The Ultimate Short Story Workshop: A Quick Summary

On the 28th of July, 2018, I conducted a creative writing workshop at Atta Galatta in association with Juggernaut books. The aim of the workshop was to give a jumpstart to writers who were keen on getting their creativity flow through short stories.

It was my first time facing creative writing students as all my previous students have been engineering students during my stint as a lecturer at my alma mater. Yet, it was fun from the word go.

Here is a brief summary of the topics that were discussed at the workshop:

The concept of the Artist Brain and the Editor Brain:

Writers often struggle with creativity because there is always a war going on inside their heads. Everytime the creative or the 'artist' brain comes up with a brilliant idea, the 'editor' brain or the logical brain nitpicks and discourages the writer.

Yet, when these two work alternatively on the manuscript, it often results in a brilliant, bestselling story.
The trick is to involve the artist brain in the creation of the ideas/ first draft. The editor brain is great at structuring the story and revising it and hence use it that way. 

Exercise: As the 'artist' brain works best under time pressure, the students were asked to come up with a short synopsis for a story idea they had within ten minutes.

Types of writers:

Writers are different in the way they create stories. Yet we can divide writers into mainly three categories.

1) Pantsers or Gardeners
2) Plotters or Architects
3) Plotsers or Hybrids

Read in detail about the different categories by clicking here.

6 Key elements of a short story

1) Character
A character can be a person, animal or thing around which the story is developed.

2) Setting
Setting talks about when and where the story is happening.

3) Conflict 
Conflicts can be of two types: Internal and External.
The kinds of conflicts are 
a) Man vs Man
b) Man vs Nature
c) Man vs science fiction
Read more about conflicts and character sketch here.

4) Plot
The plot is a series of events that takes the character closer to his/her goal.

5) Point of View or POV

The different types of POV are: 

a) First person (Walking-in-their-shoes style)
Here the main character is the narrator. This technique is very effective to draw the reader into the story.
Pronouns used: (I, Me, Myself)

b) Second person (Reader-is-the-character style)
Mostly avoided in fiction as it lacks the pull of the first or third person pov. 
Pronouns used: (You, Your, Yours)

c) Third Person (Fly-on-the-wall style) 
The narrator knows how the characters think, feel, react to various events and experiences. 
Two styles: Third person limited, Third person omniscient
Pronouns used: (She, He, herself, himself)

6) Theme
A theme is an underlying message the story has for the reader. It can also be a hidden lesson.
Read more about it here:

20 Themes in Fiction Writing with Examples

How to create vivid characters:

You can create a vivid character by getting to know your character better. 
Here are some details to jot down. Tabulate the following data for your character.

a) Biodata of your character
b) Physical characteristics
c) Describe their life in general when the story is beginning.
d) What are their goals, deepest fears, secrets, likes, dislikes?
e) How was their childhood?
f) Did they undergo any tragedy?
g) What is the best thing that happened to them?
h) Nuances and idiosyncrasies like accent, mannerisms etc
i) Habits


Even though we won't be using many of these in the story, it still creates a vivid picture of your character in your mind. This helps to write better scenes.

How to hook the reader from line one?

Writers use many techniques to grab the attention of the reader right from page one.
Some are:
1) An interesting first sentence
2) Beautiful description
3) Action
4) Humour
5) In-media-res (Beginning at a pivotal moment) (Read more about it here)
6) Intriguing character
7) An unusual situation
8) Show, don't tell. (Read more about it here) 
9) Pace
10) Exploding the moment ( Read more about it here)

Read more about hooking the reader by clicking here.

A Quick Formula to Plot a Story

The easiest way to plot is the ABDCE formula. In the ABDCE structure for plotting a story/novel developed by Alice Adams, the story begins with an Action or an inciting incident.

• Action: This is the inciting incident which sets off the story in motion.
• Background: What happened to the characters in the past that made them what they are today.
• Development: The course of the story where the characters chase their goals.
• Climax: This is the point where the goals are achieved with dramatic consequences.
• Ending: All the loose threads in the plot are tied up.

You can use this technique to plot a novel as well. Read more about it by clicking the below link

How to Plot your Novel using the ABDCE Formula

Editing your first draft

Some quick tips:

Stage 1) Take it up after a break. check for obvious flaws and errors.

