1. Have an Interesting Snippet to Share : Click Here
    Dismiss Notice

From Thoughts To Words

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Viswamitra, Sep 23, 2018.

  1. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    13,370
    Likes Received:
    24,115
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    Dear Vijiakka,

    You have a record for maximum number of posts and maximum likes. Everyone can't achieve that feet. What I wrote is just a guideline for someone aspiring to write and not for a long-term writer like you.

    Each one have their own skills and no one is superior or inferior to others. In general, what matters at the end of the day is whether we are satisfied with our writing and the readers like it or not. In order to keep it interesting, we need to write something that resonates well with others and should never repeat what was said earlier.

    Thank you for your response.

    Viswa
     
    Laks09 and iyerviji like this.
  2. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    5,608
    Likes Received:
    10,032
    Trophy Points:
    438
    Gender:
    Female
    You certainly are a fabulous writer Geeta.... and I mean it.
     
    Cheeniya and GeetaKashyap like this.
  3. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

    Messages:
    10,075
    Likes Received:
    11,569
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear V Sir,

    Very carefully and thoughtfully written out snippet. Hopefully it will bring others to write and share....ahem like @Rihana , @Laks09 . But honestly sir when some posters share their thoughts, people like me go to the thread to read them! They definitely don't have to make any extra effort at all! That said, not that I don't see your point, I do and so thank you for sharing it.

    For people like me, I need to feel feel deeply enough to want to pen it down somewhere and when I feel, the intensity is strong enough that I live in that world for a couple of days and my battle is writing down in that time frame.

    I completely understand @Agatha83 whose writing I absolutely love :)

    All the ILs bring their own flavor - everyone that you and others have mentioned. Having something like you have posted can help us better at what we are doing, whether it is writing for fun or intend to become a serious writer!
     
  4. Gauri03

    Gauri03 Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    6,211
    Likes Received:
    13,034
    Trophy Points:
    445
    Gender:
    Female
    Embarrassingly for me writing is like assembling Ikea furniture. :facepalm: When I start I jot down any and every thought without considering its place in the body of the write up. Sometimes I start with the ending! Often it is a jumble of ideas with only a tenuous link to each other. When I have a page full of spare parts, so to speak, I stare at the disparate fragments wondering in which moment of overambitious delusion I decided to undertake such a project. Then with plodding reluctance I start, only to assemble and disassemble the piece half a dozen times. By about halfway I am utterly exasperated and want to quit. A nap or Netflix start looking very attractive. After a break (which can be hours, days or weeks when writing) something shifts, ideas click, motivation returns and I come back with renewed interest and suddenly things start falling into place. It's like when you finally master the ratcheting screw driver and start putting the pieces together in a smooth rhythmic flow like a master carpenter. And when it's done, I can look at it and all the effort seems worth it. I'm never really satisfied with the end result but I never regret the process. At the end of a spell of writing I always find myself better for having made the effort. I don't have a flare for writing nor do I experience the writer's flow you, Srama and Geeta speak of. For me it is a deliberate laborious activity that has yet to come naturally without some serious sitzfleisch.

    You know I am truly grateful for the few folks like you and others who have over the years let me know that they enjoy my writing and have, publicly and privately, encouraged me to write. It keeps me going when my interest starts flagging. It is for those few that I continue to make an effort at putting my thoughts into words here on IL.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2018
    Laks09, Cheeniya, yellowmango and 3 others like this.
  5. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    13,370
    Likes Received:
    24,115
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    Dear Agatha,

    The very first time I read your snippet here in IL, I was extremely impressed and guessed that you must be a very systematic writer with a lot of experience in writing. You are right about converting the feelings and thoughts into appropriate words. I struggle in this area too. It is so nice to know you are a great editor and I lack good judgment in this area. There isn't a snippet I didn't feel I should have done a better job in editing, rephrasing, spell-checked, revised grammar, etc.

    You are such a wonderful writer and invariably, your snippets get best attention they deserve. It is true when ILites don't respond, it disappoints especially when a lot of time and effort are put into a snippet. But each person is constrained by responsibilities, time and many other factors.

    Viswa
     
  6. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    13,370
    Likes Received:
    24,115
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    Dear Sabitha,

    Thank you for your response and complement. I hope it would trigger a few new writers to take that first baby step to write a snippet. I hope I didn't scare them too much by suggesting a structure. You are right about the popularity of individual writers drive our attention faster to their threads. Sometimes, I wonder how our snippets would be read, if we were to write in a different IL name each month.

    My respect for Agatha as a writer is extremely high. Each time I read her snippet, she enhanced that respect higher and higher. She also revealed she is taking care of ailing mother, carry water everyday for many floors, do the routine work everyday and fights for her rights with the government and telecommunication companies. Sometimes, I wonder how she manages all of them like a good juggler and still find time to write. May be I should take a lesson or two from her about time management.

    Each person writes in a very unique way. Many times when I read snippets of other writers here in IL (including yours), I used to think I need to write like that. Later, I realized there can be only one Agatha, one Sabitha, one Cheeniya Sir, one Geeta Kashyap and so on. I should probably focus on what comes naturally to me.

