Stories
Creative Writing - A Useless Indulgence
Hold it!!
Don't pick up that pen! Don't touch that typewriter!
So, you are unique, you are witty, you have learned from life and are an inspiration to mankind. You
could write a book - if only you had time.
Cling to that dream - that inflated dream we all share. It is your life belt, your sanity preserver. It
buoys you up when the tide turns against you. But touch earth, try to make that dream a reality, and
your ego deflates and your self esteem flounders.
Just try expressing your unique personality on paper - your witty thoughts, your shrewd observations.
Your brain grows numb, and the words wither and die as you discover what is really in your mind. The
blank page tells it all.
You don't know where to start. You attempt a few clumsy words, scribble them out and start again. You
make notes; you doodle. Why do you torture yourself? Your back aches. Your head hurts. The wastepaper
bin overflows.
So does the laundry basket; and dinner is ruined again. Your family complains of neglect as they hunt
for clean socks. Overgrown weeds make your house look deserted. The neighbours shake their heads
knowingly.
Even your friends doubt your sanity. They shrug and leave you alone with your imaginary characters. Some
regard you suspiciously, guarding their words, lest they appear in print.
You are always watching, eavesdropping on conversations in search of a new story. Life is no longer
simple. Every situation is fraught with possible drama. Your mind strains to describe each incident,
Sleep eludes you.
You seek comfort from your favourite books, but you no longer read for enjoyment. Like a mechanic, you
must take apart and analyse each part to discover why it works. You compare it with your own futile
attempts and feel flatter than a typewriter ribbon.
You finally face the truth when it takes a week to write the first draft of an argumentative essay. The
soul-destroying task takes precedence over all your activities as it is revised and reshaped to your
dissatisfaction. But what use is it? Will anyone want to read it? It will hardly benefit mankind unless
it is given to the waste paper collectors for recycling.
Can you stand the pain of having your dream shredded? Your self-esteem reduced to confetti? Stick to
your alibi of not enough time. Better to remain in ignorance.
MAMALADE
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