“There are two types of writers: those who make you think and those who make you dream” says Brian Aldiss, who made me dream for such a long time with his science-fiction books. Thinking about his sentence and my work, I decided to write some columns on the subject. In principle I believe that every human being on this planet has at least one good story to tell his neighbor. What follows are my reflections on some important items in the process of creating a text.
The reader
Above all else, the writer has to be a good reader. The kind that sticks to academic texts and does not read what others write (and here I’m not just talking about books but also blogs, newspaper columns and so on) will never know his own qualities and defects.
So, before starting anything, look for people who are interested in sharing their experience through words. I’m not saying: “look for other writers”. What I say is: find people with different skills, because writing is no different from any other activity that is done with enthusiasm.
Your allies will not necessarily be those that everyone looks on with admiration and says: “there’s nobody better”. It’s very much the opposite: it’s people who are not afraid of making mistakes, and yet they do make mistakes. That is why their work is not always recognized. But that’s the type of people who change the world, and after many a mistake they manage to get something right that will make all the difference in their community.
These are people who cannot sit around waiting for things to happen before they decide on the best way to narrate them: they decide as they act, even knowing that this can be very risky.
Living close to these people is important for writers, because they need to understand that before putting anything down on paper, they should be free enough to change direction as their imagination wanders. When a sentence comes to an end, the writer should tell himself: “while I was writing I traveled a long road. Now I can finish this paragraph in the full awareness that I have risked enough and given the best of myself.”
The best allies are those who don’t think like the others. That’s why, while you are looking for your companions (not always visible, because meetings between the reader and the writer are rare), trust your intuition and don’t pay any attention to others’ remarks. People always judge others using the model of their own limitations – and at times the opinion of the community is full of prejudices and fears.
Join those who have never said: “it’s finished, I have to stop here”. Because just as winter is followed by spring, nothing comes to an end: after reaching your objective, you have to start again, always using all that you have learnt on the way.
Join those who sing, tell stories, enjoy life and have happiness in their eyes. Because happiness is contagious and always manages to keep people from being paralyzed by depression, loneliness and troubles.
And tell your story, even if it’s only for your family to read.
The pen
All the energy of thinking is eventually shown in the nib of a pen. Of course, here we can substitute nib by ballpoint, computer keyboard, or pencil, but the nib of a pen is more romantic, don’t you think?
To get back to the theme: words eventually condense an idea. Paper is just a support for this idea. But the pen will always remain with you, and you must know how to use it.
Periods of inactivity are necessary – a pen that is always writing ends up losing the awareness of what it is doing. So let it rest whenever possible, and concern yourself with living and meeting your friends. When you return to the business of writing, you will find a happy pen with all its strength intact.
Pens have no conscience: they are an extension of the writer’s hand and desire. They serve to destroy reputations, make us dream, send news, trace pretty words of love. So always be clear about your intentions.
The hand is where all the muscles of the body, all the intentions of the person writing, all the effort to share what he feels, are concentrated. It is not just a part of his arm but an extension of his thought. Hold your pen with the same respect that a violinist has for his instrument.
The word
The word is the final intention of someone who wishes to share something with his neighbor.
William Blake said: all that we write is the fruit of memory or the unknown. If I can make a suggestion, respect the unknown and look there for your source of inspiration. The stories and facts remain the same, but when you open a door in your unconscious and let yourself be led by inspiration you will see that the way to describe what you have lived or dreamt is always far richer when your unconscious is guiding the pen.
Every word leaves a memory in your heart – and it the sum of these memories that form sentences, paragraphs, books.
Words are as flexible as the tip of your pen, and they understand the signs on the road. Sentences do not hesitate in changing course when they make a discovery, when they spot a better opportunity.
Words have the same quality as water: they go around rocks and adapt to the river bed, sometimes turning into a lake until the depression has filled up and they can continue their journey.
Because when words are written with feelings and the soul, they do not forget that their destination is the ocean of a text, and that sooner or later they have to arrive there.
(Ends next number)
tags technorati : Technorati Paulo Coelho Paulo Coehlo Warrior of Light Warrior of the Light Newsletter
About writing and using the alphabet.
It makes sense to mix languages together – you get so many different “views of the world” like that -.
Most Western languages share a similar alphabet so we should come out with similar words and sounds soon or later.
PAULO,
Today evening I was walking in my univ campus, lonely and depressed. It is holiday time and most of the students has gone to their nest including my best friend. The lonely path of our univ was also adding its color in my mind. Everything became so painful that I suddenly realized that I need a company. After thinking a while I came to library to check my inbox. And there was a surprise waiting for me, an email from a famous youth magazine. I became so glad to see that. It was a reply about the selection of my second story. My first story has published in that same mag and now this second one. I gave a thank to GOD. And I clicked on that very mail and the contents was like this:
“I AM SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR STORY HAS NOT BEEN SELECTED.
THANK YOU”
It was really shocking to me as I was very confident. Everything became meaningless then because it was my first failure formally. Then I aimlessly typed your name on google and got “The act of writing – the reader”. Perhaps you know It was like the oasis in an endless desert. Again I found that I have lot of thinngs to share. Life is like the flowing river and I have your five points pencil in my hand and now I become know how to climb a mountain. Again I gave a thank to GOD for the second time.
IS IT A GOOD OMEN FOR ME?
