Is Writing a Pain?
61I had one of my epiphanies recently: I am way too flippant, lighthearted, and probably lacking in substance, to be a successful writer. This great revelation came to me after I finished reading Paulo Coelho’s biography, a brutal record of his angst-ridden life. What a tormented man he is, what a tortured soul! What pain lies in his heart, what bitterness eats away at his mind! If these are the prerequisites to selling 100 million books, I am quite happy with my tiny audience on Hub Pages!
Not that I aspire to sell even one book, being the lazy cat that I am. Just the thought of writing a complete book is enough to give me the shivers, but if by some miracle I actually managed to churn out more than a page, what would I write? There is nothing in my spectacularly uneventful life that would lend itself to a plot. None of my experiences so far have resulted in deep, meaningful insights that I could record in a book. When I am moved to write, usually a few hundred words for a hub, it’s because some silly observation has captured my imagination. I guess I’m lucky that there are a few people out there who indulge my pointless babbling.
Anyway now that I’ve realised that I will never make a writer, leave alone a halfway good one, it’s as if a huge burden has slipped off my shoulders. I can revel in the fact that I need not have any ambitious expectations of myself. How much easier it is to let others write, and just sit back and read their efforts. And learn from their often frightening experiences. We can’t all be Paulo Coelhos practicing alchemy with words.
I can traipse through life without worrying that I have nothing to say. I can safely leave introspection to others, especially Garfield and Maxine, whose pithy observations on life have a greater impact on me than the aphorisms of more traditional thinkers and philosophers. Since no one is ever going to preserve my words for posterity I can restrict my writing to the occasional irreverent statement on Facebook and other public platforms. No one has to take me, or my words, seriously. Such a relief to figure that out!
Even the fact that there seems to be an ever-widening gap between my hubs doesn’t bother me now. No point wasting time trying to write something when you have precious little to say…and even less need to. I find it far more satisfying to read a book instead. Ideally written by someone whose life experiences haven’t irretrievably embittered them. I think it’s far more difficult to make someone laugh than get them to weep with you.
Humans seem to be more and more predisposed to despair and anger and self righteous indignation. If we lose our sense of humour, we’ve lost everything. And before you accuse me of succumbing to the need to pontificate on deep dark matters, let me assure you that I base this reflection on nothing more than an innate desire to chuckle my way through life.
And you do a wonderful job of it, Ritu! Thanks for your kind words...but I would rather read your writing than try to churn out stories of my own! :)
You write extremely well FP and that is the reason your fans hound you to put pen to paper. I enjoy reading both angst-ridden stories and wicked humour.
You verily speak the truth milady, sorry feline...if humour is lost, then all is lost.
Lovely hub. Wish you would write more often.But I know all those naps and dreaming about your next meal, also deserves its own time.
Thanks Di, you understand me well! :D
Everyone has a tale to tell, I think that's where fiction came from :) Keep chuckling!
Feline..I agree to write Fiction; one needs the depth and pain to give it justice. BUT, there are various modes of writing. So, giving your point of view on any subject; will also help add up a reader's perspective on that subject...in short, writing is not a pain :)
Feline there is something magical in the way your words are strung together. I've read a lot more of your stuff than is penned on Hubpages. I've also seen the respect and following that your writ commands on virtual social networks and in real life.
So we're not accepting any excuses ... do please keep writing, in whatever format you like. And, whatever else it may or may not be, it should be peppered liberally with your trademark wit and humour. Leave the dull and dreary stuff to the lesser mortals ...
Great hub, but the excuses are for people like me, not for you!
I can identify with much of what you say, but your work is in a class of its own and your style, quite delightful. You do know HP will preserve your words for posterity as long as they keep up the good work :)!
You can pontificate on any subject and still keep us riveted to the screen! Loved it :D
From one lazy cat to another lol
MosLadder, I think I like being the exception to the rule!
Ruchira, I know writing brings a lot of joy to many people, and so it should be!
Jaspal, I'm so glad I can rely on you to root for me!
Green Lotus, good to see you - it's been a while!
Enelle, where have you been, my feline friend?
Thank you all for reading and commenting! :)
Now it's my turn to comment! What shall I say ... ?
Well, as usual I am at a loss for words! So ... I shall leave, leaving my best wishes behind! Cheers!
PS
You should write two versions of each article, the original, plus a simplified version for dummies! I'll go for the latter! :)
Wonderful hub FP - yes it can be a pain.:)
Finally, I had a chance to sit down and catch up with reading a hub from one of my favorite writers, angst ridden or not. :) I always like what you have to say here and in Facebook, so keep on bringing in the wit and humor!
quicksand, are you being mean to me?!! :D
Thanks for your good wishes, anyway - always good to see you here!
Thank you, muser - I knew you would agree. :D
Marie, thank you for your kind words, always! :)
Being "mean" to you??? Well it's just a coded request that you once in a while lower your standards for the benefit of the likes of me!!!
:)_____________________________________________:) Wide grin!
two comments-
am beaten to it again.
you are the best writer of nothing i have read.and you do string a thousand words of nothing very well!!!!
quicksand, keep reading...one day you'll figure out what I'm trying to say! :D
neelesh, thank you...I think! :D
FP, my dear, how can you dare to say you are not a writer when I just read and enjoyed each and every magnificent word of this hub?
And I could not agree with you more. If we lose our sense of humor and delight in inanity,we lose our sanity. And you may quote me.
I love to write what I think may be humorous and to have that appreciated by others as well is one of the major delights of my life.
