THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO GIVE AND TAKE LIFE By Terseer Sam Baki

Posted on December 18, 2018

For a considerable length of time, I have been into some sort of self-imposed social media obscurity to enable me study in real live situations, human interactions at closer range.

Active writing life usually demands from writers, long social seclusion periods. And so, during my recent period of social media hibernation, I came face to face with a section of the society whose stock in trade seems to be that of taking creative writers for a ride. The worrisome part of it all is that this strange trend appears to have been going on for ages unchecked.

Truth of the matter is, I fear for folks who feel they could treat a creative writer anyhow and get away with it. That’s tantamount to embarking on premeditated suicide mission. See, creative writers could sometimes be perceived as the meanest creatures treading the surface of the earth. Depending of course, on which side one chooses to pitch one’s tent.

So, my candid advice to anyone who cares to listen is to be as fair as possible in their dealings with writers and treat especially literary writers with some level of decorum.

If you unjustly hurt a creative writer for instance, all she needs do is put pen to paper, or better still, mount her keyboard. She could decide to put together a piece wherein she creates a character just as you. She could even name that character after you and make every reader naturally want to hate such a nasty character as you. Call writers gods and you won’t be far from the truth. Declaration of such piece as “pure work of fiction…any semblance to anyone alive or dead is a mere coincidence” settles it.

1. Who else brings into eternal existence what had never existed before if not creative writers? Globally, which other set of professionals are granted absolute liberty and legal, moral and spiritual licenses to kill without remorse? I mean, kill for fun, or just spill blood to impress readers!

Creative writers all over the world are reputed to make their antagonists and oppressors suffer all their lives in story plots and in the end, die shameful, painful and inglorious deaths before or at the end of their stories. By now, I expect you already know that every creative writer basically writes out of personal experiences and encounters.

Those who understand this phenomenon usually play smart by befriending writers so that it might be well with their souls. History has it that smart politicians and those in public service also exploit this to their advantage. The wise try hard not to get in the black books of writers. Just as it is with the power to give or take life, some writers for several reasons can also recreate demons into “saints and angels” by turning black into white.

Yes, writers all over the world determine what you and I should think and/or believe.
Once you get on the wrong side in your dealings with writers, you are rest assured that history will never be on your side. After all, whatever is written is written and, take it or leave it, though heaven and earth might pass away, but the word, I mean the printed word from the gods, like the chameleon faeces, shall never, ever pass away!