Stage 2) Tighten the prose

Stage 3) Read aloud to see how the story sounds

Read more about editing in these posts:

15 Steps for Rewriting your First Draft

Of Dialogues, Drafts, Developments and Dictionaries

Kill your darlings

X-Ray Vision for Editing

Final Checklist

A checklist always helps when we are in the editing stage. At this stage, the editor brain has taken complete charge of your manuscript. It loves lists.

Check if there are:

1) Grammatical errors and passive voice

2) Structural problems

3) Punctuating and formatting errors

4) Interesting first sentence/ paragraph.

5) Is the character likeable?

6) Is the ending interesting/ cliched/ cheating? 

7) What is the readability quotient?

Hope this post gets you closer to your dream of converting your inner visions into perfect short stories.

How to Write more Every day?

March begins today and I haven't really written anything on the blog last few months month except posting a few interviews and cover reveals for which practically I had nothing to write.

Are you wondering why?

I was busy writing.

One of the resolutions I made for 2018 was to be more productive as a writer this year. And that asks for a more disciplined writing schedule and writing practices.

A target I had in mind while thinking about it was minimum 2500 to 3000 words a day.

For the past few days, I am happily achieving that within the two or three writing hours that I get for myself. My highest word count was 3800 words within two focused hours.

How did I achieve that?

Pomodoro Technique:

I am using the Pomodoro technique which I have described before in this blog before. Read about it here. The writing is done in sprints of 25 minutes. Anyone can easily write 500 words in 20 minutes. So imagine how much you can write if you have 4-5 such sprints!

During this time, I do not answer any calls or check social media notifications. The Internet is disabled on my computer and the Scrivener window remains open in fullscreen mode. 
 In short no distractions.

Plot your story:

I used to be a pantser. That means I used to just write and develop the story as it came to me. I have by now realised the benefits of being a plotter. So I plot the entire story before I sit to write. I make a rough outline of each chapter before I actually begin to write.


Rehearse writing:

Another thing that really helped was rehearsing the scenes that I wanted to write in my mind while doing chores. This way, when I was about to write, I had even the exact sentences /dialogues that I wanted to write.

Turn off the internal Editor:

Writers and editors cannot co-exist. While writing, ask the editor in you to go and take a break. Editing is for another time.

Why should you do this?

Writing uses your right brain which is the creative center of your brain. Whereas, editing uses the left brain or the logical and analytical center of your brain. If both these areas create a conflict, the output will be zero.

So how to turn the editor off?

Free write. Write your heart out. Don't listen to the brain which would want you to consider whether you have used the perfect word. Or whether you have committed a typo.

At the end of each session, go back and correct your mistakes. But while writing, don't break the flow by going back to edit. When writing, just write.

Read more books:

Reading always makes you a better writer. The words that get imprinted in our memory pours out while we are writing our own story. We can model scenes and characters on visuals which might be from fiction or from real life. The exposition comes easily if you read more books in the genre you are writing.

Exercise:

I do yoga for an hour every day so that my body gets back its vitality and energy which it loses if I sit long hours in front of my computer. 
Yoga also helps in clearing the clutter in our mind and gives clarity to the mind. Team it with a short meditation and the benefit just doubles.
Caution: When you start any kind of exercise, do so only under the guidance of a teacher or trainer.

Sleep well:

Getting minimum 8 hours of undisturbed sleep is the best medicine. Make sure you give your body adequate rest to rejuvenate every day.

POINTERS:

Hope this helps you to accomplish your writing goals this year.

This is written for the #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 #Instacuppa hosted by HealthWealthBridge.com, FashionableFoodz.com and AllAboutTheWoman.com. The challenge is from 15 Feb – 26 April 2018. 

Write More using the Pomodoro Technique! #MyFriendAlexa Post 4

Sitting is considered by doctors as the new smoking. The more you sit, the more you are lowering your chances of a long and healthy life. But that is a not possible for writers. We sit for long hours in front of our computers. 

So what is the solution?

That is where the Pomodoro technique comes to your rescue.

Pomodoro technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. These intervals are named pomodoros, the plural in English of the Italian word pomodoro (tomato), after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used as a university student. (as explained in Wikipedia)

Stretch, walk about, do deep breaths, do whatever that will help your body to relax during the breaks.

The output of this technique is unbelievable. I use this technique regularly while I write or blog. Your productivity can increase manifold if you create a distraction-free environment during these sessions.

I have written 1000 words per session using this technique. Just imagine how many sessions can you squeeze in a day!

