When I was in the media, there were times when I could not write. I felt my creative juices fail me and struggled to express myself despite having something to say. That’s when a song that I learnt in school would come to my mind. Here are the lyrics:
“What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
Early in the morning.
Hooray, and up she rises.
Hooray, and up she rises.
Hooray, and up she rises.
Early in the morning.”
What’s the significance of this song in the context of writing? Very simply, it is the link between being a slave to an addiction and being unable to gather your thoughts and write.
During my media years, I was a smoker. This song served as a reality check whenever I faced writer’s block. It reminded me that if I wanted to perform at my peak, I would have to first work on quitting smoking.
All addictions are ultimately self-destructive. They gnaw at your confidence and self-worth and, over time, harm your performance at work.
Some theories claim that the best writers smoked up, that somehow, becoming dependent on drugs replenished their creative juices. Research has found that the best writers and artists did well despite, not because of, addictions.
Does anyone want to share their experience with an addiction? I’d love to know how you handled it, or whether you are still struggling with it.
I was born and schooled in Hyderabad. I am grateful to my school for encouraging me to question the status quo and think out-of-the-box.
I graduated in mathematics from Bhavan’s Vivekananda College. I joined TV9 Telugu, a Telugu news channel, soon thereafter. I was a Reporter first and a content manager later.
I quit TV9 after thirteen years and shifted to Bangalore. I first worked at the Rangoli Metro Art Centre. A year later, I found myself at the Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology. I also pursued a creative writing course from Symbiosis, Pune. I am now an Assistant Manager at Ample Technologies.
I chose to become a journalist as I was good at English, especially writing. But TV9's demanding work environment gave me no time. So upon quitting, I created a blog. I composed movie reviews, political comments and analysed Television advertisements. My article on the evolution of Axe Deo Sprays was a hit. Anveshi, a Hyderabad based NGO, invited me to speak on the topic. My article also serves as a guide for students of an English teaching course at EFLU.
While I enjoy writing, I am aware that I need to strike a balance between my passion and a steady job. I thus depend on Ample Technologies for money and write for my pleasure otherwise.
I would suggest to fresh graduates to focus on settling financially first. It is never too late to do what you like doing, provided you are economically sound.
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Kanishka Uncensored 