Fiction & Nonfiction

Dear Me (2015)

“Dear Me,”

I could see 2015 has ignited positive energy in you. Times have changed rapidly for you and for the fellow countrymen.  The new government has brought in inspiring plans that would bring in a much awaited change both in the mind-set and the milieu of your country, India. The cleansing has begun. Time to make new resolutions for greater improvements.

So it is with your writing and reading habits, I notice dear me. What used to be mere time-fillers have now transformed into things that help you utilize time to your benefit. Reading, to you is no longer an idle passion it used to be. A sense of freedom spreads on your mind and heart as you read about values and vagaries of life narrated by appealing writers. You have done well by resolving to read books with a view to develop a fine writing-style alongside reaping aesthetic joy. You evidently mean books that have great content, organization and language. All you have to do is to search for masters of prose and poetry in your town’s library in addition to eBooks or books from old book stalls. Remember to pause at passages of beauty and excellence, reflect on them, take notes, and seep in the pleasure. Resolve to read at least two books a month in depth. It doesn't matter whether they written by past or present writers. They might be by Shakespeare or by Stephen King respectively.

Lucky you!  In this New Year, you have realized that it is the habit of thinking and visualizing situations you read about that help you with your own writing. Your resolution to take time and imagine how a particular incident you are going to create in your story would impact the reader, sounds logical and true. Your writing should hook and hold the attention of the reader. This goal prompts you to chalk out an interesting story, weave a tightly knit plot, create characters of depth and dimension, and concentrate on a convincing setting and an arresting finish. You must give attention to building vocabulary, clean up the basics like grammar and sentence flow before you attempt a short story, a poem or an essay. Take the example of how you got lost in the pages of novels, short stories and poetry of writers like Hemingway, Maugham and Robert Frost. Their books are like dreams held in your hands. You know they are incomparable. Yet, they shed inspiring influence on your own creativity. You’ll try to write at least one short story, two or three poems each month. You tell me these goals sound apprehensive. Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to do it. I urge you to give them a hearty try, to say the least.

I could see your reviewing activity has somewhat slowed down after that horrendous cyclone that hit the southeastern coast of India in October, 2014. It was a pity that you had no access to internet for a whole month. However, you cannot lag behind too much in this area of creativity, for it surely helps you in writing in different genres. So, get going dear me. 

In conclusion, I know and trust that you would follow up on the resolutions you have made for yourself. Just participate in the above activities and you could be a lot more near to achieving your goals as the year progresses. Don't forget to divide your day to devote to each of the activities in the best way possible.

Above all, resolve to enjoy this creative side of yours, and that of others of this wonderful website Writing.com, dear me.
Here’s wishing you a wonderful New Year with lots of creative impetus.

Word Count: 600