she gets down to writing a book, she will stop reading? That's a huge loss for her. For me (if I stop reading), it would be even huge. Thus, the insanity! :-D
u cn quit reading fiction when u r writing...nd focus on non-fiction...newspapers and mags....
nd we do adopt other's style...bt thats a stepping stone of our own learning...our own voice comes out slowly and gradually..:)
There is simply no question of me quitting reading of any kind. Didn't I just picture the whole scenario of what'll happen!
I will read a variety of authors during that time. So I don't tend to copy anyone.
Hey, I wouldn't worry about absorbing other people's styles. That's what our brains do naturally. Try read a variety, I guess, so you incorporate the best elements.
And what are you gonna write about anyways? Sounds interesting.
Hey Mackers, yeah.. you're right, I won't be worried too much either. But then we all like to have our own way of doing things. Yes, I would be reading a variety.
Not sure what I'm gonna be writing about yet! Could be anything, but I definitely hope it turns out to be interesting! Thank-you. :-)
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