Hello Dear Readers,
The last time I shared my epiphanies was about a month ago. It was not that I did not have any epiphanies since then but I took a break from the weekly newsletter, and then I went on a writing spree on The Plausible Mind, my Wordpress blog.You can read all the posts I wrote about my break here.
It was a relief to write that down because then I had a clean slate and I began editing the first draft of my novel. I have finished about fifteen percent of my manuscript. The second round of edits typically help me smooth out ungainly jumps in the narration, fill the plot holes and identify areas that need a factual corroboration or further research.
I haven’t found many plot holes so far, but I have jumped guns in many places. I could recognise the paragraphs where I had missed writing down the sentences that I thought in my head.
This happens because of two things: 1. When your typing can’t match the speed of your thoughts. 2. When there is an interruption in your writing.
So, you have to careful of jumpy narrations if either you have been too excited about your story idea or if you were multi-tasking.
Distraction and multi-tasking
This has been my favourite topic for years now. Ever since, I realised that I was quite good at multi-tasking, I also understood that my talent in thinking about multiple things is what stands between me and the kind of writing I aspire. The more things on my plate, the shallower and faster I write.
Today, I attended a webinar on the theme of ‘Reading in the Age of Distraction’ organised by the National Library Board of Singapore. The panel included experts from the field of education and educational psychology. The panellists reiterated that digital reading reduces reading comprehension and the ability to focus. The discussion was focused on making the best of print and screen reading since we have to admit that digital reading is not going away (although in an online poll of the attendees 55% preferred books). Unfortunately, there was a sidebar discussion in the chat window among attendees who saw it as a debate between ebooks and physical books. Again, this is an example of how distracted we generally are. Instead of focusing on the webinar, there was a whole new discussion on the sidelines.
The panel’s consensus was that readers, both young and old, need to train themselves to focus better and read without distraction, irrespective of the medium.
A question from one of the attendees that both intrigued and worried me was on how the way people read might impact the quality of writing. So, do shallow readers give rise to shallow writers or is it the other way round or has it already become a vicious cycle?
Books
I am currently reading Marginlands by Arati Kumar-Rao. It is a compilation of her journalistic work on the landscapes that are on the brink of devastation, the places that are witness to constant friction between the traditional wisdom of sustainability and the modern sensibilities of development.
There is a similarity between Marginlands and Yuvan Aves’ Intertidal. Both books talk about the need to teach young minds about nature and ecology in the local language because the locals know the intimate details of the land. They know how the winds blow, when the clouds form, whether the soil is rich, and where water can be found. The desert dwellers know the best about the desert, and the fishermen know the best about the sea. Yet, when authorities implement a policy that impacts these people and their relationship with the land or sea from where they earn their livelihood, the people’s knowledge is never considered. The result is the degradation of the natural environment, which leads to huge disasters. Ironically, most of the times even the scientific experts are ignored.
There is a poignant moment in the first part about the desert dwellers of Rajasthan. Chatter Singh, a village elder, who speaks the language of the desert, its wind, its hidden water sources and fickle clouds, laments that his son does not know this language. If the knowledge is lost, the means to comprehend and hence, act according to changing circumstances is lost. And, we know how quickly the environment is changing.
The incident highlights the importance of language. Cherish the words you hear only in your language because they are the ones that sometimes, hold the key to the future.
Humour and the Future
I am back on my weekend writing schedule, and you can read my science fiction humour story here. It is the second part of The Bento Box story from the Percy and Vix universe, which I am beginning to enjoy quite a bit.
Happy Reading and Happy Weekend! Stay focused.
Sudeepa