Of Literary Freedom for Amateurs
from The Messy Table
My YouTube algorithm just showed me 2 interesting videos surrounding the theme of writing. One is explaining the concept of essays as creative non-fiction piece of writing that expresses the unique viewpoint of the author on any aspect of real life. The second is about research beyond academic institution, be it as a hobbyist or as an independent researcher. The order of of my viewing of these two video inspired me to take another look at writing as an activity.
My mind is filled with debilitating conflict of ideas. I enjoy the act of writing but once I try to write, I find it hard to find an idea to write about. Finding inspiration feels like grasping at clouds. But that first video opened up a new avenue of writing by putting a name to my seemingly aimless rants which was essays. The creator of the first video points out that an essay is an attempt to make sense of the world around. That single statement puts into perspective unto most things I write and my particular pseudo-conversational style of writing. I am trying to make sense of the world by talking to an imaginary listener. No, more accurately, talking to a separate instance of myself which sometimes corrects me midway through a sentence. It comes to a point where whenever I write in micro blogs you can sometimes find orphaned words from one of those versions of myself left behind. One of the my favorite mechanism of magic in fiction is the metaphysical power behind words, borderline divine concept of speaking phenomena into being by uttering them. It felt like that creator cast a spell on me, validating my ramblings by giving it a proper name. It was electrifying.
With this newfound love for writing, I came across the next amazing concept. The idea of independent research. Independent in regards to academic institutions, and thus encompasses professionals and amateurs alike. Hearing anecdotes of people wildly varying and equally interesting researches not really bound to the confines of a formal institution was extraordinary. From the witch trials of Salem to the history of ancient Egypt, curiosity filled the minds of many. Curiosity so pure it is bewildering, to the point of inviting envy. The creator of the video suggests that independent research is generally conducted in 3 steps. Firstly, the researcher collects resources and chooses a subject matter to research. Secondly, they would organize a syllabus to dive into those resources, allocating time and designing the path of reading to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. Thirdly, an optional step for amateurs, is to compile their findings into a piece of organized literature that can be shared or even reviewed by peers. I still feel like research, independent as they may be, is still a luxury I can't afford right now. But I am glad to discover that it is only because of my personal circumstances and immediate goal instead of other external factors.
And so I write this so that maybe I can remind myself in the future (whenever I find this essay again) that writing and learning is not something so rigid, but can be used as an intellectual exercise and a free form of expression as one makes their way in this erratic world and society. As always, safe travels and be well my friend.
Yours Truly, Singodimejo