As tears flowed down silently down my cheeks, I held my father tight, as he rode the scooter to my school. I couldn’t bear to see people turning around and staring at me, pointing at me. I just wanted to vanish into thin air. I prayed that my father did not stop the scooter at any point. Please God, let this nightmare be over.

I was dressed in rags, an old saree( traditional attire of Indian women) deliberately torn at places. An artificial filthy wig of more white than black stuck to my head. …

When I was a kid, I had to participate in a fancy dress competition. Like my other girlfriends, I too wanted a fairy tale princess attire for myself. But as luck would have it, by the time we reached the shop, all the costumes were sold out. The shop-owner held a mucky wig in his hand saying that is what is left. And my father, who is never to call it quits, took it and I participated in the event as a sweeper!

I hated all the princesses from that day on.

And all the protagonists of the many fairy…

I am attending this lecture and thought of sharing the same with you all so that it benefits you in perfecting your craft.

It is always prudent to look around and pick things from people who have figured it out than toil all alone to reach there.

This is a one-hour lecture and Q&A session conducted by John Claude Bemis, who has been published by Penguin and Disney.

The lecture is about developing everyday activities that improve the writing process.

The lecture will air live at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 6 PM GMT on Wednesday, July 28th, 2021.

You can register for the lecture here.

Meet you there.

As a child, I had always seen my mother work very hard — for everyone else. I had never seen her put on a mask and relax, put on a hair mask, or visit a salon for a foot massage. I was never asked to wait for 5 minutes because it was her favorite show on TV.

She always toiled hard for everyone. She loved everyone and showed that in action. Everyone loved her, adored her.

She never put herself first.

Innocuously, though, it did one thing.

It taught me that I should always think about others. I am not the most important person.

A few years back, I pointed her out. She is now learning to practice self-importance.

And I have made it a point to teach that to my daughter.

“I am important.”

What do the movies Planet of the Apes, Passengers, and War of the Worlds have in common?

Not a common director, producer, or a common actor. All three movies have a great pace throughout the movie, till the ending. Though the content keeps the audience enthralled, the endings fail to stick to the landing. That leaves the audience slightly disappointed.

And then there are these movies that end with a bang. Even after you have left the cineplex, it sticks to you and lingers for some time, popping its head in conversations days later.

That is how a conclusion should…

I am a writer — nascent, struggling, and yet to taste success.

I have dreamt high and have tasted dirt. I am not one of those rags-to-riches stories everyone loves to know about.

And here I stand, on the crossroads, with two signboards-

Quality and Quantity

Which one do I take? Which path will lead me to success?

Many writers have found themselves in this quagmire. It is age-old. Who am I to escape this?

The answer also is not quite simple. One needs to think it through to arrive at the appropriate decision. The selection of one over the…

I rarely give my stories to my husband to read. He skims through them, sings loads of generic praises, and quickly moves on to another topic. Leaving me stranded.

We writers rack our brains, squeeze out every iota of creativity, dedication, and willpower to come up with something. We are loners, wandering around the seven worlds, but alone.

A demanding job to do.

And every small help is a welcome help. It can be a stray conversation that has generated an idea, meeting a person who fits a character in your plot, or just the sunset that results in a…

It was a business venture. My failure.

I lost peace of mind, had almost zilch bank balance, lost respect in the eyes of many, and was also humiliated in many situations.

That’s all in the past, now.

But today, when I think about it, I am a much happier person. Sounds weird? No, I did not lose my mind in the process. Don’t sweat.

Here is what I garnered during the journey, which I am sure I would have been deprived of, had I tasted success.

Accepting people as they are

I have been told harsh and judgemental things during and post my business. But…