The poet
Words are dancing in the night
With his keyboard he writes
Fingertips feels ever light
A verse is in his sight
The poet have something to say
Several words are walking his way
His weapon is his word of poetry
Rhythm words he want to fly
Words are making mindful pictures
Making thoughts inside borders
Some people agree with the words
Some people disagrees with the words
Maybe the poet has written a thesis
Conducted by a written hypothesis
Debated in verses in antithesis
Before he concludes in a synthesis
Maybe done in the spirit of Socrates
That was the thoughts that shapes
Maybe in humanistic philosophy
That was the poet tried to say
Sometimes told in frequency
Like the nature of seven mountains
Written words like a sonnet
That we will not forget
I’ve always have passion for writing, I Know it in my heart that I could write and I have something to share the world, But the fear of being “not good enough” always gets me and I just let my creative thoughts to pass by without giving it a chance. after reading this text, you inspire me to write again… Gracias Señor.
You are a blessing to this world.
sir,
The writing about the writers who make others dream is excellent. It has no horizons. It is not confined to any boundaries. So, sky is not the limit and it gives one the contemplation to transcend beyond the ordinary
I just finished reading Joan Brady’s book ‘God on a Harley’, opened my e-mail and saw an e-mail from your webpage saying that ‘El Vencedor está Solo’ is now on sale (which is great news for my husband who doesn’t read English). Hmmm… a coincidence? Of course not! I used the link to come here and saw a list of writings. Which one is for me?, I asked as my eyes went down the list. Bingo! ‘The act of writing – the reader’ was it. I’m writing a book and have gone over to my intuition as my mind was getting in the way of the editing. Thank you for strengthening my resolve to trust that the book will continue to be revealed step by ste, each one at the proper time. God Bless You, Paulo.
Dear Paulo,
thank you for this simple but powerful words about the act of writing. I am about to finish now my thesis on The Witch of Portobello, but it’s interesting that I told my supervisor that it will be never finished, as the words live in the moment, and the moment is eternal :-)…But you know, there have been two major things I did in order to overcome my ‘writers block’ about 2 months ago. First, I went back to the Alchemist and re-read the passage when the boy transforms into the wind (actually my favourite one), and then I wrote a response in the voice of Athena explaining how she had viewed all the characters…In the beginning I wasn’t sure if it was right to add my name to your masterpiece, and then eventually I realized that I already did by reading the book and living the endless everchanging moment. I know the responses I will get from my professors and that is good…They will be quite surprised about my colligation of theories put both artistically and academically together. But there will be resistance to it, which is even better. Resistance brings about change and change brings about innovation. I also think it is better to have a sharp critic than no critic, because then you know you moved something…:-)
Thank you very much
love
Meryem
Dear Paulo,
Thank you for that
You have been one of the writer that made me think and made me dream – a double bonus -
- a un moment dans ma vie ou tout se bousculait – Je peux le dire ,”je reviens de loin…c’est le cas de le dire”.:)
Indeed,”while I was writing, I traveled a long way.” too.
Merci pour l’experience, elle restera a jamais gravee dans mon coeur.
Sincerement a toi,
Marie-Christine :)
Words are a beautiful thing. They give expression to our relationships in a way that extends their experience and therefore extends our hearts.
“a pen that is always writing ends up losing the awareness of what it is doing.”
So true. Rest and activity are equal partners in the dance. If one falls out of step, the other will have bruised feet and the dance will never be as beautiful as it once could have been.
Tom,
It comes from inside you.
It comes from great emotion, and a desire of release. Release of who you are to the world, release of what you love, and release of what you feel, regardless. It is a simple expression of who you are. I find the best way for inspiration is learn of your passions, discover yourself, and write of all you love or hate…
Lots of love
Yajna
Absoultely wonderfully written Paulo.
Thank you for being.
Yajna
HI! Paulo !
many thnaks for sharing it, i need to read it many times in unhurried times, that i will do; in the meantime, i truly felt thakful that u have shared something truly from close to you heart. u write brilliantly ! from your soul, no wonder u seem to know your soul; well then alone can one dare contemplate a soul of the universe, no !
love
aditya
The joyous face of spring
Is presented to the world.
Winter’s army
Is conquered and put to flight.
In colourful dress
Flora is arrayed
And the woods are sweet
With birdsong in her praise.
All things are tempered by the sun
So pure and fine.
In a new world are revealed
The beauties of April.
Behold the welcome
Long awaited
Spring which brings back pleasure
And with crimson flowers
Adorns the fields.
The sun brings peace to all around:
Away with sadness!
Summer returns
And now departs cruel winter.
(Extract from the “Carmina burana”)
Because just as winter is followed by spring, nothing comes to an end but to a change.
Spring changes feelings and is longing for renewal – it is the time to go out of your chamber embracing the world. The quiet contemplation of fixing thoughts on paper is more often replaced by jumping into the fray of life.
the river flows
reflecting
all that defines me
the firmament
a blank canvass
for the words
that seek to reveal
the Journey
Ah, Paulo, but the best of you make us think and dream … and transport us to another world that is a better, fuller, richer place than that we had before we knew your work, your thoughts, and words.
Dear writer,you are giving to me answers without I asked you.I am very interested in how great writers think about their way in creating a work of art.You do like very much this image of the river avoiding the rocks, I think is an oriental idea,if I am not wrong,it happens I practised in past martial arts and I remember my si-fu saying to avoid atack like the river wich avoids rocks,for not loosing energy in an useless way.Very intresting way of talking about creation, and a little romantic.I think you have some traits of a romantic person.Anyway,is a new point of view,and I agree .Is o.k. also your idea that only those who has the courage to search for a new path are the people who make society advance.I want to boast a little,telling that sometimes I am considered to be so.I apologise if the message is to long,good bye.
Thankyou Paulo,
as a man who wants to publish books for a living, this gives me a sense of direction. I think I need to spend time on finding were my inspiration has and is still coming from.
Does anyone know where there inspiration comes from ???
beautiful! the best way to relax or get something out is to write…especially when you do not know what it is…