#Piyusha Vir

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8 Steps to Break Through Writer’s Block

Although Camp NaNoWriMo has wrapped up for the year, this doesn’t mean that you have to stop writing until November! Inspiration can strike at any time, so it’s good practice to take advantage of it when it does. Today, Piyusha Vir, Municipal Liaison for the Asia :: India region, gives you some advice on how to find that inspiration even when you feel blocked:

All of us face a blank wall sooner or later. Even experienced writers and successful authors face it. But for new writers, it can be even more difficult to start off. The blank page or screen stares intimidatingly back at us as we struggle to fill it with something interesting.

We start to write something, then think again. We delete it only to rephrase it differently. We may reach half way across the page and still not be happy with what we’ve written. No matter how many times we make a start, somehow we just can’t seem to get it right.

If this sounds familiar, here are some tips to get over that initial roadblock:

1. Use something random.

Use random phrases, idioms, words, quotes, song lyrics, photos, dialogues, tweets, Facebook comments, etc. as inspiration. NaNoWriMo has some great prompts that come in Camp Care packages in April and July, and tweets throughout November.

2. Read about writing.

Read as many articles or posts on writing as you can. These usually offer very insightful tips on how to approach the process of writing, and are also very helpful in giving tips on how to pick up ideas from around you. They can help give you a spark to get you started.

3. Connect with others.

Read other people’s blogs, posts, and comments. It usually triggers off something––the memory of a similar incident, the death of a loved one, your own take on life, your opinions regarding a social evil, love for a shared interest. All of these can be developed into a chapter, scene, or jumping-off point.

4. Reflect on life.

Take a moment’s pause and reflect on your life––important milestones, incidents and/or experiences, lessons learned, or even setbacks. You may want to write about them and share them with others.

5. Take a break.

Disconnect from your writing and connect with the real world. Remember that there’s life beyond the virtual world (I really need to take my own advice). Listen to music. Take a walk. Observe and absorb the sights around you. Real Life and Nature are both very good sources of inspiration. Explore a place and use it as a setting for a story or post. You can create a fictional account of a seemingly happy married couple fighting while on holiday, an interaction between two strangers who are stuck at a bus stop in the rain, a philosophical take on failed relationships, a poem about the starry night sky. Anything from the real world can be developed into something on paper.

Taking a break is very important as it helps declutter your mind. Pick up that half-written draft that you tossed aside yesterday. Revisit a previously written draft after a short break. Stuck in the middle of an article? Leave it alone for now. Sometimes, the time away from your desk helps you see your writing with a fresh mind and perspective. This not only improves the quality of writing but also helps you avoid glaring mistakes that may distract and take away from the message in your story.

6. Talk. Read. Ask. 

Just involve yourself in the stories of other people. Talk to your neighbors or ask a couple how they met. You will get to know a lot more than you initially did. Not only does it create better relationships with the people around you, but also gives you insights about people and how certain incidents shaped their lives and made them who they are. These discussions can become the basis of a character study in your novel.

7. Ask for advice.

Read up about the experiences and advice that veteran writers share. It may not give you ideas but will give you comfort and solace in knowing that you are not the only one experiencing writer’s block. Give yourself space and time.

8. Write. Just write.

However obvious this point may seem, it can’t be emphasized enough. You may not have a clear idea of how to express what you want to write, so just ramble on. You may not know what to talk about or how to go about it. So, just write about the first thought that comes to mind. If you burnt the chicken casserole, are frustrated with your pathetic painting skills, or couldn’t find that important appointment letter, then write about it. Pour out your feelings. It doesn’t matter whether it makes sense or not. You can always edit and re-edit it later. You don’t have to even publish it or share with anyone at all. But developing the habit of writing is an important step in the right direction.

Whenever something from any of the above steps sparks off a writing idea that germinates in your head, go to this step. Just write. Before you know it, you will have already crossed the “writer’s block” hurdle and will be writing furiously away to glory.

A version of this article was first published on WanderingSoulWriter.com.

Piyusha Vir (ML for Asia :: India) is a 'sometime sane reader, part-time crazy writer, and full time wacky alien'. She is currently working on her first novel (which started in April Camp 2016), as well as various travel articles and short stories that she writes on her blog, wanderingsoulwriter.com. You may often catch her prowling the bookshelves at the CWI venue Readomania Lounge (in Delhi).

If you wish to join the 'very crazy, sometimes active, always supportive' Delhi NaNoWriMo gang, message her on the NaNoWriMo site.

Top photo by Flickr user Jeremy Bronson.

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10 Reasons why you should attend Times Literature Festival Bangalore 2020 - Times of India

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/10-reasons-why-you-should-attend-times-literature-festival-bangalore-2020-times-of-india/

10 Reasons why you should attend Times Literature Festival Bangalore 2020 - Times of India

Literature is an amalgamation of ideas, opinions and experiences that are weaved into beautiful narratives and scintillating stories. It serves the purpose of uniting the past with the present, the real with the imaginary and the spoken with the written. With an escalating appreciation for books and an increasing love for literature, literary festivals have become a magnificent hub for all literature enthusiasts and aspiring writers. It is a space that brings together people from different backgrounds and culture and transcends the barriers of gender, race, age and nationality. With that being said, the sixth edition of Times Literature Festival Bangalore 2020 is back again with an impressive line-up of exemplary speakers, revolutionary ideas and electrifying performances.

