My munchkin is in love with Enid Blyton writings. The love was confirmed yesterday when a Geronimo Stilton arrived in the parcel.
Geronimo Stilton ??
Yes! It took my little one a Geronimo Stilton to realise she doesn't like it and what she likes is Enid Blyton. Over past few week she has known some little facts about Enid Blyton(ones that the little people want to know)
And then the mind is wandering...
So, Mumma , Enid Blyton is a girl?
So, Mumma , Enid Blyton is a old lady?
So, Mumma, Enid Blyton wrote her books when she was old or young?
Mumma :Young! That is why she was able to write so many books!
Little wandering mind : How many?
Mumma: 1926!
LWM: (quite for a while) I will grow old by the time I finish reading her books. Then when will I write my book?
Mumma: (gasped) We don't have to read all her books. We can read some and u can also start writing ur book whenever u want!
LWM:how old was Enid Blyton when she wrote her first book.
Mumma: (I quickly thought how we parents put a age tag on everything we what them to do or not do. Toys, books, growing up learning comes with age tag) You can write whenever u want. There is no age to be a writer.
LWM: (quiet again)
The next day
The little one had decided she wants to write a book
LWM: Mumma, Tomorrow when u come home get me a book with nothing written in it. Plain pages.
Mumma: ?
LWM: I will write a chapter book.
Mumma: Ok! But you can write on plain pages or any notebook u have.
LWM: but then it wouldn't look like a book!!
Mumma: Once u have finished writing, it can be given to a publisher who will make it into a book. All writers do that!
LWM: (quiet)
Saturday morning
"Mumma, wake up! It must be already noon. I can't find that diary with plain pages?"
"Which diary? Why do u want a diary early in the morning?"
"I have to write my book"
She explains the look of the diary animatedly.
'Off white'.... 'One line dash dash the other line plain' ....... 'This design' .... ' That thick'
I find the diary for her. And now finally it's time to write!
She opens a fresh page. Sharpens her pencil. Finds an eraser. And there.... Now ... Thinking .... !!!
"What will be the name of my story? Panchtantra!"
"Why, Panchtantra? Yesterday u said it will be 'the little good girl' !"
" No.. Now I don't want that name"
" But, Panchtantra is already written"
"(Quiet)"
She runs to her book shelf and gets a book on Mulla Nasruddin. She opens the first chapter that read 'respect those who respect u' . She says this will be my first chapter. And I will just replace Mulla Nasruddin with Jack.
All my dreams of having a writer child were shattered. I couldn't think of what to say. But I thought may be there is still hope. I recalled how kids are asked to copy the chapters from school books. They are asked to copy compositions from the board. May be the fault wasn't hers! Atleast she was creative enough to replace Mulla Nasruddin with Jack.
So I gathered myself up and told her that u cannot copy from another book because that is written by another writer. Writers have to think and write new things, new stories. About things that u like. Or about activities that u like to do. I just made use of the piano that was placed nearby. I said - just the way u play new tunes on your piano. Or just the way u create new things with your Lego. She was convinced. And my hopes became alive again.
She started writing. Erasing. Thinking. Asking me spellings of certain words. Sat here and then sat there.
Then she came back to me again.
LWM: Mumma, are there any publishers there in India.
(Enid Blyton is a writer from UK )
Mumma: Yes! Many of them.
She went back to her writing. Her little hands must have written 4-5 sentences and then she said " Can u write it for me, I can't write fast as I can speak".
I had to think whether I should write it for her. And let her mind wander. May be her writing skills is becoming an obstacle in her desire to write a story. But then I played devil's advocate and asked myself.. Should parents be removing all obstacles. If she is exited enough she will learn to write faster. Should I tell her to write slowly , part by part , few lines each day. Is she going to have that patience at this age?
I realised that I had no 'correct' answer to this situation I was in. So I thought may be I should put away the question for a while and then decide what would be best.
By this time, she said " ok, I will write a little later, but, my writing seat ( 3 chairs joined together besides the window so that she can lie down and have fresh air coming in)and and diary and writing pencil should not be removed from here.
I readily agreed. I knew this was my opportunity to buy time to think a little about the question in hand.
Further developments coming soon in my next post : "Ghost-Writing"
No comments:
Post a Comment