WHAT CAN I BECOME? Anyone can become a writer. But to be a successful one you need to have the passion and focus for creativity and writing skills are not enough. If you have that determination and the focus becoming a writer might work for you. Who Can Become a Writer? Someone: -with passion for writing -who is curious -with good writing skills -who is determined and focused -who is an avid reader -who is willing to face criticism Where to study? -There are no specific course offered for writers, as it all lies on one’s own interest, so one can avail a minimum of a bachelor’s degree -Creative writing courses and literature studies can help groom those in pursuit of becoming a writer Market -Experienced writers are much in demand – be it as a scriptwriter or a freelancer Challenges -Keeping up with changes in language -Lack of ideas and confidence -Editorial processes -Ability to live with rejection -Taking criticism From a mere hobby to Bhutan’s best known author Kunzang Choden, We are all taught how to write in school, be it for an essay or a short story. But to be a writer, and indeed a successful one, it’s another thing altogether. “Writing skills are not inborn,” author Kunzang Choden, who has written a number of books, said. “It’s the ability to weave a story with unique ideas, with a strong passion to translate it into words.” Kunzang Choden is the first woman writer in Bhutan ,whose most popular books include Folktales of Bhutan (1994), Bhutanese Tales of the Yeti (1997), Dawa, The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan (2004), The Circle of Karma (2005), Chilli and Cheese- Food and Society in Bhutan (2008), Tales in Colour and other Stories (2009). “If you don’t love writing, you’ll never be a writer,” she said. “Writers spend months and years with their work in progress.” Kunzang Choden, 61, from Bumthang, received her early education in India. She also has a degree in Bachelor of Arts from a university in New Delhi. She began writing at an early age, but it was more out of interest than wanting to publish. “Even when I entered my teens, I loved writing,” she said, adding her interest later grew into a strong passion that led her to pursue it more seriously. Most of Kunzang Choden’s works are captured from life, from which she picks details, researches them further, only then to write, based on the observations made. As a folktale writer, she said, “We already know the story, so it just needs to be modified, keeping the main plot unchanged.” On her culinary book, Chilli and Cheese- Food and Society in Bhutan, Kunzang Choden said she had to get to the details, carry out a lot of research, and study seasonal food habits. Like any other established writer, she too has faced rejection at times, which, according to her is normal. “It’s a part and parcel of a writer’s life,” she said. “And I don’t give up easily.” It was important to accept criticism, face the challenges and go on, she said. “Until and unless I have no energy to write, l shall keep writing,” said Kunzang Choden enthusiatically. “Writing is easier than getting the book published, which can take really long and frustrating too,” she said. Despite the challenges, Kunzang Choden encourages everyone, who wants to become a writer, to just start writing with a focus, and to never plagiarise other’s work. “Good writers write, and they don’t always write well, but they must write!” she said. complied by kuenzang tenzin and collected from kuensel
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 04:02:50 +0000
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