Reader Nobe stunned me with a comment in the previous post. She said: “Ikaw, ikaw pala ang matagal ko nang hinahanap.” Rough translation: It’s you I’ve been looking for all this time.
That comment made my day. It’s richly layered with meanings. The one that got to me is that I’ve made a meaningful connection with a reader. That to me is priceless.
She writes brilliant pieces herself, Nobe. Check out her piece on “Conversation”, a humor post on an English guard who’s a stickler of English Only Policy way of communication.
Well – I should be happy, right? Tell you what, that praise spooks me. Why? I’m now again getting self-conscious about my writing. Oh boy, I’ve got to get my act together. Or some people will be sorely disappointed.
So what’s the plan? Very well then. Let’s start with my options.
Stream-of-consciousness-shit
If I’m writing a novel, my goal is to get my personal voice out of the way. Let the story unfold without me interjecting and editorializing. Think John Steinbeck. Or Somerset Maugham. Even Graham Greene.
If I’m reporting a breaking news, I’ll write it pyramid style – with the most important facts at the lead paragraph. The rest of the story gets written down in descending order of importance.
But I’m not writing a novel or news. It’s just a post. That should be easy, right? Nah.
It’s darn hard. It’s very hard just to be yourself when you write. Suddenly, you fancy you’re Henry James and you unleash a stream-of-consciousness-post with no regard for your readers. Well - Henry James was a genius at it. I’m not. Who cares for the minute details of my thoughts, right? Yeah, I will not go there.
Short, spicy and punchy
I’d just imagine it’s Nobe or Doc Z sitting opposite me at the table. Of course, that’s hard, too. I can just imagine Doc Z dozing off just when I’m getting to the most delicious part of my story about OMG cuties. If not that, he’d likely to whip out his mobile phone to reply to a freaking text message. Sheesh.
Okay, let’s try this. I’d write it as if am just emailing a friend. I can be breezy, gossipy and be my natural self. I don’t know about you, but when I write a friend I’m just myself: short, spicy and punchy.
Be conversational and personal.
So this is my writing goal then. I’d like my writing to lose its stuffiness. And just be my real self: easily offended, chatty, obsessive-compulsive, a part-time loony with a pen. See? I’m not yet tired of growling and hissing at my imagined enemies for a change.
But, of course, I’m not that morose every day. I want my writing to break into a wide grin once in while. Or to chuckle because I’m Silly Boy once again. I want my writing to sound like a lusty, unholy laughter just so it will make you jump out of your seat.
I just hope this works well with my new reader Nobe.
How’s my writing goal compared with yours? Are your battle plans different? What’s on your mind? Tell us.
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