In the short story “Becoming a Writer” by Junot Diaz, the author emphasizes the significance of commitment and determination in the journey to becoming a skilled writer. Diaz shares his struggle with surpassing the “75 page mark” in a novel he was writing. Despite his efforts, he felt trapped, comparing himself to being “chained to the sinking ship of those 75 pages and there was no key and no patching the hole in the hull”.
Diaz recounts the difficulties of overcoming writer’s block after a prolonged period of five years, pondering the idea of pursuing a different profession. In an effort to explore alternative career options, Diaz’s fiancee suggests creating a list detailing his various talents. However, the list is disappointingly short, comprising merely three points. Diaz describes how he would gaze at this list, eagerly hoping for a spark of inspiration to revive his motivation. Alas, that spark never materialized. Consequently, he abandons his literary endeavors and gradually distances himself from the writing community, refraining from participating in book clubs or even visiting bookstores.
Diaz attempts to find a positive aspect within the pages of his downward spiral into normality, in an effort to regain his focus. He divides the 75 pages and despite his inner resistance, he delves back into the challenging journey. After three years, he is able to look at his stack of pages and declare it as completed. Diaz asserts that nobody is flawless and can effortlessly commence writing a novel. Hard work and unwavering determination are the keys to success.
