The Writer and the Raven

It was a dark and cloudy day with nary a bird that sings. But somewhere, a writer is locked deep inside his thoughts thinking about something arcane and mysterious. Therein, a black raven appears and perches on a branch nearby.

**Squawk**
**Squawk**

The writer looks up from his desk and ponders. The bird seems to eye him carefully as if it wanted to say something.

Finally, unable to discern what the raven wants, the writer attempts to speak with it.

"Tell me your heart's desire oh, raven." queried the weary writer.

**Squawk**

"I need you to write about a thing." says the raven.

**Squawk**

"Ah, you've come to the right place and met the right man." the overjoyed writer says. "I have some time for you and would love to write as writers do. Tell me, my friend. What would you have me write?"

**Squawk**

"I need you to write about a thing." the raven says again with glassy eyes that seemed to lack any emotion or thought.

"Hmm... Fair enough. If you need me to write about a thing, then I will write about a thing."

So the writer begins.

Writing about a thing, is a tedious task. So the writer gazes over the horizon and musters all the knowledge he can about things, as things present themselves to him. He consulted with sages of old and gathered the bits and pieces of parchments he can in the deepest recesses of his cave. He crafts and toils as the man digging on the soil does and works tirelessly to beat "the deadline".

Things are unique or so they say. One may look at it from the top and one may look at it from the bottom. One may look at it from the inside where it counts. Or one may look at it from the outside, as the world sees it.

"Hah hah!" says the writer finally, as he joyfully looks at his work with pride.

The raven cocks its head sideways.

**Squawk**

**Squawk**

Making sure that no word is frail and checking if all the subjects and verbs are in place, the writer finally stops and looks at the raven. "Here it is, my friend. Here is... the thing."

**Squawk**

**Squawk**

As the writer hands the parchment about the thing to the raven, the raven suddenly tears it apart with its talons.

**Squawk**

**Squawk**

"I need you to write about a thing." again says the raven.

**Squawk**

**Squawk**

"I...I...I did as you told me to, dear raven." the tired writer shook as he spoke trying to control his anger. "I wrote about a thing - nay, I even did more and wrote about more things. I thought you would be pleased."

**Squawk**

**Squawk**

"I need you to write about another thing." the raven cocked its head again sideways.

That's when the writer realized that it was a futile matter. It was a lesson learned long ago, one that he has forgotten.

Never write for a raven, for a raven cannot write by itself.

---

If you're a Filipino freelance writer and have encountered a similar situation from a fellow Filipino freelance writer who asks you to write for him, don't be disheartened. 

For ravens eventually show themselves to be as they are. Take it as a lesson to be careful and weary. 

That you may not have to write a sad tale about the raven and the writer.


Creative Commons Image via Flickr