The Report Card Reveals A Writer's Journey

 

While cleaning the cupboard to get rid of old stuff at home, those that are my childhood memories, which my parents brought all the way from Jamshedpur, my place of birth and upbringing, I happened to find some interesting things like diaries, autograph books and yes one more. I wonder where this was hidden, all these decades!

My report card spanning my first to fourth standard showed up as if yearning all attention. I kept it aside for a deeper review while I bundled off some of the things that did not strike a connect now.
I went to my mom and showed her the report card. While I was reminiscing those days, I was reading the remarks or feedback shared by my teachers after every term. We had 3 terms in each class, at Hill Top School.   (One among the best schools in Telco and now as I have heard it is the best there. I always feel proud for being a HTS Alumni). So yes the remarks, I was reading it after decades actually. Never even thought I would get to see my own report card. Thanks to my dear parents for keeping it as a precious memory of my childhood for them.

I smiled at the marks and was thinking how well my teachers forecast my future or rather guided me in that direction. Mine were honest fortune tellers for sure. While most of my respected class teachers had suggested that I should read more books and also participate in literary competitions, I guess they already knew my incline. While the shy me chose to be a silent yet observant student, I bring out the best through my essays and very good marks in English. While books were always my first friends, my school library had the best of reads. In an era where computers were yet to be upgraded and Google had no existence at all, the books opened their world of knowledge onto us and that is how perhaps I developed the strong association that continues, even today.

I was a very good student. Credit goes to my teachers and definitely my mother, my best-est teacher at home, who would make question papers for me, to help me practice in almost all subjects. While my affinity towards the number world was not that great which would reflect in my overall marks getting deflected down by numbers, yet now, mom says that she used to pray to God so that I get a decent mark in Math. I knew it was definitely her prayers that helped me sail through. Number nightmares as I would term it never made me smile. That's another story.

So yes the report card with remarks for a fourth grader, definitely makes me believe that my teachers were somehow fortune tellers, because I know while many of us have chosen a path based on market trends and skills that they had learnt in college, yet very few chose something different like writing to be a profession and passion. They do not follow the usual footprints yet choose a path less spoken of or traveled and an art that is divine. Glad to be one, rebellion then who chose not to follow the BPO trend and was rather happy in my own skin. I am grateful to my parents for allowing me to follow my heart than the money race. I still have the visiting card from my first job- Sreelatha M, Copywriter, Cedilla, Chennai. I had earned it through my years of disciplined hard work, faith and creativity. Getting a copy approved perfectly was not easy at all in print media, with practice I learned how to give the best always.

Times have changed. Everyone can write decently well. Yet writing deep and right is reserved for the intellect. While writing for business is also one best trend and justified. As I hold my Report Card after decades, the child in me springs up merrily appreciates the words of my teachers, and trusts the prayers of my parents. My soul says, 'Keep writing, walk your own journey in your pace and poise, as it is how best you Meditate and seek your divine love and peace. '

A Writer's First Attempt with A Paint Brush

 

When a WRITER steps into the world of painting for the FIRST Voyage, magic happens the moment she chooses to become a CHILD, to PLAY with the colors, while brushing away the RULES. -  Sreelatha 

                                                                                                                                           

Ever since my childhood days, the world of wet and dry colors on the canvas always lured me and I would stand in awe as an admirer. Thanks to the childhood patterns in our mind, where once we believed that if we could not do anything, rest assured, we would never bother to invest even an ounce of energy, to give a try. At least in some cases. Art to me has been a classic world reserved for the highly intellect, I was happy with a pen in hand or the word document to give wings to my power of imagination, with absolute clarity and profoundness in communication. Yet, every time I would get a chance to enter the aesthetic art room in the school, I would be fascinated by the world of astounding human creativity in the form of painting, sketches, drawing, graffiti, tapestry, animation, sculpture, calligraphy and many more that I could even imagine. 

