I think I’m losing my ability to write. Putting a few sentences together is becoming harder and harder.

– Hmm. That’s an ordinary thing my dear because  » a writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. »

– Do you think I’m losing my inspiration ?

– Not necessarily. You’re just an amateur writer, just think about what Octavia Butler said:  » You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence. » You can’t lose hope now.

– I never thought you read the books of science fiction authors.

– I think you have to get rid of that picky behaviour of yours too. If you want to be a good writer, you have to read everything: trash, classics, good and bad and see how they do it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out the window.

– But isn’t that stealing? I mean using the ideas of other writers and philosophers.

– Believe me nothing is original. Steal from anything that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations… Select only the things that speak directly to your soul. If you do this your work will be authentic. » Authenticity is invaluable, originality is non-existent. »

– What you said now, isn’t that a part from an article published in the MovieMaker magazine in 2004?

– I think you got the idea then.

Haithem Jebali 04-06