Because of this technique, I am able to cross off most of the items on my to-do list.

There are Pomodoro apps you can download. Or you can use the timer on your computer or phone or watch.

How can you write more using this technique?

1. Before you start, plan what you will write during the session. Make notes about the post/scene you are going to write.
2. Switch off the internet, so that you are not distracted during the session with pings, emails or social media notifications.
3. Stop when the timer goes off. This will be helpful to make you remain in the flow even after the session ends.
4. Take a break and resume writing in a fresh new session.

I have completed writing a novella within a month using this technique. That too while blogging, doing my household chores, reading, exercising and looking after a naughty 8-year-old.

I don’t spend hours staring at the blank screen thinking about what to write anymore. When I sit in front of my laptop, I have a note in front of me which will guide me. All I have to do is to expand the ideas.

Have you tried the Pomodoro technique?

 This post is part of #MyFriendAlexa campaign by @Blogchatter

I want to take my Alexa Rank to the next level with My Friend Alexa.

The Secret Behind Creative Blocks

According to Julia Cameron, the author of Artist’s way, when we open ourselves to creativity, we open ourselves to the creator’s creativity within us. Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.

When we are blocked creatively, the in-dwelling creative force which is the purest form of life energy gets blocked. Life doesn’t seem worth living. Nothing seems interesting.

Why then do we face creative blocks?

Reasons behind a creative block:

There are many kinds of artistic blocks including limiting beliefs, fear, sabotage, jealousy and guilt. The reason varies from person to person. The most common underlying emotion behind all major creative blocks is usually fear. Fear of failure, fear of criticism or fear of shame. You can find fear arriving under all sorts of masks and personas.

Some of us self-sabotage our creativity. We make U-turns just about at the point where our efforts are beginning to show promise. We give up too easily.

Are you blocking your creativity?

Even the most prolific artists, writers, and dancers sometimes get blocked. Their creative juices stop flowing mysteriously. But in reality, there is nothing mysterious about it. The creativity block usually stems from fear. Creatives then find innovative ways to block their creativity which had created the cause for the fear.

For example, an established writer might find herself blocked after a particularly nasty review. An aspiring writer might find himself blocked after a beta reader, who doesn’t understand what he is trying to bring out through his work, labels the work as half-baked with no promise.

A painter might find herself blocked after a particularly unsuccessful show. A dancer might face creativity block after a disastrous stage performance.

After that, they would find ways to distract themselves from being lured by their own inner creator.

Most of them would find solace in the creativity of others.

They might go on reading binges, watching movies endlessly or might find comfort in food and alcohol. Anything to numb the creative energy that demands to be given an outlet.

The first major step you have to undertake to unblock your creativity is to confront your block.

What is it that you fear? 

What is the payback from being blocked?

How are you blocking your creativity?

Are you bingeing on something to numb your creativity? What is it?

Who is your worst critic?

Answer these questions as honestly as you can. Then we can find ways to eliminate the block.

Do comment below if you are facing a creative block and want to remove it.

The next post will deal with the ways to unblock creativity.
If you haven't read the first part of this series on creativity, read it here:

 Part 1: Who gets to decide that you are a writer?

Who Gets to Decide that You are a Writer?

I recently met a writer friend with whom I had lost contact since months. We discussed many things and when I broached the topic of writing, she told me she didn’t consider herself as a writer anymore. I was baffled. Just months ago, she was brimming with story ideas. At that time, she was halfway through her next novel.

“I don’t think I am good enough. You know,  this reviewer trashed my book last month. I am blocked completely. I don’t think I can write ever again,” she said.

I could completely relate to her. Hadn’t I gone through a similar phase last year? The agony of not being able to pursue the one thing that she loved the most was evident in every word she uttered. I am writing this post series for her and for all such blocked creatives out there.

We are all born creative. We think we are the best artists in the world till the age of three or four. That is almost the age when we first start hearing about what is wrong in what we have created. Our creativity sometimes dies at that point in time when we first faced our worst critic. Many of us can only draw stick figures how much ever hard we try. Because it was at that stage where we had stopped drawing or trying to draw. That was when, years ago, our art teacher/ classmate showed our drawing to the whole class and mocked it. Most of us stay blocked after that for a lifetime. The ones who survive become masters of their craft.