With the preconceived notion deep-rooted and constant, I was playing safe despite the humble words of motivation by my art-friend S who teaches the essence of art with so much love, passion and appreciation. I remember she once gave me a random task to sprinkle the glitter on the earthen pot, which made me so conscious, yet she was like, there is no right or wrong way in art. Whatever you do from your heart with a creative zeal manifests best in line with one’s own imagination.

Few months back, my dear friend N started unleashing her love for art by making miniature portraits using acrylic paints. They caught my attention for the simplicity and the perfect choice of colours and the brilliant narrative through her customized masterpieces. She assured me I could do it too, just try it girl!  Call it an inspiration, followed by the law of attraction where I received a painting kit as a gift from my cute niece A, followed by many more materials from my dearest nephew V. I had it all with me yet I did not know how to begin. Well again, it takes time to recondition the decades old mind-set. Like in yesteryears, when we used to rewrite the memory in the floppy disks with new memory, I chose to 'go with the flow', another magical phrase gifted by a good friend, M, I went ahead with a child's curiosity to finally create the FIRST painting of my LIFE. Truly Grateful for the surprise and the blessings!

Clueless of the rules, all I know is that I followed my heart, anchored my focus and the brush reciprocated my instructions flawlessly. Letting go the fear of self-created assumptions is the best way to liberate and express freely. S was happy and was surprised when she said what I painted was a 'Silhouette'. :) 

Takeaway: To slay the fear of doing anything off the regular, you have got adapt to the childlike approach, soak in curiosity and enjoy the process without thinking about the end result. Then magic shall happen. 

 

The Rudiments of a Copywriter’s Cove

 

My first job as a junior copywriter, owning a powerhouse of vocabulary (thanks for all the reading habits over the years) was quite an experience.  I was truly excited and determined to give in the best of words each time I was asked a couple of options. Gradually the demand for choices was surging high and I was yet reading, browsing through the new techy friend the Google, to seek for help beyond my world of thesaurus.

Well the first job and the most dear dream position of a copywriter was probably like anyone who would go to any extent to impress a girlfriend or boyfriend in the initial years of connection, as people profess. I loved visiting the ‘Landmark’ bookstore – the most coveted destination for anyone and everyone who would love the world or smell of the books. I mean it was the best place for a voracious reader seeking the knowledge shared by tens and thousands of writers. I would get more ideas on writing creatively than just words, in the treasure trove of books for drafting my copies.

With choices I mean, it was like gazing aimlessly with a hope to read the client’s mind about the marketing or sales pitch. Initially as a novice, I would at times feel, pursuing a degree in psychology would have given an added advantage to read their minds than put in my energy into writing pages and pages of nothings. Well, with months of analysis and upon providing generous copy options, call it a miracle, I finally cracked the secret of getting my copies approves without having to go through the cumbersome creative draining. The months of writing actually helped me in become a creative copywriter beyond just delivering words.

Firstly, it is advisable to receive or listen to proper brief given by the client during the meeting with the account manager. (Hear it from the horse’s mouth, save on time and energy than typing endless words with no clarity)

Secondly, keep a set of your golden rule of questions whenever the client is happily done explaining about with their requirement. (An ice-breaking session where the client actually understands that advertising has a polished approach always)

Thirdly, you may not override the pre-conceived notions of your superior, yet humility and calm helps you prove your point. (Never hurt anyone’s ego yet present your ideas smartly and politely)

Fourthly, writers discover themselves each day and a copy written in the past would absolutely have no significance in the present. (The favorite keyword is to grow and evolve)

Lastly, try best to be like a flowing stream of water, always ready to change and accept any critic. Your best copy might be the last on their list and vice versa.  (Client is the king so write until they smile reading your work)

"The art of copywriting is a fine process journeying beyond words. It begins with an idea, followed by a picturesque visualization, then storytelling and expressing it in the fewest of words to create the best impact. It is always a writing in precision and positive imagery." - Sreelatha