Dead Mag

5. LITERARY LORE

 As a reader, I always look for something that will intrigue me. May it be brilliantly written metaphors, flowery words, or as simple as a lesson hidden in between the lines of a story, a poem, or a prose. So, you can imagine the glee I felt when I met my now favorite poet/author, Lang Leav. I'm a really big fan of all her works, starting from The Love Anthology, until her recently released novel, Poemsia, but if I were to choose just one book that she has written, it will be "Love Looks Pretty On You".

    My dad gave it to me as a birthday present, and I've never parted with it since then. I took my time reading the entire collection, until I've crossed upon a prose that she entitled "Write For Yourself". You see, I've always struggled with trying to go out of my comfort zone, and for me, that zone is reading. I was stuck in being a reader.

    I've been trying to write for as long as I can remember, but I never did publish anything online. I've kept my words for myself, in fear that people might not like them, in fear that they're not as appealing as I thought they were.

    Coming across page 193 of the book, changed my life, and changed my belief as a writer. Writing is a beautiful dream, and I knew I can't stay dreaming forever. I knew I have to take the risk and conquer all those fears that were stopping me from finding my place in the world of literature. As cliché as it sounds, it felt like I was on the edge of a cliff, getting ready to jump. I knew what was waiting for me at the bottom- hurt, possible failure, even a figurative death- but you're really not supposed to conclude without trying. So, I sucked it up, and jumped, with my eyes closed, heart racing as fast as a bullet train with no intentions of stopping.

    Who would've thought I'd enjoy the fall? If someone told me I'd be known for my works, I would've laughed at their faces. But here I am, slowly making an image for myself, slowly, and surely that I'm doing this not for anyone else but me. I'm slowly discovering who I am as a person, as a reader, and as a writer, and it was surprising to find out that all three were different. I'm no longer afraid of what people might say, I guess that's what happens when the only person that you try to impress is you.

    What your readers would say will never be superior over your own judgment. What matters is what you think about your work. The questions should be, Am I satisfied? Do I find it very good? Does it make me feel something? because when you learn to ask the right questions, you also get the right answers.

    I still have a long way to go, I still have a lot of things to learn, but right now, I'm just focused on making this journey as memorable as I can. Who knows when I'll run out of stories to tell? Focusing on being a master at this craft will only cost me time, and I don't have a thousand lifetimes to waste, I only have one.

    So, what I want you to do, is let go, one finger at a time, and you'll see how beautiful it can be when you let loose of what you can't control. We, as writers, we are not responsible of how people interpret our works, we are only responsible for the stories we create.

"Write For Yourself" by: Lang Leav.

You want to write for the world, but you can't figure out what the world wants.

If you write for a trend, it'll be over before you can get a word out. If you write for fame and fortune, your work will lack authenticity.

So, remember, writing is a journey inward, not out.

Write for the simple joy of knowing your own thoughts.

Write for yourself.

That is what the world wants.

Love,
WP_crimsonink