What was the last book you read? Thinking hard? Or when did you finish off with a printed book? Can’t remember? I guess, it is almost the same story with all of us. We are super-busy going through (mind it, not “reading”) tweets, Facebook updates, online news updates or product descriptions (while we shop for our favorite cosmetic brand or choose a new pizza topping). But we rarely have time to “read” news articles, features, stories, and last of all books. This goes without saying that it is taking a toll on our health (both mental and physical).

Some years back, Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study (HRS) conducted a survey of more than 20,000 retirees, giving us interesting insights about the reading habits and health of more than 3,600 men and women over the age of 50: People who read books of any kind (fiction or non-fiction) for at least 30 minutes a day over several years had an average life span of two years longer than people who did not read anything at all. The HRS study also revealed that book readers who reported more than three hours of reading each week were 23% less likely to die between 2001 and 2012 than their peers who read only newspapers or magazines.

Research shows that the practice of reading books, creates a habit of a lifetime, with enhanced reading and language-acquisition skills that support healthy brain functioning in big ways.

Simply put: book reading offers some of the best-known perks of life. We have discussed some of them here.

1. BETTER VOCABULARY According to Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go.” Reading a good book opens up a whole world of knowledge before you. Exposure to that new vocabulary leads to higher scores on reading and general tests of intelligence. In addition, inculcating a reading habit early in life may mean higher intelligence later in life. A quick tip: read a printed book. Research suggests that reading on a screen can slow you down by as much as 20%-30%.

2. BETTER MEMORY A regular habit of reading improves memory. When you are reading a book your mind captures all the characters that you come across (assuming you are reading a story) taking note of their peculiarities, idiosyncrasies, and behavioral actions. When you are reading an insightful article your mind records the facts that you have read. In addition, you also have to remember plot changes, names of places (details do count), dates, nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots. It is quite interesting to note how, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways) and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods. Read a book today, before you go to sleep.

3. IMPROVED FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION What are you doing now? Reading this post? Listening to a podcast? Checking social media notifications? And also keeping track of emails? Since when have we become experts (read failures, mostly) at multi-tasking and doing nothing in total? We attempt to achieve a million tasks in a split second, and in the process inch closer to loss of concentration and poor memory. We are constantly distracted causing our stress levels to rise and lowering our productivity. It’s time to press the pause button! Pick up that book your aunt gifted you on your last birthday. Very soon you will notice a difference in yourself. All your attention is focused on the story—forgetting the rest of the world. Try reading for 15-20 minutes every day before work and you will be amazed at the results; feeling much more focused you are once you are in office. A quick tip: Read one book at a time.

4. WORD POWER INCREASES BRAIN POWER Reading exposes you to new words and phrases. You start thinking of the new words learned and use them as and when required. This, in turn, expands your thinking capacity. Learning foreign words is even better. Non-native speakers gain exposure to words used in different contexts, which will ameliorate their own speaking and writing fluency.

5. SHARPENS INTELLECT AND ANALYTICAL SKILLS Reading stories, especially science fiction or crime thrillers intrigues our thinking minds to wander and find answers to the mysteries. Our critical and analytical thinking starts taking note of all the tiny details and sorting them out. It is interesting to note that the same ability that leads us to analyze details helps us in critiquing the plot; judging its literary merit, characterization, and plot development. If you have ever discussed a book with others, you will know what I am saying. You will have a very strong opinion of your own.

6. STRESS BUSTER Reading books is one of the best ways to de-stress. A 2009 study by Sussex University researchers shows that reading may reduce stress by as much as 68 percent. “It really doesn’t matter what book you read, by losing yourself in a thoroughly engrossing book you can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend a while exploring the domain of the author’s imagination,” cognitive neuropsychologist David Lewis told The Telegraph. An engrossing novel can help your mind take a sojourn to untraveled realms of imagination. Reading a research article will fill your mind with new facts, clearing out the stress of everyday life.

7. READ MORE TO WRITE BETTER It goes without saying that a good writer lives within a good reader. The more you read, the better are your chances of being a good writer. Expanded vocabulary, exposure to different writing styles, genres, improves your writing. A regular habit of book reading helps you observe the writing styles of authors, journalists, poets, and writers and develop your own signature style.

