Friday, August 31, 2007

Consistency is the word…


It was a pleasant surprise to know that people read what I write here. That gives me a hope that I can probably make a mark someday as a writer. But in every creative profession, there are accolades and there is criticism. And constructive criticism can indeed be beneficial to honing the skills.

One such reader came up to me today and said that though my pieces were interesting, one major factor which was lacking was consistency of thoughts and lines. Honest opinions are always welcome so I am grateful. Going by the feedback, let me now address the issue of consistency.

The human mind is a strange thing. It can go to unfathomable depths of imagination and then can spring back to being abhorrently shallow in a split second. That is how rapidly this amazing organ can fluctuate. Hence, to keep the mind focused and consistent is a Herculean task.

That is what it is all about, actually. Consistency is the name of the game. As we grow older, the level of consistency and the ability to focus increases up to a certain age and after it has reached the crescendo, the process of regression beings. Consistency is something that comes naturally to some while for the restless people like me, it is a laborious effort. But again, the profession that I am in demands this consistency because the readers’ thoughts are in a certain flow while reading and sudden drops and rises in levels of intensity might not really be a welcome experience.

My mind sometimes seems to me like a wild untamed beast which will resist any attempt to put a leash on it. And it is that very leash which forms a trademark for accomplished writers. Hence, it is not a matter of choice but compulsion. Besides, it lends a certain structure which keeps everything in line. The key is to curtail the fluctuation and weave the thoughts to form a fabric with no loose ends. Now that I know it, hope I can work on it. In the meanwhile, as I said, genuine and constructive suggestions are welcome.

Adios.

2 comments:

myconoclast said...

sometimes inconsistency lends the charm that consistency can take away...and it also leaves a lot to the reader's mind...there's nothing like an author who lets his readers naturalize with the piece...after all, it is our little imperfections that bring in uniquness... :)

Shom's portfolio said...

now...naaz...do you still wonder why i keep saying you're very special???!!