On Writing
I was exactly the same child that acclaimed Hungarian author Ágota Kristóf described in her memoir “The Illiterate”: “I read. It’s like a disease. I read everything that comes into my hands and everything within my eyesight. Newspapers, text books, posters, pieces of paper found on the street, recipes, children’s books, any printed thing” — as a child, I used to collect any kind of booklet in pharmacies, banks, and grocery stores and read everything written on it. It was a kind of frenzy affliction. Consequently, I’m drawn to the career path of journalism, driven by the desire to pursue and challenge myself as a writer, aiming to write impactful stories that resonate and inspire readers.
Later in my teen years, one person had a huge influence on my decision-making process. After reading his critically renowned work, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude,’ I made the unwavering decision to go forward with the aspiration to become a journalist and devote my life to the pursuit of writing. I think everyone knows who I’m referring to because of the book’s title. Yes, it was Gabito who changed my life entirely. As I finished through the pages of his book, the plot, which felt grounded in reality with a surreal touch, left me in a bewildered state of mind for a week. The seamless blend of reality and surrealism captivated me and left a poignant but strong mark on me. Reading his autobiographical novel now reveals how much of it drew inspiration from his own family and childhood experiences. Despite the absence of similar imaginative thinking or shared experiences and histories, at that time I was steadfast in my conviction that, with persistent practice, I could skillfully mold my distinctive style of writing and narrative.
Now I’m not writing eagerly the same way I used to before. There are many topics and contemplations that I want to externalize through writing, but I’m keeping them in mind. Without effort and practice, my writing skills will blemish, and I can’t be good at writing. At times, I find myself pondering why, if my passion lies in writing, I haven’t pursued a job aligned with my interests.
I think the same: those who want to work in journalism need to be avid readers and enthusiastic writers. Without credible facts and compelling narration, how can we write engaging articles? Most good writers’ advice says the same thing about the key to writing well. In fact, “On Writing” by Stephen King is a book about the craft of writing; King gives advice to the reader concerning things that he believes a good writer should and should not do. He highlighted two aspects for people who want to be good at writing: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of.
Perhaps, in the years to come, I’ll embark on a career path as a versatile content creator, copywriter, skilled translator, or simply thrive in my primary profession as a journalist. Most crucially, I need to keep writing, devote my time to scribbling whatever thoughts and ideas come to mind, and be creative in my writing.
