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Raditya Dika talks writing anxieties, realities in webinar
Raditya Dika is of the opinion that art, including writing, illustrates the worries and concerns of the creator
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For Raditya Dika, life is short, so why bother spending that time doing something you don’t like?
One of the keys to a happy life, he says, is finding a hobby that brings you so much joy that you lose track of time – in his case, reading.
Speaking at a webinar held as part of Astra’s 65th anniversary celebrations, Raditya noted that a writer’s journey starts from a reader’s journey: “Can I write something that people will enjoy as much as I enjoy this piece?”
“To me, all art is an avenue to express your concerns and anxieties. There’s a lot of anxious people in this world – the ones who overthink late into the night, the ones who feel uneasy at reunion invitations over whether their friends are more successful than they are or the ones who want to see what the world has to offer for them yet are unwilling to go out of their comfort zone,” he said.
Perhaps coming up with that first sentence is a challenge for every writer that has taken up the pen (or keyboard), not only in terms of inspiration, but also in taking that first step forward.
Raditya was frank in his explanation. There was always that lingering worry that readers could find a writer’s work to be banal or dull, or an apprehension over every word that might appear in the comments section or in a review.
But it was this first step that also took Raditya to be the writer he is today. His blog entries as a student in Adelaide were adapted into his first book Kambing Jantan: Sebuah Catatan Harian Pelajar Bodoh in 2005, paving the way for an illustrious career that included forays into comedy, acting, directing and script writing.
On the occasion of Anugerah Pewarta Astra (APA) 2022, which took the theme of “Bangkit Bersama Untuk Indonesia" (Rising Together for Indonesia), taking that first step can be the starting point for many aspiring writers.
Open to both journalists and the general public, APA 2022 seeks to showcase inspirational and positive stories from the 565 recipients of the Semangat Astra Terpadu Untuk (SATU) Indonesia Awards, as well as the figures behind the 170 Kampung Berseri Astra (KBA) and 1,060 Desa Sejahtera Astra (DSA) across Indonesia.
The SATU Indonesia Awards is a form of Astra's appreciation for the younger generation, who have pioneered changes to share with the surrounding community in the fields of health, education, environment, entrepreneurship and technology, along with a group category representing the five fields.
The webinar was held as part of Astra’s 65th anniversary celebrations, inviting content creator and writer Raditya Dika as well as photographer Putri Anindya as speakers.
In Raditya’s view, the reality is that many will not come home a winner, as there will be numerous submissions from across the country competing for a limited spot.
“For many of those who are scared to join, this is also a chance for them to practice handling rejection. In life, no one is automatically the best. We also have to remember that failure is a part of our creative process, because everyone will have to experience that feeling of failure to learn from their mistakes,” he said.
“The cycle of content creation is to create, evaluate and amend. If we never experience failure, we will never be able to evaluate. Learn from the winners and use that knowledge to improve your work in the future.”
However, should they win, Raditya said the submitter’s credibility would rise accordingly, gaining another entry in their portfolio and perhaps even leverage to raise their commission fees.
“Both losing and winning is a good outcome, so why not enter the competition?”
For more information about APA 2022, visit https://lombafotoastra.satu-indonesia.com/tentang-lomba/.
This article was published in collaboration with Astra
