Ask the Author: Asghar Abbas
Answered Questions (9)
Asghar Abbas
How do you mean ? Do you have a copy and you can't open the file ?
Asghar Abbas
Hello. I am so sorry, I didn't see this until now. Didn't get any notification or anything. Please excuse the late reply. Now that is a very good question indeed. Just how does one know when they are good enough to publish? But that's relative, isn't it? How do you measure merit ? Is it by success? And how do you define that success in itself? Is success bestseller stardom or writing a good book? And that's not even taking into account self publication, but that's relative too. How do you know you are good enough to do all or any of that? Is it a result of experience, hard work or is it because of an inherent gift? Well, I believe it is a bit of both. You need both of those aspects to make it work as a writer, you must put in some serious effort into your craft and you need to be teeny weeny bit talented. And I firmly believe, if you hone yourself enough you can master any skill. Writing is difficult, to be sure, but it is not hard. After a while, it gets better, you understand what you want as a writer and then you can frame it better and go from A to Z, and make it flow. Make it Rain. I have been at it for sixteen years now, and I don't have any definite answer, it's not exact science. There is no formula here. For me though it is simple; you know you are doing something right when your words make you happy. You must enjoy this work, your work. Otherwise you can never be good enough :)
ps. In fact, I wrote a whole blog on this theme :
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
Hello. I am so sorry, I didn't see this until now. Didn't get any notification or anything. Please excuse the late reply. Now that is a very good question indeed. Just how does one know when they are good enough to publish? But that's relative, isn't it? How do you measure merit ? Is it by success? And how do you define that success in itself? Is success bestseller stardom or writing a good book? And that's not even taking into account self publication, but that's relative too. How do you know you are good enough to do all or any of that? Is it a result of experience, hard work or is it because of an inherent gift? Well, I believe it is a bit of both. You need both of those aspects to make it work as a writer, you must put in some serious effort into your craft and you need to be teeny weeny bit talented. And I firmly believe, if you hone yourself enough you can master any skill. Writing is difficult, to be sure, but it is not hard. After a while, it gets better, you understand what you want as a writer and then you can frame it better and go from A to Z, and make it flow. Make it Rain. I have been at it for sixteen years now, and I don't have any definite answer, it's not exact science. There is no formula here. For me though it is simple; you know you are doing something right when your words make you happy. You must enjoy this work, your work. Otherwise you can never be good enough :)
ps. In fact, I wrote a whole blog on this theme :
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
Asghar Abbas
Now that's the question, isn't it? :) Here, I would say as a writer I am constantly working against myself.
Asghar Abbas
Hello Mahwish. I am currently and officially working on my second beast of a novel. Rewriting, editing, tweaking it. It is taking forever mostly because real people keep distracting me and I am not real enough at best of times. But not to worry, I shall get it done. Here is its synopsis :
https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-hu...
https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-hu...
Asghar Abbas
I never met your mother but I believe her :) I love this idea, this notion of living descendants of Poe amongst us.
That's a very interesting question. I don't use a tape recorder, though the idea seem very pragmatic and interesting, outlines exhaustes me, I most definitely have to force myself to work to write down what I have to, what I must. Sometimes it's almost effortless. Though most of the going is slow and I tend to do it slowly. But the most effective, well for me, method that I often use is to write everything, all of it, and keep it in my head, letting it rattle around in there and let it take whatever shape it must take. It's the dislodging the words on paper that takes up most of my time and all of my efforts. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it just flows.
That's a very interesting question. I don't use a tape recorder, though the idea seem very pragmatic and interesting, outlines exhaustes me, I most definitely have to force myself to work to write down what I have to, what I must. Sometimes it's almost effortless. Though most of the going is slow and I tend to do it slowly. But the most effective, well for me, method that I often use is to write everything, all of it, and keep it in my head, letting it rattle around in there and let it take whatever shape it must take. It's the dislodging the words on paper that takes up most of my time and all of my efforts. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it just flows.
Asghar Abbas
Do you mean, you want to borrow it ? Are you sure you'd want that ? You might burrow deeper and deeper into it but still find no way into Wonderland.
Asghar Abbas
Best part is that I get to knead the stars and touch people's mind. I get to learn from all those who cross my path and those who don't.
Asghar Abbas
It's all very very simple really. Don't be one. Don't become a Writer. Abort ! abort ! abort !. Too late, you already are one, because words inside is something very inherent. If I could impart some wisdom that I unintentionally picked up over the years. If I may say one thing that would be ; don't let anyone tell you what you can or can't be, become or unbecome. That's all you need to know. Nothing defines you and you can be a Lost Generationer if that's what you need to be. You are Neil Gaiman and Larry Brown. You are You. If you want to be a writer, be one. Don't let others do you a disservice of telling you what you are. You know what you are. But Everything that needs to happen, needs to happen Now. Otherwise you'll be like the White Rabbit chasing phantoms, always running late, always in a hurry, always out of time. With no burrows in sight.
Pros : You get to work for yourself
Cons : There is no Pay Day.
But heck you'll be a Rainmaker. So make it rain and make it rain hard
and make the wolves howl for you every night.
Pros : You get to work for yourself
Cons : There is no Pay Day.
But heck you'll be a Rainmaker. So make it rain and make it rain hard
and make the wolves howl for you every night.
Asghar Abbas
I usually blame the moon and the mermaids for accosting and then stealing the words. Just kidding, sort of. Well, I counter Writer's Block by reading as much as I can and let the goodness of books heal me, help me think straight or just help me think. I fight the Block by letting good movies inspire me and combat the stagnant phase by letting great music wash over me motivating me. Playing with and being around kids, my niece and nephews helps. Loyal great friends are a good succor in overcoming the dearth of words and emptiness in general. I honestly believe being happy, grateful and accepting yourself an inkmaker is the cure for Writer's Block. I feel harmony within is the main key, that and good music. So I deal with writer's block by looking for a song.
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