Reading works of writer friends goes a long way in shaping your writing style and different perspectives. Writing retreats give you ample scope of reading each others’ works. Know more about the Six Literary Retreats to Explore in 2019.

8. GAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE Every time you read something, your head is filled with new bits of information, which you can make use of while writing. Reading expands your vision, and this newly-gained knowledge can help you go ahead with your writing. The more you read on a particular subject, the better is your understanding. Your enhanced knowledge helps you grow as a writer and prepares you to take up writing challenges.

9. BUILDS COGNITIVE RESERVE Reading fills your mind and exposes you to new words, phrases, and facts. New research indicates that a larger and richer vocabulary often leads to a more resilient mind by fueling what scientists call cognitive reserve. Cognitive reserve helps your brain cells locate new mental pathways and heal areas damaged by stroke, dementia, and other forms of decay.

“The most fruitful and natural exercise for our mind is, in my opinion, conversation.” ― Michel de Montaigne, The Essays: A Selection

Related: Writing for Self-discovery and Healing

A recent report by researchers of Spain’s University of Santiago de Compostela shows that reading can significantly delay the manifestation of mental decline. The team analyzed vocabulary test scores of more than 300 volunteers aged 50 and older and inferred that participants with the lowest scores were between three and four times more at risk of cognitive decay than participants with the highest scores.

10. IMPROVES MENTAL STIMULATION Studies have shown that reading causes mental stimulation and in the progress slows down Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Regular reading keeps your brain active and engaged. The brain, like any other muscle in the body, requires continuous exercise to keep it strong and healthy. Reading books induces your brain muscles to work, to think, to ponder on the new ideas, conflict of thoughts, find answers to riddles and wait for more. Stay active and alert with regular reading. What are you currently reading? What do you recommend? Let us know.

― Virginia Woolf, The Waves

How often have I wanted to take a short trip to a hillside town or a quiet eco-village to recollect my thoughts? Honestly speaking, almost every day. Even better, if I come across like-minded people, I mean writers. A writer’s conference is too formal, and a literary workshop hardly offers any time for exploring the surroundings. A writing retreat suits me perfectly, where I can meet and work with other writers, in a more intimate setting. A literary retreat is a great combination of workshops, tours, and interaction, and since most of them are in beautiful locations with scenic backdrops, I can also go for guided tours. And of course, find enough time for writing. Whether you book a place for yourself in a literary retreat or create your own writing retreat with friends, plan your activities well in advance. Here, I have suggested seven must-do activities on a literary retreat.

1. Write What would you do if you had six hours of uninterrupted time for writing at a faraway literary retreat? I would have surely given up everything to be there. Really! A professional novelist or an amateur writer, we all crave for some time alone, to focus on what we want to write. A literary retreat or a writing retreat is the best place for you to get started on the novel you have been planning to write or think of a meaningful ending. Write when you want to, read out aloud (hey, no one's watching), revise on your own, rewrite a few sections. You will be amazed at your own thinking; how you come up with new ideas of unfolding the story in a few more layers, with far better results than you expected.

Re-read the opening pages and give it a second thought, stepping in the reader’s shoes or the finicky publisher’s flip-flops. You might want to add something you thought of adding a few weeks back. Or you might want to change it entirely, now that you have discovered a fresh perspective.

2. Read A literary retreat is also when you have abundant time to read, your manuscripts, published or unpublished works, books that you could not find time to read, books of your favorite authors (for inspiration) and of course, writings of other retreat members. You will discover different styles of writing, approaches to writing, and ways of expression. Reading each other’s works is good for understanding the differential treatment of the same subject, genre or form. It also promotes a sense of camaraderie among the retreat members. This goes a long way in building mutually supportive writing buddies. This is one thing that all writers need along their journey.