Here are the top 10 reasons why you shouldn’t miss out on this year’s Times literature festival Bangalore.

1. Be a part of multiple Sessions of diverse nature Times Literature Festival, with its amazing list of speakers and sessions, has assembled together a variety of panel discussions on numerous topics and themes that reflect and portray the diversity of literature. The Festival has a line-up of sessions discussing not just the generic themes of romance, storytelling, mythology, modern relationships and crime, but also spine-chilling sessions on the science of paranormal, inspiring talks by survivors and dialogues on diaspora writings by authors away from their homeland.

2. Meet the most prominent authors of India With its amazing line-up of highly interesting and sophisticated sessions, the list of speakers includes best-selling authors, namely William Dalrymple, Devdutt Pattanaik, Ashwin Sanghi, Chetan Bhagat, Jairam Ramesh, , Manu Pillai, Ravinder Singh, Kavita Kane, Preeti Shenoy, Anand Neelakantan, Minnie Vaid, Hoshang Merchant, Anuja Chauhan and many more.

3. The global element of the Festival This year, Times Litfest Bangalore is going bigger, better and global with six sensational mix of writers, actor, director and journalists from 5 different countries, that include Nemat Sadat (USA), Jan Stocklassa (Sweden), Anthonythasan Jesuthasan (France), Priya Balasubramanian (UK), Andrew Fidel Fernando (Sri Lanka) and Claudia Wallin (Sweden), each of whom will bring in an international insight and perspective into the festival.

4. Enjoy electrifying performances

The key highlights of the two-day festival are the grand performances by three major artists. Usha Uthup, a well-renowned singer, will mesmerize everyone with her sensational and electrifying musical performance. Papa CJ, an award-winning international stand-up comedian, will light up the entire venue with laughter and happiness with his scintillating stories and hilarious jokes. Finally, the team of Aisi Taisi Democracy comprising of Varun Grover, writer, lyricist and comedian, Sanjay Rajoura, a stand-up comedian and Rahul Ram, a musician and a guitarist, will present a power-packed performance that will be an amalgamation of music, comedy and political commentary.

5. The ‘Celebrity’ effect

Literature lovers, here’s a chance to meet your favorite stars at the Times Literature Festival Bangalore, who will share stories of their artistic journey and literary experiences. The festival will feature renowned artists and actors, namely Richa Chadha, Piyush Jha, Tammaanah Bhatia, Mandira Bedi and Nandana Sen, who will not only discuss their latest books but also give an account of their literary journey.

6. Book launches and signings What are literary festivals without the joy of discovering new books in the market and the treat of getting personalized copies signed by your favorite authors. Keeping that in mind, Times Literature Festival has organized a myriad of book launches and signings. The list of authors who will be launching their books at the festival include Piyush Jha, Vinita Dawra Nangia, Ashwin Sanghi, Arjun Gaind, Naseha Sameen , Satyarth Nayak, T M Krishna and Nidhi Chapekar, who have written excellent works of literature.

7. Engage in creative workshops and enlightening talks In addition to an exquisite line-up of sessions, the festival also welcomes you to its specially-crafted and fun-packed workshops and talks by various eminent figures. The workshops include: a creative workshop on writing by Saikat Majumdar and world record holder cartoonist Panduranga Rao will discuss the art of cartooning. Besides the many workshops, the festival has scheduled enlightening talks by our speakers, namely Roopa Pai, Arjun Gaind, Nandana Sen, Kavita Kane and Kiran Manral. We also have a morning of competitive, creative engagements for children on Sunday.

8. Traverse into the world of readings

Writing and reading are an integral part of literature. Therefore, the festival will host multiple book readings by some of the brilliant authors of our times. Some of them are Piyusha Vir, Omi Singh, Naseha Sameen, Claudia Wallin, Angshudas Gupta and Nitya Ravi. Many of our Write India winners, namely Mansi Babbar, Vani Shivashankar, Anumita Ghosh and Preethi B will also be a part of the wonderful readings at the festival.

9. The best of children’s literature and fun activities Times Literature Festival Bangalore has planned out special literary treats and fun-packed activities for all the children. Parents and most essentially kids can discover more about the latest publications and the best reads for children by some of the most outstanding children’s authors, Venita Coelho, Khyrunissa, Roopa Pai, Anitha Murthy and Deepa Agarwal. The Festival will also host interesting competitions for all the children on story-writing, hand-writing, slogan-writing and drawing.

10. Celebrate the lovely ambience of Jayamahal Palace Set against the backdrop of the beautiful lush green landscape is the grand Jayamahal Palace, the home of the Mysore Royal Family and the venue for the Times Literature Festival Bangalore. It is located at the centre of the city and is home to over 20 acres of beautiful gardens that are meticulously maintained and looked after. The Palace provides the very essence of literary ambience and commemorates the literary diversity Times Literature Festival believes in.

So mark your calendars and be ready for the warmest, grandest and most wonderful festival of the year. To know more details about the schedule, click here. Follow for live updates: Twitter Facebook Instagram

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Getting to Work!

I was recently tagged on Facebook by my friend Piyusha Vir for the #GettingToEqual challenge. This hashtag, an endeavor by Accenture India and Women’s Web, encouraged women to share their stories on how and why they work, be it their success stories, or how they got to work. The idea is to share as many stories as possible to inspire women and men to achieve equal status at…