    It is interesting to note that other than one, most who responded here are ILites who have been writing here for years. Their opinions are invaluable but it is also a disappointment that others who don't write regularly, didn't read this snippet and responded about what challenges they face. :(

    Viswa
     
    Laks09 likes this.
  7. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    13,370
    Likes Received:
    24,115
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    @Gauri03,

    I would like to mention up front that my purpose of writing this snippet is not to issue black belt as a certification for those who achieve certain standards. I am not qualified to get such certification leave alone certifying others. I attempted to assemble a collection of thoughts about how one could convert thoughts into words making a structure for writing, leaving the decision to the writers. Each writer has unique skills and they would know where they need to pay attention. I was only expecting them to share their experiences of writing.

    Carpenters do try assembling and reassembling various parts and focus on refining the end product to perfection later whereas knitters start constructing one step at a time while visualizing the finished product when they start. In both cases, it is like our car spreading light only for a few meters and when we keep driving at full speed, it keeps moving another few meters until we reach the destination.

    Let me try to pinpoint what I like in your writing and that would probably make you write more. When you write, you excel in expressing your thoughts clearly and concisely. It is like taking a peep inside your mind. Second strength is your style of expression. You have a unique skill in writing in a particular fashion like Ansuya does.

    In Quality Management, the experts talk about Product Quality, Process Quality and Service Quality. The quality of the end product consist of quality of raw materials, the process of assembling/refining those raw materials and finally the quality of work that people managing the processes add to the quality of the end product. In my view, your thoughts are invaluable and you relish the processes as well based on what you said above. All you need to do is put in your effort to make it into an end product. Your thoughts and the way you structure your thinking have significant value in what you express in words and communicate in writing.

    Viswa
     
    Laks09 and Gauri03 like this.
  8. girvani

    girvani Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,020
    Likes Received:
    2,914
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Female
    Dearest Viswa uncle,

    Much needed post for me as I am going to do my biggest writings in coming months as yet. I will print this out and put it in my office room. I always want to write well in English ( I can write in Tamil decently) but I haven't achieved that as yet. I find it difficult to elaborate, I find it difficult to write it down when I think that is too obvious, my mind works fast so whatever I write becomes short and mainly I NEVER LEARNED GRAMMAR properly. When I read snippets in the IL forum by the people mentioned, I always feel emotional and my desire to write increases. Perhaps, I will keep my insecurities aside and try again?
    Thank you for the wonderfully researched article on writing for a novice like me.
    Love,
    Vani
     
    Laks09 likes this.
  9. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    13,370
    Likes Received:
    24,115
    Trophy Points:
    538
    Gender:
    Male
    My Dear Vani,

    I am so happy to hear from you on this subject. It is so satisfying to know that you were going to print and have this snippet in your office room. It is the ultimate compliment I could get and I am truly humbled by it. I just wrote to Sabitha that if one person who has not been regularly writing here in IL gets motivated by this snippet, I will be very pleased. It looks like my prayers were heard and I read your response. I always read most of your responses here in IL. Frankly, I had so much fear before I started writing in IL in 2012. My wife was the motivator for me to write here.

    I see you as a role model to set an example for other young minds to write here. You have the talents and inclination and I am sure your snippets will be well received. Honestly, you have nothing to feel insecure here in IL. Everyone is very supportive.

    I wish you all the best.

    Viswa Uncle
     
    Laks09 and girvani like this.
  10. Laks09

    Laks09 Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    6,682
    Likes Received:
    11,157
    Trophy Points:
    440
    Gender:
    Female
    Sir,
    Coming from you, I take this as a big achievement and complement. I didn't think my scribbles meant much at all. Thank you for saying this. I'm not much of a writer or a snippets person but I'm going to start giving Satchi some major headaches in her forum encouraged by you.

    I am trying to cut back on needless ramblings and respond to posts only if I think it will help the poster. What to do, Rih starts threads that become baits! I itch to respond and then get caught up in it!

    Regarding my memory, things are only getting worse. We were at a few parties this weekend and my memory has caused me so much grief. I've now graduated to forgetting names of people. I forgot the name of DD's classmate and mom. I spoke to them for ten minutes all without using names. Know them very well, just didn't remember their names. It took me a couple of hrs to recollect their names.

    I forgot the name of one of my DS's therapy mates who is back after a year's break and his mom. We were good friends. Even went for coffee together while the boys were in therapy. I had to go dig in my emails to finally remember their names.

    Oh, at one of the parties, someone asked me how long we were married. I told them two years less than what it actually is. I couldn't remember the last anniversary we celebrated. Complete blank. My DH who was nearby had to step in and say actually it's going to be a couple of more years soon. To which I sheepishly smiled at DH and said: "It's been so much fun that it feels less time than it already has been". Of course, he knows my memory. He's been asking me to take some Vitamins. Now, I can't tax myself to remember those.

    When people are suggesting texting DH or bf or whoever, I was wondering if I'm the only parent who has no boundaries set on my phone. Thank you for stating this and making me feel a lot better about my parenting skills. My DD went ewww just a few days ago when she saw some of the emojis her dad and I exchanged. Apparently, I need to start dressing and behaving more mom like!

    This is me(I/me/I/ me - going with me).

    Gosh, both start with "fa". Be happy.
     
    Viswamitra and Gauri03 like this.

Share This Page