A writer or any creator, as a matter of fact, is always their own worst critic. It is after fighting their inner demons that they put up their work in public. And when someone ridicules it after ticking off their own checklist of what goes into the making of that particular genre of art, the doubts they had harbored long in their mind gets cemented. Many succumb to the insecurities within and stop creating art completely. The fear that gets awakened is often soul numbing.

Jane Austen published her books anonymously initially. Women in the regency era were not supposed to write. Wordsworth and Coleridge stopped writing poetry after an initial burst of creativity in their youth. Harper Lee didn’t publish another novel for many years after the massive success of her first novel ‘To Kill a mockingbird.’

Some others got recognition only after their death. When Vincent Van Gogh died in 1890, he had sold only one painting. His works were ridiculed by art critics then. His paintings gained popularity only after 1910.

Emily Dickinson hid most of her poems fearing public shaming as her writings were highly personal. It was after her death that many of her brilliant poems were published. 

Franz Kafka considered as the most influential writer of the twentieth century died without seeing any of his books published. No publisher was ready to publish them.

If you browse through history, you will find many other brilliant creators who stopped creating altogether after encountering creative blocks.

The question that needs to be answered is who gets to decide that you are a writer or an artist? Who gets to control your creative instincts?

The answer should be and is always ‘you’!

Only you know what you are capable of creating. Don’t let anyone judge you by a piece of art that you have created. Don’t let anyone brand you as a loser because your creativity did not appeal to them. Creativity is how your soul expresses itself. Never allow anyone or anything to darken the light that it shines upon your life. Never allow your inner child to cower in fear.

 So how do we unblock our creativity?

That requires another post.

Next post: The Secret behind Creative Blocks

Try Everything!

This song by Shakira has become my anthem. It silences my insecurities and shouts out the affirmations that I need to believe in.

Today I wish to talk about the process of creating a novel.

Becoming a novelist is a dream for many. Writing 50K-80K words to tell a story is not a joke. Those who have attempted and failed would agree with me. The ones, who never began, will never know the delight of holding the paperback of their own book.

When you begin, you have grand plans; you are pumped up with energy. You have done your research and have plotted the entire story. 2000 words a day and the novel will be ready in a month. Then life interferes. Naysayers try to detract you. Critics pull you down. The ones who failed tries hardest to ensure you don’t climb that elusive ladder of success. And if you do, they will try to drag you down with all their might.

As it is, the task of creation itself demands much of your energy and enthusiasm. The negativity that we face from these people, sometimes, envelops us in a mist of self-doubt.

What can we do during such a time?

Try everything to get back that initial enthusiasm. Take a break. Work on your craft. Invest time to read more books in the genre that you are writing. Read books that don’t fall in your category. Get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Fail, but start again. Reel in the darkness trying to string together words but stick to it with stubbornness. Allow the characters to tell their story through you. Be open to imbibe words, the magical beings that journey across the cosmos to create a new world. A world owned by your protagonists.

Stick to your timings to write. Make it a daily ritual. Words will begin to flow. If they don’t, persist till they obey you. There are no greater friends than words. They can soothe you like the best balm in the world. But they can also drown you in angst. Tantalizing and tormenting the writer playing hide-n-seek is what they do best.

Remember that no one has ever achieved anything without failing. If you wait for your sentences to sound perfect every time you write, you will never tell your story. First drafts are always crap. It is the subsequent drafts that mould and polish your story. Stick at it with patience and you will have your masterpiece ready.

Whenever you feel that you are failing, go ahead and listen to this song. Trust me, it will pep you up.

My Creative Genie

There was a time when merely reading books made me the happiest person alive. But these days that has ceased to be the biggest entertainer.

Now, more than reading, I crave to write, I value the time I get to create new characters and a new world.

Why? Because writing opens up a different portal, a parallel universe where I am the God! I make my characters laugh, love, cry, fight and live happily ever after.  There comes moments when the chatter of their voices doesn’t allow me to sleep, moments when their trauma or heartache becomes mine. There are also moments when they put me in dilemma by having their own thoughts and aims and take the story to places quite alien according to my carefully planned story line. They bring in new friends, new characters and twists adding excitement to the whole creative process.

My muse, my creative genie, as I would like to call it, has become my biggest entertainer. It becomes hyperactive sometimes and sometimes much to my horror goes on hibernation. I have to tease and prod multiple times when that happens. And boy, somehow I have mastered to entice it now and again with a promise to be loyal to it.