Don't you dare to deprecate yourself again or I will come find you. I do have those supernatural powers you know. You are a delightful writer. There! I have spoken!
Ooooh, dare I invoke the wrath of one with supernatural powers?!!!
Thank you drbj for your encouraging words. I really do enjoy reading your hubs and others written by people with an enduring sense of humour! And when there are so many of you around, I may as well go take a nap! :)
Dear wonderful FP! Your outlook is refreshing and timely. We need more lightness and fun going on! Thank you for being exactly as you are: articulate, delightful and extremely wise!
Nellieanna, how lovely to see you - it's been such a long time! I haven't been able to read as much as I would want to on HP lately...and you have been writing a lot of poetry! :D
Exactly my dear -how can you say these things when we love your writing and wit?
In all sincerity, I do admit to feeling much the same way. It is easy to think we are "onto" something only to have the reality of it all come crashing down upon us from time to time. I regularly go through "I'm worthless as a writer" mantra and not sure how it happens. Something usually triggers it and then I grouse around for a bit and say I'm done with it - never going back - why bother and all that.
Sigh...but then here I come again because I just can't resist being verbose. Please always continue to be verbose with me! I haven't read as much as I'd like EVER on HP because I work too much and have puppies who need me - but you are a treasure - and please do not forget that - like ever!
Audrey, thank you! And don't ever stop your funny stories - they make my day! :)
I think I could manage to write the occasional hub - it's anything longer or more substantial that gives me the shivers! These days it takes me forever to even think of a topic to write on!
FP, thank you for writing. It's not a pain, it's just Laziness:-)
Haha...I would have to agree! :D
Just to show you how ignorant I am, I had to Google this man’s name to find out who he is. How uninformed can one be? One thing I learned from Wikipedia, though, is that at one time, after researching the subject, Coelho concluded that a writer "always wears glasses and never combs his hair" and has a "duty and an obligation never to be understood by his own generation.”
Now I realise that I can do the last part very well. Never being understood by my generation, I mean. Am I now an author? :-)
And with regard to your “pointless babbling,” I would give everything I have to be able to babble as effectively as you do.
There people who deserve the title “word smith.” You, however, are a “Word Master.”
And false modesty does not suit you. ;-)))
DG, you have enough pearls of wisdom of your own to share without having to read Paulo Coelho! I wear glasses to read and someone once accused me of having 'unkempt hair' but that still doesn't make me a writer! Sigh.
The good thing is that I have talented writer friends who allow me to share in their writing process! :)
Thanks for your kind words!
You have got the Chemistry right ... of words and insights and not chemical compounds !
People are moved to weep , think and laugh,with each of the reactions getting more and more difficult for a writer to achieve.And you my friend, have managed the more difficult ones of "think" and "laugh" with such ease.
Here's to reading more of your "reflection on nothing more than an innate desire to chuckle my way through life."
Thanks for reading, Shubha. Hope you are going to be chuckling with me for a long time! :)
FP, thankfully, your 'innate desire to chuckle your way through life', and pen a few hundred words about it, keep us chuckling too, and looking forward to more! :)
So, may your imagination continue to be captured by inane stuff...and may you continue to air it on Hubpages....:)
Cheers!
Good to see you back here, Rashmi...and chuckling! :)
How nice to read your wise words again Feline, you have been missed. For someone who is not a writer I enjoyed your musings (does that make you a "muso"?) ... um, anyway, keep up the good humor and enjoy reading, writing and laughing along the way.
Long time, no see, MPG Narratives! Thanks for stopping by! :)
Just right!! just what i needed to read tonight!! thanks for making me smile!!
Glad to be of help, karen! Thanks for reading. :)
Feline: you have the true Taoist spirit--which befits you as a cat and a cool-cat at that! Hey, that sounds a little like Dr.Seuss. Maybe I could write something about that--How The Cat Got it's Cool ? ;)
You certainly should write something, Woody. Your style is ideally suited to the topic! :)
I think writing is a pain and I often wish I had some kind of pain killer before jumping into it.
You do seem to write with ease. I've never found myself stumbling through one of your writings; the journey has always been an effortless sail on a calm and most engaging sea. That's not to say your topics have always been calming, but the reading of them has.
I'm in De Greek's camp: "...false modesty does not suit you."
ST, how nice to see you! Thank you for your kind words but writing an occasional hub does not make me a writer! :D
That made me laugh till the tears came.!!!
Garfield is , of course my favourite cat, whuch adds to my respect for you.
Great hub. Thank you.
Anyone who understands Garfield has my respect too! Thanks for stopping by, DF! :)
Your hubs are some of my favorites and I am eager to read more magnificent hubs by you. Thanks for all you are to our hubpage family. Hugs :)
Thank you, vocalcoach! :)
Hey there, I'm in enough pain, but I still cant become a serious writer ;)
LOL, persevere, Cashmere, and you will get there!
Hi again feline, you are too modest, maybe cynical but according to my humble estimation you can make one hell of a writer.
Hello again, marwan...and thank you for your kind words! :)
I too would rather chuckle through life, although it has not always been easy. It is much easier to forget the bad if you dwell on the good.
By the way, you write very well and I think that you could probably write whatever you set your mind to do.
Thank you for stopping by, homesteadbound, and for your kind words! Keep chuckling... :)
Phoenixritu 12 months ago
You have the talent, lady, to practice alchemy with words. Perhaps all you need is a tale to tell. And you're right, its harder to make people laugh or smile. Glutton for punishment that I am, that is what I seek to do