WRITING AS A GIFT

WRITING AS A GIFT

To write is to present a gift to the reader.  And, like any other gift, it can take many forms.

There is the gift designed 'just in case'.  It is not particularly special.  It is for just about anyone who comes along unexpectedly, any number of potential recipients, suitable for a wide variety of readers.  It sits in your 'gift drawer', or your computer, waiting for the right opportunity to be given. It may be edited slightly - or rewrapped- before being presented, so as to appear customised.

Then, there may be the gift which you quite like yourself but are not sure if the recipients will.  So you hang on to it for a while until you can decide whether or not it will ever see the light of day.  But, because you are a writer, you really must pass it on.  Otherwise, what is the point?

There is, of course, the gift which you wrote ages ago and with which you are not particularly pleased.  It lays around for a long time, unwrapped, unfinished.  You may tinker with it form time to time, sometimes making it worse or sometimes, eventually, making it presentable.  So you offer it, but tentatively.  And not to loved ones.  And you make sure you are not around when it is opened.

You may give a gift to yourself.  It contains part of you, some of your innermost thoughts, intentions, desires and regrets.  It is never intended to be opened by anyone but you.  It is your journal and must be kept safe, hidden from prying eyes.

I trust you are not the sort of writer who takes a gift which you received from someone else and rewraps, or edits, it slightly before giving it as a present to others.  It's called plagiarism, you know and can land you in hot water!

Because you are a writer, however, the gift you most love to give is the one which everyone is clamouring to receive.  You have planned it well, designed it carefully, wrapped it beautifully.  It is appealing to look at, to dive into, to savour and devour.  It is enjoyed by many, by all manner of recipients and stays with them for a long time.  And you might even have been paid to give it!

Finally, there is the best gift of all.  The one which you have developed with passion.  You have crafted and honed it carefully. It is given with love.  It is a unique gift because it has only one, very special, recipient.  It is a love letter, or a poem for someone's special birthday, or special event.  It is not to be shared with anyone else.

So go on........give a very special and personal gift.  To one person or a million and one.  Just write.