The best part about creative writing is the feedback from my readers. The moment when a reader searches you out on Facebook or twitter just to let you know that they loved your book. It is when hearing feedback from strangers that I get maximum satisfaction. Friends sometimes give surprises when they argue with you for the treatment of some characters in the book. It is oddly satisfying when a character creates such a sentiment in your readers. One friend said he fell in love with the heroine of ‘Without You’ and wanted to somehow meet the original person that inspired the character, so as to try a hand at getting into his/her good books!

Exposure and fame does follow success for a writer. I too had my moments and was featured in many online interviews after the release of my book in June. I also got press coverage in The New Indian Express on August 12. 

My book’s offline book launch was done by eminent writer Nandita Bose, whose writing I love. Check my post here where I talk in detail about the book launch.

So this magical thing called writing, together with my creative genie is bringing me happiness and making my little world a better place. I don’t regret leaving my well paid day job anymore, because writing is giving me joys that money cannot buy.

Words with their magic can change your world. Dear reader, do you not wish now to test their magic?

If you haven't read my book yet, buy it here:

Paperback : Amazon.in

Ebook : Amazon Kindle

Things that define me

There are many things that I am passionate about, be it books, craft, baking, cooking, friends, family or art. I am always on the lookout for new things to learn. My friend who is a horoscope expert tells me it is all written in the stars. He tells me my birth star represents searching for knowledge and hence I will be a student throughout  my life.

I like multi tasking which I think is an inherent power in every female. We juggle career, family and passion with ease. Nature has conditioned us that way through the centuries.

I love books and have been a bibliophile from the time I learnt reading. I have literally lost count of the number of books I have read. It is often half way through some old classics that I realize that ‘Oh I have read this before.’ And yes, some books I read and re-read again and again. Like Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre or the Harry Potter series. At any given time, I will have a minimum of three or four books that are in various stages of completion on my night table. I leave off reading a book when it digresses or stop pushing me forward to read, pick another one and then later return to it.

I have been good in arts and crafts right from school days. I still create stuff during my free hours. I crochet and create stuff out of waste. See some of my creations in these tutorials.

Make a Flower from plastic bags: http://tulipsandme.blogspot.in/2014/01/best-out-of-waste-flower-making-tutorial.html

Make a tulip out of sock material: http://tulipsandme.blogspot.in/2013/07/tulips-using-nylon-sock-tutorial.html

I do quilling and amigurumi crochet, which is the art of creating three-dimensional stuffed toys using crochet. I love creating dresses for dolls using crochet and machine stitching and my showcase is stuffed with them. I give away them to kids as gifts too.

I am passionate about art and I often present portraits of friends as their birthday gift. Here is a portrait I have created of Deepika Padukone.

I also create acrylic, oil and watercolour paintings. Here are some of my creations.

I am passionate about writing and I have written many stories until now for the various contests and many have won or been appreciated. Check my stories in the fiction area of this blog.

My stories have been published in The Second Life Anthology and in Blank Space, which would be out this month. Another two anthologies are in the various stages of publishing. My full-length novel will also be out soon. I have contributed articles to womensweb magazine.

I love cooking and my kitchen is my lab where I experiment with various cuisines and dishes. I bake cakes and puddings, which is always a must-have during joyful events.

I am a good friend and mentor to my friends and the makes my world a better place just being a part of it. I dot on my husband and son and when my son tells me I am the best mother in the world, I feel I have won an Oscar. To elicit a similar comment from my husband is pretty hard. I am a strict wife according to him. Yes...that I am.

Me with my son and husband

I am a certified Reiki healer and I do Reiki meditation daily to keep myself active and peaceful. I believe in a higher power that guides us, I believe in guardian angels and keep a angel oracle card deck handy to consult during moments of indecision. I am learning Tarot card reading too.

Photography and photoshop are two other passions. Most of the photos used in my blog are taken by me. The header design of my blog is also my creation.

These are the multitude of things that make me the person who I am. They define me and allow me to grow as a person.

 “This post is a part of #UseYourAnd activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette Venus“.

Creative Writing Tips From established Authors

All aspiring authors at one or other time find themselves at their wits end. So many doubts and questions plague them and a little tip from an established author can go a long way in their literary journeys.

I found an extremely nice write up by my favorite author, Jaishree Mishra.

Here is the LINK

Another one HERE from Preeti Shenoy, another one of my favorite authors.

Hope you found this useful.