CRAZY FOR
WRITING JAGJIT SINGH
“Suggest me some topic Jagjit. I want to write too and earn fame like you”- says
a friend of mine whenever we encounter each other. Needless to say, she is greatly impressed by some of the finest stories of human interest that I did over the years for prestigious and widely circulated national newspapers. She is good in shorthand. So she even accompanied me for some field stories and very efficiently took notes of what we discovered for which I gave her due credit in my stories . However, I wanted her to do some original and independent work if she really wanted to make some dent and create a place for herself in the fraternity of writers. Therefore, I suggested dozens of ‘saleable’ topics and provided support material to her. I even offered to help in editing if she comes with a raw story. But I am yet to see a real piece of story penned by her. Our friendship with the passage of time, has grown old but her craze to be an author is still young as ever. Whether her wish will ever become a reality- god knows.
While appreciating her thrust for creative work, I wonder whether she really has the serious urge to write or is it simply the glamour and glitter attached to the world of writers that attracts her.
She is not alone of her kind. There are many who feel tempted to be a writer especially when they see some of their dear or near one making name, fame and money by the might of pen. The by line with the article in a newspaper or magazine works like a catalyst for them. And when there is surety of the payments for the
articles published, craze for
writing assumes the level of madness. It becomes a passion. “Listen my dear, a sensitive person with good writing skill has no dearth of topics”- I use to tell those who come to me to seek topics and tips for writing. What you require is the real and absolute sense to ‘see’ and ‘smell’ the things and events around you and the ability to give them the shape of an article, reportage or story. If the faculties of your mind are wide open, you find so many topics scattered around to write upon. “A real writer is that who turns a one line news into a huge story”- I use to tell those who wish to make their career in Journalism. In a world where after every minute new events and developments are taking place, it becomes difficult for you to prioritize the stories or articles. And once you have learnt and developed that art, writing becomes easy, enjoyable and earning for you.