A WRITER'S APPRECIATION: Editor's choice

A WRITER'S APPRECIATION


O writer, you burnt midnight
Oil, writing ceaselessly
And then went to bed having
Written a piece lovely.

In the morning you got up
Merely to find a mail,
Admonishingly saying
That you rather did fail.

The reviewer said your piece
Was not his cup of tea;
Your style and the content were
Not from the errors free.

Do you sulk on reading this?
D’you miss breakfast that day?
Do you angrily react
To all that he did say?

Do you get too depressed and
Start doubting your own strength,
Convincing yourself that you
Were not for writing meant?

I hope you do not do so
And take a lighter view,
Thanking him for reading you
And sending a review.


• Written in abcb, 7-6-7-6 format
• Showcased in the Spiritual Newsletter dated 9 September 2009
• Written in response to a friend’s mail complaining about the rating received for a story.The actual response sent to the author is reproduced below:

“Ref: Unlucky me, I spoilt a true story by allowing it for review.

>>>

1. Lucks are not made or unmade by others' comments which have been invited. [You invited the comments because you opted that it should be a rateable item].

2. When comments are invited from all and sundry, you cannot expect them to be always expert and knowledgeable comments.

3. Comments, opinions and judgments cannot always be unidirectionally positive. Even Jesus was hanged like a criminal.

4. A story written by a writer cannot be spoiled by the comments of a reader.

5. We should be grateful to a commenter for reading; for letting the author know about it; and, for even sending a review.

6. We should be further grateful to a commenter for giving us a chance to learn. It is upto us to choose to learn or not.

7. It is not proper to protest the opinion after the same has been invited and given”.


M C Gupta
26 July 2008