Read

3. Interact One of the best things about literary retreats is the interaction between aspiring writers and publishing industry stalwarts. Published Authors and Editors of Leading Publishers. Imagine interacting informally with someone like Premanka Goswami (who has been named ‘Editor of the Year’, and is the Senior Commissioning Editor, Penguin India) about expectations of a big publishing house or getting expert tips on writing query letters. Yes, in the upcoming retreats planned by TheWriteScene.com in Dubai (October) and Kangra Valley (November), you can do all of that. At most retreats, the authors, literary agents, and editors are more than happy to answer your questions. This is one of the best chances to know about industry expectations from the influencers and to bond with them and to cultivate relationships. You never know, maybe they are looking for a manuscript in your genre. Do not forget to book an appointment with them, to meet again, after the retreat.

4. Review When you are at any literary retreat, seize the opportunity of getting your writings reviewed by invited delegates (may include literary agents, publishers, editors, and established authors) as well as fellow writers. While the literary figures may offer you critical reviews of your work, the fellow writers can give you more ideas for improving your writing or small inputs on tweaking the plot or changing introduction or closing lines. Reviews are very essential, for your writing. You need impartial and meaningful reviews of your writing for better. I suggest you gather all reviews (write them down on a notepad, if you get verbal feedback, record them, if possible, save all written stuff in a word document) and take a look at them when you are back home, after the retreat. Review your notes to filter what is really important and mark the vital points with a highlighter and then get started.

Get your writings reviewed

5. Participate Most literary retreats have interactive sessions like quiz, poll, and writing contest or manuscript reading or review workshops. Take part in these, if not all, at least a few of them. Participating in quizzes or workshops will help you gain knowledge of the present literary scenario, the challenges of a budding writer, changing needs of the publishing industry and also, new copyright laws and intellectual property governance.

Literary workshops help you identify your problem areas, and find solutions from others in similar situations. Group discussions and question-answer sessions help you enhance your writing skills and also learn from others’ experiences.

6. Explore Explore your surroundings. This is the best part of a writing retreat. You can unwind and explore, which opens up your mind for new things.

Most literary retreats are organized in hill stations, placid lake districts or quiet villages, close to tourist spots. Go for a guided trekking tour or plan a car trip with your writer buddies at the retreat to explore the region or the tribal villages nearby. Or, if you are more daring, rent a bike and take a short trip. No guides required. GPS is enough. Talk to the local people, chat with them, capture moments of joy, and move on with the sweet memories.

Find out about the local tourist attractions before you book your place in a retreat. You may also go for a long drive after the literary workshop with the other members. I believe travel not only enriches your experiences but also your writing.

7. Remember to re-connect Stay in touch with your retreat buddies. Remember to ask for their numbers, e-mail ids, blog links, etc. Add them to your phone contact list and mark them as retreat buddies. You can also create a WhatsApp group to stay connected after the retreat, share content, and also, make plans for meeting up at the next retreat. The retreat is over. But, your wandering mind has not stopped. Come on, this is what you have been waiting for. Pen your thoughts; what you learned, the knowledge gained from the retreat. What else did you do on the retreat? Write a journal. Let us know your plans for the next literary retreat. Log on to www.thewritescene.com/retreat/

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison

How often have you caressed the picture of your childhood friend on a social networking site and thought of calling her, but stopped yourself, every time? You see each other often on your timeline pictures, but never in person. How often have you wished to go back to your school days and share lunch? You always had so much to talk about, but so little time. How many times has your heart raced at the sight of a dancing star in action (you wanted to be a dancer at one point of time)? How do you feel when you see the easel standing at the corner, staring at you? You may have forgotten your glorious years as a painter, but the easel has not. It has a story to tell; your story as a budding painter. Trust me, every time you wanted to say something. Something which is very poignant, meaningful, yet unspoken? How come nobody notices things which matter to you the most? Perhaps you are the only one who has felt this way.

Writing for Healing

Sophie Nichols mentioned in Beyond Expressive Writing, says “…. the writer gains some initial release from writing her feelings out onto the page and then moves on to begin to shape her material, learning to craft and redraft it, ultimately developing a new relationship with aspects of her self-experience, perhaps by experimentation with form, perhaps by fictionalizing or retelling the initially expressed material from a different point of view”. Well, she is right. Writing is one of the best ways of healing. You can achieve a sense of peace and solitude by writing about your personal experiences. Writing therapy helps a person reflect, unlock incidents and latent truths they keep hidden, even from themselves. Therapeutic writing and healing field is in a nascent stage now but shows good potential for growth.

