You know about all those doey eyed dreams about publishing one's piece in a newspaper? Most of the kids (in my school days there was no blog) who were anywhere close to atleast a plagiarist aspired to become famous through the only means known to kid-kind - the newspaper's children section. I used to read a paper called the Deccan Herald during school days and every sunday there used to be a children's special aptly titled "Open Sesame". I used to pore over all the things other kids would write in it and secretely felt sorry for myself that I could never publish any article. Publicly it was a different story in which I always claimed that I could write better than all those stupid kids who wrote about bread and jam as their claim to fame. I, on the other hand wrote about more mature stuff like life and skies. Why I could never publish was not because I was not good (oh yeah I was the best) but because of lack of guts. I always feared rejection. Add to this some gossip one would hear about how an aunt's neighbour's cousin had become a regular article writer, and one's stomach would churn with jealousy and heart would mourn the lack of courage. At long last I made an attempt of crossing that line which separates the have-trieds and never-have-trieds and sent a poem I had written to Times of India newspaper.
What? You still expect me to continue and write the whole sob story? For the curious ones I still have the copy of the mail I sent to Times of India and the mail of rejection I recieved from them. Oh wait I never got a response from them even! How cheap I say! They dint realise that they thwarted an ambitious writer entirely. They not only snuffed out the flame burning within the heart of a great poet-to-be but also removed the wick!
I did not stop writing. I wrote but with a lot of bitterness. Those were the dark ages of my writings. Blah blah and blah later I started writing online. I created my own web page on Geocities (accessing that now will give one a message stating "Sorry, the page you requested was not found.") . I uploaded all my articles on that and continued to create new ones there. But there was not many people reading it. I can safely count on one hand, the people who used to read it. I discovered blogging quite by accident. But once I was aware I was hooked to it. I wrote and wrote (ok am exaggerating a bit) and did not care if I saw a pathetic "0 comments" at the tail end of every post. I strived, I persevered and finally I got some good souls visiting my blog and some even better souls leaving their comments for my posts. At long last (actually day before yesterday) I got a mail from a person with the Bangalore Mirror newspaper asking if I would mind one of my post's being published in his newspaper. I nearly fell off the seat when I saw the mail. I quickly sent back a reply affirming my "No Problem", the quickness of which he was good enough to notice ;). And lo behold yesterday's Bangalore Mirror's Blog Talk had MY post in it! Mine!! Yeah all mine!!
While I gloat some more at not being a Loser after all you take a look at the pciture version of that article. Ofcourse you cant read it from the picture but you can read the post here
Now is it a coincidence that Bangalore Mirror is a daily publication belonging to Times of India? Hee haw haw haw haw
11 comments:
For a blogger, its a really good feeling to even see comments on his/her blog, atleast that's the case with me. That being the case, I can imagine(just imagination because I haven't had this privilege) how it feels to see a newspaper column credited with one's own name. Congrats Siri, keep going!
Unfortunately Harish, nowhere in the column was my name mentioned! It was only my blog's url which got a lame reduced font entry at the end!
Hi, Imagine my luck,you are becoming a famous writer and I do not have the privilege to even buy the newspaper! Well please save the paper for me, I would like to see it (to believe it) when I am back from Amerikya.
Too bad that they did not mention your name anywhere, but its nice that ur name is in the URL.
T
T :)) I will show it to you! Comeon!
After a long time I'm back to reading blogs. So I thought I'll start with yours and happened to read the good news. Congrats Siri :)
Hope to see your name and maybe a cute thumbnail picture in the future in all leading newspapers. Looks like you are the guest columnist in the making :))
-Maha
grt that you started reading mine again Maha! Columnist, hmmm its something worth thinking about. But I need to prove with a lot more than just the kind of posts I put up here :)
Wow ! I am in the circle of the Rich and the Famous !
Please post a higher resolution image !
was searching for the online version of blog talk of bangalore mirror and landed here! Guess we are comrades :D
Hi Siri, This is Namita (Ambrosia). It was such a lovely feeling to see you as a member of my blog. I went through your blog and read a few articles albeit fleetingly. Loved your expression and style. I need to read them in peace and in detail which I will surely do.
Love and good wishes.
Hi Namita,
So glad you made it across here! Am also pleased to have another reader who leaves a comment :D
I also blog about food at http://thebravecook.blogspot.com.
Do visit. Love your blog and I will be coming back frequently!
Love,
Siri
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