Tarek Refaat's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"

Yep driven by Bad,

I read a few moments ago Patti Roberts’s Blog post “Did you just receive a bad book review?” which just triggered something in me, that actually got my numb fingers and dozed mind to come to life.. “Bad reviews” , “Bad comments” , “Bad forms of expression” .. Simply things are plain “BAD”… People who think that by sharing their thoughts in a manner that they “See” fit regardless of the way they put it , is their pure right.

I also recalled while reading the post, a comment I received on one of my poetry pieces which I used to write back between 2003-2005! I used to share my work on a site called “www.eliteskills.com”. I wrote something about myself and some guy came and posted his thoughts on the piece which if my memory serves me right was “Who the hell wants to know anything about you?”

After first reading this I just sat there for a few minutes observing my monitor silently before a smile took share on my lips and I just decided to keep it.. Some good folks later came on and replied to the post that this was not an acceptable way to post their thoughts.

But even though I still kept it! I realized that things like that despite having this bitter taste and feeling of a needle piercing your flesh but it makes you stronger, if you take it as a medicine and a teacher through your life..

At that point in time I only wrote poetry before I decided to go into story writing a few years later.. But still this comment hangs in shelves of my mind.. It’s not about what I like or what you like or what others think… The world is a very colorful place with many things to show.. What matters is how you deal with it..It makes all the difference..

I for one continued to write.. I failed in publishing a book in the first time and now I published another one.. A few years later.. Do I see myself as a successful writer? Do I consider myself to be the next best seller?

I would be lying if I tell you I don’t dream about it! But I like to actually think of myself as an adventurer ,watching, observing and learning!

I managed to get the thoughts of several people on the book, some liked it others didn’t and some others are just indifferent..That’s how life is..

In Arabic literature there’s the famous character “Goha” who usually teaches us important lessons through is humor and the incidents he encounters.. So in this specific case I recall the story of “Goha”, His son and his donkey…

They passed by a bunch of people where Goha rode the donkey and his son walked next to him.. The people exclaimed “Look at this cruel man, riding the donkey and letting his son walk!” .. So switched places with his son, later they passed by another bunch of people and those exclaimed “Look at this rude boy, riding while he lets his father walk!” .. So this time , Goha and his son carried the donkey, another bunch of people exclaimed “Look at those fools who are carrying their own donkey!” … So they put the donkey down and both walked next to it.. And the story goes on..

So bottom line , people will always talk, and they will say all sorts of different things..Be driven by your heart and mind, embrace those who truly appreciate you and learn but also learn from those who try to harm you, you never know when there might be something good to catch..

If you are a writer who’s read a bad comment.. Be driven by bad.. Be drive to be better and stronger.. If you are not a writer.. Then still this is for you too.. Live, enjoy and learn.. You don’t have another spare life or someone will just insert a coin in the back of your neck to give you a new life..

It’s just one life.. So be driven, find your dream and enjoy!

Could it be that I have lost the word ? The touch or inspiration that set me into the world of writing since I was about 9 years old when I realized that I liked to write down how I see things and what I feel about them?

For over two years now I feel I have perhaps lost my sense of writing, even though I am very well aware that I am no where near being a ‘Good Writer’ so to speak.

I have a lot of grammatical mistakes, I lack perhaps the depth that most people look for, I do not plan what I want to write. But I just used to write , and I enjoyed it tremendously ..It was a feeling I always waited for..That moment when I am alone with my realm of words pretty much like how I enjoy cooking , things just happen..

And two years ago it all stopped.. After being said to be by some of my friends ‘Over Productive’ to someone who hardly finds a few lines to say and just barely manages to pull a few quotes out of his box of thoughts..

At some point in my life I used to think that I would be able to help others through what I write..I never actually thought of how I would do that.. But I just let things be.. I wrote in a variety of subject in both Arabic & English..

I am the type who questions himself endlessly and trying to always find that spot in the universe where my piece of the puzzle fits.. That one place I don’t try over and over to make it fit because it looks very much like my place but in the end it’s not and I have to go on a scavenger hunt to find where I actually fit…

I was told by some people I am a gifted writer, by others that I lack a lot to be a writer.. But I kept writing.. In the hopes of achieving this dream and seeing my book on the shelf one day..And even imagine that some people will actually enjoy it..

Some actually did.. Others didn’t…Yet I still do not qualify myself on my personal grade as a good writer.. I don’t like to give myself credit that I do not feel I have rightfully earned.. I’ve seen some of my friend’s writings and I can say easily that they write better than me..

Could it be that I had some sort of oil well of writing that has run dry? or simply was very basic and couldn’t develop into something better ? But to answer that it’s not just entirely relying on just my mood for writing but as well what do I do to develop..

I am trying to find that sound.. That person that used to talk to me.. Who ever they are.. That ….I don’t know really how to describe it or even how to begin to find something that might lead me to know what it is..

But it’s gone that echo of words is not here.. The lost echo of wor