Write for Yourself, Write for Your Soul

It is time to put your thoughts down on pen and paper. I repeat, pen and paper, not a computer or any other hand-held device. Writing with a pen is a physical action that allows a natural synergy of your mind and body. Scratching the irrelevant parts is a reflection of your mind (what it wants to omit) unlike using the delete button that simply erases everything that is unwanted, leaving no physical trace.

Writing about your own experiences not only releases a plethora of emotions but also helps you discover yourself as a person. You come to terms with yourself. You revisit an earlier time and ask yourself what happened and why? You will be amazed to see the results. I am not talking about explanations, but about shifting paradigms and different perspectives. You will be surprised to unravel the various layers of meaning hidden in a single incident. You will come to realize why your childhood friend could not come for your housewarming ceremony ten years back; she was attending to her invalid brother at home. Write down your exact feelings, fleeting thoughts, emotions, heartbreak, and reassurance.

You can now forgive your younger self for being unkind to your friend. Your recovered self induces you to speak to her again, rekindle the friendship, and plan for a meet-up soon. The practice of writing regularly inspires you to write more and you will be amazed to see how you have evolved greatly after a month. Your language, mode of expression, vivid imagery, detailing everything will improve. Writing will change your world.

“Pursuing your passions will expand your world. This will make you a better writer.”

- Walter Dean Myers

Writing Therapy

Healthy Living = Writing Daily

A state of optimal well-being implies more than a mere absence of disease or disorder; it also means having the right resources to cope with problems and circumstances that are beyond your control and recover from difficult or troubling situations. This intersection between health and behavior can help you prevent chronic illness, and steer you to make better decisions about your well-being.

Experts on health and wellness have underlined the importance of writing in our daily lives time and again. If you have a habit of writing journals regularly (of the day-to-day happenings in your life) you will be calmer and more composed than your peers. Write daily before going to bed, or spare an hour after you come home from work, to recollect your thoughts. Write with a pen and think while writing. Let your mind wander and write the first thing that appears on your mind, though it may be the least important of all happenings.

Find out what you want to write. You don’t have anything specific on your mind. No problem. Take up a random idea and start digging. At times, you have to start writing to find out what you want to write about. You might stumble at first, but do not stop. Keep writing. Do not be afraid of falling short of words. Once you have got the drift, you will do a great job, I am sure.

writing for healing

Once you have written a page or two. Read it aloud, first to yourself, and then, to any known person, a friend or a family member. How was it? Did you feel a soft breeze touching your face? Did you just take a deep breath? Did you feel inner peace? You must have.

That’s it. You have achieved the first step of self-discovery. Now, you can be a winner at anything. You may also think of publishing your writing now.

You may also submit your writings in TheWriteScene.com for a review. We will review your writings and help you grow as a writer and get published. We encourage young talents to grow as writing professionals and unlock their hidden potential. Drop us a mail and we will get back to you.

Never stop dreaming.

-          Maya Angelou

Do you find it difficult to focus at work? Are you perturbed by life’s challenges and find it hard to maintain self-confidence? Do you often end up self-doubting yourself?

Then it’s time to let your emotions go freewheel.

Research has shown that writing is an effective way to release stress and improve health and emotional wellbeing. Writing can help you activate your body’s innate healing potential and be an active participant in your own wellness and healing process. This is especially true for those who have experienced trauma, illness, or other even ostensibly less traumatic but constant life stressors.

These events can cast a tremendous negative impact upon your mind, body, and your spirit, and also career and relationships. Writing is something that can help us sail through suffering by first exploring it, and then healing it through self-discovery. You come to realize that you are capable of far more than you expected. You discover that life has given you more reasons to be happy than you thought.

Noted Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor asserted, “suffering ceases to be suffering … at the moment it finds a meaning.” Writing is in fact, a healing modality that helps us let go of painful emotions and memories. It is also a great way to search for the meaning and purpose of life, and explore new identities and pathways to wholeness.

