I was sitting on the bench of a Govt office today when I saw a couple enter in rather hurried steps. They too like us were there to get their rent agreement registered through the local agent. While my husband and I sported bored expressions and did not even as much as glance through the said documents, I noticed that the man in front chose to read every single line and check for mistakes.
His enthusiasm in a rather dull scheme of Govt transactions, slightly amused me. He reminded me of someone I had worked for sometime after college. He owned a start-up and was constantly having an air of over excitement about himself.
And in a that moment of collecting facts and tracing back conversations dated from another time of my life, I heard the man reply to someone. ” I don’t work for someone. I own a software startup.” His words at first astounded me and then gave way to a sweet smile.
As a writer I have a keen sense to eavesdrop into other’s conversations. I am what I am, thanks to the gossips of the world. And where facts fail me and details elude, I bring on my story telling hat to close the deal.
Some of you would turn around and say it is not gossip but observation that makes writer do what they do. But if simply by the power of observation plain Jane human beings could conjure words, I am sure CV Raman would be given a Nobel Prize in Literature and not Physics. And perhaps Rabindranath Tagore would be rendered useless.
Salman Rushdie in his foreword for “Midnight’s Children” had written that his father had stopped talking to him after the publication of the award winning book. Because Rushdie had used all of family grapevine to create characters and stories in the narrative. Many claim that the character of Mumtaz (Saleem Sinai’s mother) is actually based on his own mother.
In a world where imagination takes over the roll of a companion in trying times of life, gossip is the fuel to this imagination of a writer.
Now it is your turn, tell me your own good use of gossip! I know research has already proven that good gossip can reduce chances of heart attacks in an individual 😀
I am connecting this with Write Tribe’s prompt my two cents’ worth. In my attempt to add value to my readers in the capacity of being a writer, this post is my two cents’ worth of guidance in that direction.
I would’nt say gossip, but eavesdropping truly enriches the writer in me. I like to silently observe people, what they talk, to whom they talk, how they talk and that gives in a lot of fodder to my writing. Agree with you that intuitive observation and imagination is what marks a writer or an artist from a scientist.
I love people-watching – my husband and I sometimes go to the park or a cafe and make up stories about the people we see. It’s a good way to think creatively!
Watching people and learning about them, its just character study for our WIP novels! Your two cents’ worth will certainly add value to the concept of observing and learning.
Sure, a writer naturally has a keen sense of observation and hearing too, I suppose. I am a people-watcher too, but my approach to writing – at least for the time being – is a bit different and somehow only selected observations make into my writing. And this selection process is of course very subjective. Since I hardly dabble in fiction, I am not really much into the kind of “gossip” you speak of 🙂 But I agree close observation of human behaviour is very helpful for a writer of any kind.
Nicely said Richa. Being a writer you must need gossips…
I could so relate to your post. I often weave stories around my friend’s lives and funny incidences 😀 of course I warn them that all will go into my story and they don;t mind at all 😀
I agree a good gossip creates wonderful stories.
Indeed. Without being in touch with the real people how can one be a writer?
So true.. I think a writer is one of the most receptive beings and gossip is needed to feed us with ideas
true..
A writer writes taking ingredients from the everyday life…so gossip plays a big role.. 😀
Haha true….I eavesdrop all the way in metro! 😉
P.S. so good to see you blogging regularly!!
Heehe, I love “observing” others aka eazedropping. A few weeks ago I sat next to an older couple’s first date. They talked about everything. I loved hearing it all, but not because I’m nosey(tho I am) but bc it was real life, happening right in front of me.
On my evening walks, i listen to people’s conversations as they pass by me and i manage to hear only 2 or 3 words from each person. I then string all these words and make a sentence. E.g. hello Anita/bring 2 litres/ironed shirts/to the school.
Ha ha, yes writers need gossip and chit chat from where they can know about the buzz around them which are key ingredients for some writers.