Of all the human art and innovation, only writing has transcended generations and times. Science, mathematics, and technology are always on transits; one theory, concept or breakthrough leads to anew one as the later gets buried in the grave of memory; but writing has stood to be a constant that will stands to register the demise of the Egyptian pyramids just has it done with other monuments and kingdoms.
Writing is like an echo, bringing into live the existence all that is encoded with the birth of the earth and human race. The existence of nations that have been wiped from the map of the globe can be penetrated by the written word. The wars that have been won or lost, the impediments that have ruined nations or the heroes and heroines that have salvaged kingdom, yes, speeches that have vibrated and renewed faith and hope in the hearts of humanity. Aren’t they here for us, simply by men and women who dared and sacrificed to marry a pen and a paper during their existence?
"The streets of life, from institutions of learning to research centers, corridors of power to marginalized villages - brimful of oral gems are a fill of women and men, young and old with an enthusiasm to write," says Naom a communication lecturer, however she adds, "Such lofty dream will never be realized so long as they will not start writing." She advocates that one should write instead of fantasying it. She is of the idea that writing is a habit that calls for time and a lot of Practise. This concurs with Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiong’o is philosophy of writing till you get it right.
Wole Soyinka the first African to bring home a 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature confirmed that: "One thing I can tell you is this, that I am not a methodical writer. I'm not one of those writers I learned about who get up in the morning, put a piece of paper in their typewriter machine and start writing. That I've never understood. I can write days on end, not wanting to do anything else. And at other times gestate. I consider the process of gestation just as important as when you're actually sitting down putting words to the paper." Philip Gourevitch a staff writer with the New Yorker who extensively wrote on Rwanda genocide resonates with him on mastering the art of writing: "One thing that distinguishes writers from non-writers is that they're the people who write the most. I'm serious. A lot of people might wish to write and forget to write and then wonder why they haven't written. Writing requires writing. I don't know what it is. There's no single key. There are many people of very different dispositions and characters and orientations and temperaments who end up being able to produce excellent prose."
This are encouraging testimonies from accomplished writers, that writing is a process one can master by making it a habit, yes, it is individualistic without a set formulae on doing it notwithstanding that it takes highest self motivation and discipline.
As psychologist affirm that it takes a great effort of 21 days to reinforce a new habit in one’s mind. Writing calls one to go beyond the psychologist anecdote: instead of dreaming you’ve to write your dream; a part of sharing your story should be scribing it in a paper; before giving your eloquent speech take the pain of lettering it down; apart from singing your heart inscribe that poem.
"This is a journey with a beginning but without an end," says one published writer. "The more you write the more you discover yet to be on paper, and the more improvement you realize is necessary," he adds, "with time writing becomes part of your daily life diet whether your works are rejected or accepted by publishers.”
"Writing has got its innate beauty, it transform one’s way of lifestyle and thinking, perception and world view," says Judy a medical doctor who has transformed it from a hobby which she embraced while in high school to a full time a serious endeavor. "In the process of researching for my writing I’ve stumbled into medical areas that would have remained foreign to me." "I uphold writing," say Tonny a secondary school editor in chief for their annual magazine, "it has enabled me to spend my time wisely than before – I’ve experienced its ripple effect in excellent performance in all subjects." Tonny is of the inspiration that writing and reading are inseparable. Yes, great writers are giant readers: other people works are a machine that ignites and lubricates their creativity. "The more I read the more and refined works emanate from my hands," says Salome who is a college student looking forward to publish her books before stepping out of her undergraduate program.
Research reveals that writing clubs, early incentives by both parents and teachers to nurture writing habit in young boys and girls, providing variety reading materials to children from tender years and exposing them to writing models catapult a generation into writing escapades.
There is a great link between environment and what children aspire to be and what they become. "Like in the world of sports whereby some parts of the world are associated with particular sort of games, so it’s in the world of writing," consider one parent, "the potential of our children need to be challenged for them to realize that they can throw arrows of writing kind." But he notes that writing excises needs to be improved from our primary school to university level: with more writing exercises; inititing writing clubs in every village and town, and in every school, college and university; more individuals, organizations, firms and institutions of learning need to come up with writing contests to compliment the vision offered by Kwani?, Satima Trust, Littworld….
"Writing talents is like a flower," says Galbrait a researcher in building long lasting careers, "some great writers have been products of encouragement from others." Such talents once ignited, stays as flames that nothing will extinguish rather keeping on glowing from better to excellent - illuminating human life hood huddled in hopelessness and in enclaves of ignorance.
Yusuf K. Dawood an indefatigable columnist with a crown of nine books was allured to the marriage with the written word by a newspaper editor who encouraged him to translate one of his speeches into writing. As our people say: he who tests honey will ever long to lick it again and again. In writing one gets possessed never to do without it.Soyinka confessed in an interview on when he learned or decided to be a writer: "Oh, I don't think I ever decided anything of the sort. I think it just grew and grew and then I realized that maybe that's what I wanted to do more than anything else. I don't think I ever took a firm decision on it."
Writing has its rare uniqueness it’s a profession that all other professions meet at intimate level: all disciplines of learning are build on the fortress of writers. What do you think?
Just imagine Martin Luther King Jr. never bothered to write his classical speech: "I Have a Dream." Contemplate of those great works of literature that you treasure, if they were never written; that Science, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Humanity text books, reports, journal were never written, yes, the present universal library - the internet search engines, nobody ever took the pain to compile. Oh, that one of the fastest and vast ever published and circulated Book across the world: The Bible was never written in those spans of years loaded with inspiration and truth, warnings and hope for the human race. This is a telling that we owe generations to come one thing among others writing our story. Can we say with Doris Lessing the 2007 Nobel Literature Laureate: "I have to. It is what I do."
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