Write to express your emotions

Write not to write, but to express your emotions

Writing for wellness is using the written word to express thoughts, ideas, and emotions to promote health. The form of writing can vary—journaling, poetry, short stories, letters, and so on. What really matters is that you express in the form you choose. It gives you the opportunity to acknowledge, process, release, and create through words. Writing for wellness is not about improving grammar, spelling, or mastery of a language. In fact, paying attention to those aspects of writing can impede the effectiveness of using writing as a tool for healing.

Penning your pains, finding your path to wellness

Close your eyes. Meditate.  Think of an incident that has shaken you to the core or impacted you greatly. Open your eyes and write about that. Perhaps a fire that broke out in the building adjacent to your office, last year.  Write how scared you were, thinking of the plight of the inmates of the building or how you saw firefighters risking their lives to save a pantry staff stuck on the fourth floor. Or you may write about your son’s victory in last week’s soccer game. You were exasperated and happy, at the same time, for missing his Chemistry tuitions and for him winning the match. You realized how your son has become a thoughtful strategist in the field, even at the age of 16! You wanted to scream out in joy or hug him, but you stopped yourself when you saw him spending more time with his friends after the match. You wanted to tell him how proud you feel as a mamma, but somehow, could not steal a quiet moment with him, thanks to your (both your time and your son’s, that is) busy schedule. Time and again, you feel like going back in time and cheering your son for what he did, and self-doubting yourself for not being able to. Being a helicopter mom, you have always monitored his actions and have been very strict about his academics. But this time you seriously missed what really matters, being open to his emotions, his love for sports.

Writing Therapy

Write down all that touched you, taking note of all the small moments that cannot always be captured by a high-speed camera, but are stored in the innermost realms of your heart. Let it out. Trust me. You will feel a lot better. Pent-up emotions hurt us in more ways than open wounds. Writing about your experiences has a cathartic impact on your senses. You begin to feel free and liberated. Think of all the times you felt life was kicking you hard and could not find a way up to the tunnel. When you write off all those experiences, you are actually reliving those moments and reacting in a more mature manner.

Write for your soul, write for your wellness

Writing is something that you will help you introspect. You can engage in it at your ease. It is a secure outlet to your emotions. Write every day. You may write a single paragraph or you may write a thousand words. The choice is yours. But do give it a try.

If you are already a writer you may submit your writings in The Write Scene for a review.

Our team of qualified reviewers will help you grow as a writer and get published. We encourage young talent to grow as writers and unlock their hidden potential.

Never stop dreaming.

About Him

Author of 'Scent of a Game’ and 'Kaali’s Daughter’, this former Secretary, Government of India is the President of The Society for Culture and Environment and the Director of Bhopal Literature Festival.

Welcome Raghavto my platform and I would like to ask you the following questions :

• Deeba: You are an IAS, and holder of Masters from Harvard and Delhi University. You have been Secretary, Government of India and Chairman, National Highways. Please share with us about your literary journey.

  Raghav :I have loved expressing myself. However, I got into serious writing when I started a blog of my own called Scratchmysoul.com in March 2008. I set the target of writing one blog a day. I did that for over a year without a break – whether on a train or a flight, whether in the morning or in the night, in the country or abroad. Suddenly I discovered that I had a writer hidden inside me, bursting with ideas and an improved fluency. I haven’t looked back since.

• Deeba: Are you a voracious reader as well? What do you read? Who are your favorite authors?

  Raghav : I am mostly a non-fiction reader and scan a lot of journals and periodicals cover-to-cover religiously, especially Time and Economist. I also read select articles from the New York Times.

  A few of my favorite authors are Stephen King, Jeffrey Archer, Ken Follett, Arundhati Roy, RamchandraGuha, and Yuval Noah Harari

• Deeba: You are also an author. Besides extensively writing on management and infrastructure issues you have also experimented with fiction: ‘Scent of a Game’ (Rupa) & ‘Kali's Daughter’ (forthcoming, Pan Macmillan). Please share with us your writing process.

