An Awkward Take on Choosing Writing as a Career
We all make choices in our life. Some end up being life-changing, some push you down the ladder, and some cause little to no effect whatsoever. But one thing remains constant. We always have two choices to choose from; it’s either your commitment or your fear.
I was once in a similar predicament, and I chose commitment. Commitment to my passion. I chose, Writing!
I know that the above introduction might raise a few eyebrows because of its overly dramatized construction, but we love drama, don’t we? Ahhh, Bollywood!
My Strange Bollywood Influence
I remember how during my early school days we used to gather around at sharp 9 in the evening in front of our crippled television sets to watch another one of our favorite classic Bollywood movies. Back then, Zee Cinema had fewer advertisements and showcased a diverse range of movies, unlike today (Sooryavansham, anyone?).
I ‘loved’ how each of these classic movies was almost similar, yet they came disguised as something completely different. Geniuses, I must say!
But what I truly loved in those movies is their consistent storyline. The underdog hero, rising up from the ashes of despair, defeating all odds to conquer his goals (and by goals I meant his heroine). From repeatedly dragged twists to the hapless murder of his family member or the unnecessary kidnapping of his beloved wife, whatever be the challenge, in the end, our hero overcomes them all. Awwww!
As a kid, this cliched plot seemed rather hard for me to digest as I found the story to have no relevance to real life. But it was only after I reached a certain age, took decisions, responsibilities, and choices that I realized the truth in those classic Bollywood storylines.
It’s Not the End Until you End it!
The aftermath of my decision to turn my passion for writing into my career was not as blissful as I had imagined it to be. It was depressing, stressful, and, above all, annoying. I didn’t have the requisite motivation to tackle my challenges and even thought of quitting because of no incoming clients. But, then came a Semicolon! Yes, you read that right; a semicolon.
The semicolon is like those over-the-top classic Bollywood heroes for me. A semicolon is used where a sentence could have ended but it wasn’t. For me, my lack of productivity as a freelance writer initially was enough to make me stop; yet I continued moving forward, all because of a semicolon.
No matter how proficient you might be as a writer, the journey of a freelancer is bound to be hard. You will face rejections, you won’t have enough clients, you will be paid less, and you might even regret your choice of being a freelance writer; in spite of all these, you’ll have the choice to either use a semicolon or a full stop (commitment or fear).
Remember that you’re the hero of your movie, the author of your sentence, and the dictator of your life. Your choice matters!
Sourav Mukherjee is a Freelance Writer and Proofreader and boasts a huge body of published works behind his back. Check out his website or follow him on LinkedIn.
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