In this age of technology, when people are texting, sending emails, including emojis in messages, my love for handwritten notes has grown in intensity. There was a time when handwritten notes and letters were the primary ways to communicate, in addition to spoken words. Even with the emergence of typewriters, a paper on which a…
Category: Writing/Literature
HOW CRITICISM INSPIRES ME TO WRITE AND SPEAK
Some criticisms are constructive, while others are not. Regarding my writings and podcast, I have never been afraid of criticism. The words and reactions from critics inspire me to continue to be vocal in expressing my thoughts through writing and speaking. I believe in the free expression of ideas. I like to share my thoughts…
WHY YOU SHOULD WRITE YOUR LIFE’S STORY
Some believe that one’s life flashes in front of the eyes, right before the person’s death. There may be no known scientific way to test and validate that claim, because there is no apparent return from that point. As such, there is no way to write about that experience, except using one’s imagination. Additionally, the…
THE GARLAND OF WORDS
For the writer, words are flowers that can be woven together to create a garland. The scent from the garland can be intoxicating, not just for the readers, but the writer too. No wonder, reading and writing are both addictive. A writer can forgo sleep to maximize the number of hours spent in creative expression…
WHAT IS POETRY?
Poetry is the highest form of expression. If you want a definition of poetry, there is not one. You can feel free to look for a definition in a dictionary, but that would not tell you much about poetry. Poetry is recited, as much as it is written. But most importantly, poetry is felt. A…
A PROFESSOR SAID – “PUBLISH OR PERISH”
Human beings are mortal. Yet, there is a way to continue to live, long after one’s earthly existence has ceased. “Publish or perish,” said one of my professors at North South University, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As far as I can recall, he had heard it during his time as a student, and as a teacher…
MY ADVICE TO WRITERS WHO FAIL TO PRODUCE NEW WORK
Words do not attach themselves to each other to create sentences. A writer puts one word after another for the expression of ideas, thoughts, and feelings. What happens when a writer fails to produce new pieces of writing, particularly fiction? If you are a storywriter, you are likely engaged in producing novels or short stories….
DISCOMFORT: WHY A WRITER WRITES
A writer is not one who puts the tip of a pen on a piece of paper and proceeds to use language to craft an essay, state an opinion, present a poem, or create a story. A writer is someone who does either one, some, or all of these, not as tasks, but as a…
WRITING ONE’S STORY IN SIX WORDS
It is widely believed that the legendary author Ernest Hemingway wrote six-word stories about his life. This is in sharp contrast to the conventional view of long autobiographies that are published in the form of books. While these are no substitutes for full-length biographies, six-word stories do in fact have a tremendous impact. First, a…