  Raghav : Writing fiction is, apart from an internal urging, a product of time, space and external stimulus. Both my books have emerged in the course of my civil service career when I have been unexpectedly moved to a less strenuous assignment and I happened to be reading extensively on the subject which then formed the mainstay of the book. So I had all three of the requisitefactor endowments at my disposal. It is in moments of inflexion such as these that one’s imagination and energy conspire and impel one to innovate and create.

  Scent of a Game narrates the history of wildlife hunting in India and touches on the subject of illicit trafficking in endangered species while telling a very human story of a man arrested with a tiger skin near a national park. It is based around 2006, a watershed year in the annals of Indian wildlife when several prestigious and protected tiger reserves were surprisingly found to be bereft of any tigers whatsoever, quite contrary to earlier proclamations in that regard by the Forest Department.

  Kali’s Daughter is about life in the civil services beginning with the selection process, the common training at the Mussoorie Academy of the Indian Administrative Service and the Foreign Serviceofficers and their later life. It describes the subtle prejudices around caste and class that are latent and mostly hidden, but are often difficult to conceal, a perplexing narrative of an Indian society in the midst of churn.

• Deeba: Having tried both Fiction and Non-fiction, what comes naturally to you and what can the readers expect more from you. Any new writing projects on the cards?

  Raghav : After these two works of fiction I intend writing non-fiction. I have planned a book on the governance issues connected with the tribes of India, who are truly the most vulnerable people, left behind in the race for development. I’ve held jobs connected with that subject. Another book that I plan to do is based around the life and timesof one of the greatest Hindi poets of India whose work has had a tremendous, almost cult-like impact on the sensibilities of a large part of India, bestowing him almost saint like status. There isn’t a modern interpretation of his life, so I hope to fill that void.

  At the moment, I’m not quite sure which one will happen first, because I’m researching.

• Deeba: You are the President of the Society for Culture and Environment and Director of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival. Can you share with us some interesting details of Bhopal Literature Festival?

  Raghav : The Bhopal Literature Festival held between 12-14th January 2019 at the prestigious Bharat Bhawan with three parallel sessions each day and a cultural program in the evening attracted about 70 authors, discussants and artists from across India and abroad and hundreds of cognoscenti from Bhopal and its environs, particularly college going students and teachers. BLF was a buzzing cornucopia of Padma Shri and National awardees. While all 56 sessions were curated thoughtfully some of the popular and more notable authors and discussants who attended this literary and artistic extravaganza were: environmentalists PradeepKrishen, BittuSahgal, Pranay Lal and VivekMenon; diplomat/civil servants Pavan Varma, TCA Raghavan, Rajiv Mehrishi, Amitabh Kant, Anthony de Sa, RajniSekhriSibal and SY Quraishi; military, intelligence and diplomacy experts General Ata Hasnain, General MohinderPuri, Shiv KunalVerma and AS Dulat; social commentators KekiDaruwalla, BachiKarkaria, Vinita DawraNangia, Anil Dharker, SeemaGoswami, Vinita Bakshi, AshaliVerma and KoralDasgupta; historians/mythologists ShonaleekaKaul, AshaliVerma, KK Chakravarty, Rima Hooja, Christopher Doyle; researcher/scholars like MadhaviMenon who is an authority on human behavior and sexuality. There were also many book launches and art exhibitions.

  What distinguished this literature and art event from others of this ilk was its unremitting conformity to literature and art. Notably, it discussed cinema without depending on film stars to give it glamour.

• Deeba: ‘Heartland Stories’ – is a heartwarming caption for Bhopal Literature Festival. What can we expect from the next year’s festival?

  Raghav :We would like to build on the momentum of the Bhopal Literature Festival first edition. More youth should want to get involved with literature for literature’s sake. Unfortunately, I have observed that even in Jaipur, despite their huge turnout from schools and colleges, student participation is mostly of a social nature. I would like to inspire the younger generations to read and expand their minds. Cinema and music is necessary, but it is all served easy, like fast food. Literature makes you think of possibilities in a far more compelling way and has to be encouraged further. It would be gratifying to see active student involvement.

• Deeba: Share with us your challenges and learning from the festival.

