When you are absolutely certain, you can’t write!
That’s the stage of denial and an absolute bliss. You can read, read and read as much as you like and be a silent critic of the writers whose works you read. But never ever the thought enters your mind that you can also write. The pre-requisite of writing is command over language…and you certainly haven’t achieved that! Yet!
You still have to consult the dictionary a dozen times whenever you try to finish 5 chapters in a row of a novel which apparently you-can’t-put-down. High school essays are the place where you actually put your writing to test and 1000 words of creativity is the most you feel up-to. Your friends and teachers and may be an encouraging parent can comment on the fact that writing could be a good career for you, but you rush into shushing them.
It’s not called denial for no reason.
It’s the most promising stage, you are unaware of your own talent and you inadvertently acquire more and more skill over time, without meaning for it to happen. Reading is the predecessor of writing and any writer who has written anything worth reading has done ample amount of reading before sitting down with the quill or pen (or in more contemporary sense, a laptop with MS Word!). Reading is still only a joy for you and you do not scrounge pages of historical volumes to find inspiration, as of now.
It is also the most optimistic stage because you have not put out your thoughts in the public domain for the world to judge you by. You are in a very healthy state of mind and you scorn the idea of allowing people to criticize your work (the hope of admiration totally escapes you). Your opinions, your notions and your philosophies are your own to keep. You sometime accidentally make outstanding statements for the benefit of your friends (who right away post them as their facebook status) but you take only momentary pride in them and then move on.
But…it is not meant to last long…Denial is almost always overwhelmed by reality. The bubble soon bursts and you are introduced to a more narcissistic you.
Soon!
Pingback: Stage 1 – Denial | bizzipalak