Sunday 12 February 2012

How I became a Writer


When I was about five, I said to my teacher “I want to be an astronaut”, when I was twelve I decided to be an artist, so I did summer classes, and competed in events. When I was sixteen, I enrolled to a college course I don’t know if I even need, if I even want. But on December 17, 2007 (still age sixteen), 1:06 pm, inside a book store… something happened. I suddenly decided to write. It was the time when I just watched ‘the Golden compass’ (I know it’s a terrible movie, but I like the book) and ‘Finding Neverland’ (actor: Johnny Depp). Suddenly that day, ideas came howling in my mind. Just for the fun of it, I immediately conjured a world of my own. I imagined characters, a different universe full of curiosity and alternation and a story I believe worth telling. It’s a magical epiphany for me back then, and I think I can never forget that.
When I was younger I really don’t write, I just play with my action figures and legos. They have characters in my mind, and each time I play with them, it’s like a continuing episode for they have a story of their own. It’s not writing I know, but that’s imagination.
So when I first written the very first draft of the very first chapter of my book… It was an EPIC FAIL. First of all (so many ‘first’ K), the grammar sucked, the first sentence was past tense , then the second was present. I mean literally, it really did sucked. Second of all (even the grammar doesn’t sucked) the writing was not good. I got no voice, poor vocabulary, farfetched idea, et cetera, et cetera… sigh* and I had the guts to let my friends read it! (facepalm) I was so ashamed and devastated that time for they told me the truth (and I’m thankful for that)
But… I don’t know… that didn’t stop me from writing. I still continued until I finished the whole book! Can you believe that? Well I did it with some of my friends’ encouragements (friends who is allergic in wrong grammar), which was also writing their own story. They are more talented than me in every way: their writing had voice, their imagination was far better, and their paragraphs are more grammatically correct. But the thing is, some of them stopped writing, I don’t know why, but they just did. I’m aware they have their own dreams, but their talent is such a waste (I hope they can give me their talent, lol).
Now I’m here, typing this blog-post, still having that dream that this idea of mine would be read by people I don’t know (which I’m happy to meet). I edited the whole book, and writing the sequels and novellas in between. I didn’t stop; I entertained critics with their brutal comments just to push me to my finest. And I’m glad I did it.
I have a dream, not just a hobby. Even my writing was stupidly done back then, I persevere, and I keep that dream even with all the criticism that broke my heart.
Today, my story has 195,879 words, and I’m almost done in trimming it down to its most readable form. Proof reading will be next with the help of a friend, and after that will be ePublishing.
So, before I end this, let me give you some words of wisdom:
Talent is worthless without perseverance
Not just talent… everything


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