| Blogs > ltw222 > Wildfather |
|
I am now a writer Today I received a cheque for two hundred and fifty ringgit from a publications company. It is payment for a short story I wrote which they had published in their newspaper in March last year. It has taken almost a year for me to receive this payment. Nevertheless, I am still elated. It is not because of the money but because, with this cheque, I have now joined the ranks of the professional writers. Although I loved to write during my schooldays, I had stopped since I left school. During those crazy varsity days and the hectic years of working life that followed, I did not have the time to write and very soon, writing was out of my mind. It was only after I retired four years ago that I decided to write again. I wrote assays and poetry and my writing became more frequent when I started to blog. I did not expect to make money from my writings and it was mainly for fun. I also did not expect my writings to be published; not in this country where English is a second language. I had read in the newspapers early last year that they were looking for real-life stories from readers who are fifty five and above. I sent in my article "The Most Beautiful Catapult Ever" and it was published a few weeks later. I was jubilant as it was my first ever publication and I bragged about it to my wife and and even cut the article out to show to my in Singapore later. The question now is what to I do with the cheque? Shall I frame it up and hang it in the hall or in my bedroom? That would seem an awful waste especially during these hard times. After all, two hundred and fifty ringgit can buy breakfast for my wife and me for a month, if we spend prudently. (For breakfast, we have been eating out daily ever since my retirement. It used to be during the weekends only and she would prepare breakfast during weekdays but she decided to follow me into retirement). But this is the first payment I have ever received for my writings! Surely, it has to be remembered. The other things that I have to do now are to grow a beard, wear a beret and smoke a pipe. Shouldn't every writer have that "creative" look? Now, wearing a beret is not a problem but I do not smoke so I think I will just have to let the pipe peep out from my breast pocket. The bigger problem is with the beard. Being a Chinese, I am not very hirsute so I will never be able to grow one. Perhaps, instead of a beard, I can grow my hair long. Why, I can even tie it in a pony-tail; that should give me the "look". Finally, even if I never had an article published again, it does not matter because I am now a professional writer. As for the cheque, I think I will just keep a Photostat copy of it for remembrance. Also, from now on, I will be writing more short stories and less poetry. Breakfast is important. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past |
|||
2/8/2009 5:18 am |
Congratulations Lee. Thats a truly great achievement. 
| ||
2/8/2009 5:40 am |
Super news Lee... hearty congratulations Keep writing!! Happiness is where we find it, but rarely where we seek it. J. Petit Senn
| ||
2/8/2009 10:34 am |
Add my congrats to the already long list. Enjoy your writing.
| ||
|
Hi mrsjoe, Thank you. I will frame a copy of the cheque up and hang it in my bedroom. As for the money, thanks for your friendly offer but we are going for breakfast after our daily walk in the Taiping Lake Gardens. Are you saying that I already look creative? But Ernest Hemingway has a beard!  Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi wishes, Thank you and I have framed the cheque and we are having breakfast now. I am sorry but my photo is 3 years old and I do not have a newer one. I actually look much older now and am about 10 kilos heavier, and it's all because of those breakfasts! We write to communicate so I never bother about standards.  Still, I think I should try to look a little bit like Hemingway.  Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi joannita, Thank you. The cheque has been copied and framed. I like the idea of cashing the cheque again, then I don't have to write anymore. In this country, we get free breakfast in jail. .You are right. I should be trying for the lunches' cheque now, but skip the beard? Don't you guys like Hemingway? Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi gist, Thank you. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Congratulations Lee. Thats a truly great achievement. Thank you. I am now trying for lunch money but will my waistline keep increasing? Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi Roxy, Thank you. A copy of the cheque has already been framed. Do you like beards? What about a moustache? Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Super news Lee... hearty congratulations Keep writing!! Thank you. Will be going for lunch money this time. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Congratulations Lee, this is wonderful news...Take your wife out for breakfast....you deserve it. Buy a really nice picture frame and frame a copy of the check.  Keep on writting, it is good for the soul Thank you. A copy has been framed already and I am now writing not only for the soul but also for lunch money. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi ZANTOO, Thank you. You are right. The pony tail, beret and t-shirt should do the trick. I may even add a Mark Twain style moustache but can I be a little subtler and print the letters on the pocket instead? Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Add my congrats to the already long list. Enjoy your writing. Thank you for the visit. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi SingToMySoul, Thank you and it feels great! Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi flakes, Thank you. It was in the Star Papers. How about a treat at the Mamak Stall when I am down in KL? Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
2/13/2009 9:01 am |
Hi Lee, congratulations, fantastic news...A beret would look very becoming on you...fellow poet...Maybe you could find time to put a small poem in a daily journal, then publish... Ladylu... floatingleaf...
| ||
|
Hi Lee, congratulations, fantastic news...A beret would look very becoming on you...fellow poet...Maybe you could find time to put a small poem in a daily journal, then publish... Ladylu... Thank you. I think I would look nice with a beret too especially with a moustache and a pony tail. Over here, Malay poems are popular and English poems are for students only (and they are pretty good too). Maybe I have to look harder. By the way, are you the ladyangelula at AP? I read a poem by a person of that name the other day but am not sure it is you. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi Une, Thank you and it's nice to meet you and welcome to blogland! It is hard to get rid of the lunch fat because as I age, I have become lazier. We used to walk an hour a day; now it's only half that. I shall have to do better. It looks like you are a retiree too. Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
| ||
|
Hi lovequest, Thank you. sounds like you are a writer and welcome to blogland! Lee Live today as if it is your last For tomorrow will soon be in the past
|
×
×