  Raghav : Some of the critical challenges were: Finding sponsors Building a team of capable organizers Getting the right logistics people Dealing with frequent changes in the itinerary of important speakers Getting the panelists right for any session

• Deeba: How can a new author reach readers / get exposure from festivals?

  Raghav : Attending festivals is important. Authors are human too. Aspiring writers can meet established authors and listen to them, comprehend them – howthey respond to questions, their reactions to situations, their overall body language. Their works are extensions of their personalities and experiences and everybody has a vast gamut of unique personal experiences to build upon. So a lot can be learnt by seeing and listening to others, especially those who have been successful.

• Deeba: One question I ask all my guests – what is your favourite non-alcoholic drink?

  Raghav : I crave freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice. Yes, I like the tangy, citrus effect.

• Deeba: Advice to the writers of ‘The Write Scene’ who are looking to get their work published?

  Raghav : Write and write. The more you write, the better you become. That will give you the flow. Also, get the broad conventions of modern writing correct by picking up a book on good writing. Most importantly, look out for topics that you will be comfortable writing about and read a lot about them. Look for unexplored areas. Facets that are not in the common domain. Build a canvas around them in your mind, and then start writing. Get your text in place. Then apply yourself to editing it, because that is as important as the basic content.

  Go for it!

About Her

An award-winning senior marketing and publicity professional, Lipika Bhushan heads MarketMyBook, leading publicity and digital marketing agency for writers and publishers. She is a poet and also contributes as an industry expert to various publications.

• Deeba: Welcome Lipika to 'Candid with Deeba,' please share your journey with us.

  .

  Lipika Bhushan: Thanks Deeba for the invite. Well, after my MBA I started working with a brand consulting firm and then moved to take care of marketing for one of the largest white goods companies in India but its publishing that’s probably where I was meant to be and that’s where I still am since last 12 years.I started my publishing career with heading marketing for HarperCollins India but after about 7 years of enriching and exciting journey, I quit to manage my responsibilities as a proud mother.MarketMyBook was an idea I was toying with during my maternity break and that’s when I thought of launching a service that will help authors and publishers get better results through focused marketing.I must thank Kishwar Desai for being the first one to instil that faith in an absolutely new set up and there’s been no looking back since.

  MarketMyBook provides publicity and digital marketing assistance to writers and publishers and we have been managing book marketing for writers and publishers for the last 5 years. I’m glad that since its launch 5 years ago, we can boast of having worked with some of the biggest and best names in publishing such as Jeffrey Archer, Aatish Taseer, Peter James and over 60 others including those for publishers such as Pan Macmillan/Picador and Juggernaut Books.

  It’s been the most enjoyable decade and a half, of meeting interesting personalities, managing human behaviour and relationships and receiving accolades and satisfaction.

• Deeba: You were heading the marketing division at an International publisher of books, please share with us how are books marketed at a large publishing house?

  Lipika Bhushan: Ideally a large publishing house draws up yearly budgets for its forthcoming titles, allocates budgets according to the brand potential and numbers planned for respective titles and then draws a marketing plan for each title working closely with the writer on how energies can be channelized to collaborate for maximum impact. In addition to working on creating a pull from the market, it also involves a lot of internal marketing to help create excitement and confidence among the sales team and distributors.

• Deeba: Can you please share some help-tips as to how can independent authors, with not much budget market his/her books?

  Lipika Bhushan: Focus on network and leg work. Networking is important to build visibility and connect with prospective publishers and opinion makers.Those with small budgets should focus their energies on publicity and digital marketing instead of spending on retail promotions and events.Hire professional help for a few months around the release to give it the right push and get you the required visibility. Believe me, the ROIs are better with a professional working towards building your profile and getting your book the right attention.

• Deeba: When did you start your company – ‘MarketMyBook?’

  Lipika Bhushan: May 2013, right after getting back from my maternity break and quitting my job. And it’s been 5 fulfilling years of working with some fantastic writers and publishers; gaining a lot of insight on the industry with some great success stories. The idea is to work with a few writers/publishers but do a bloody good job of it.

• Deeba: Share some of your initial challenges and some ‘Wow’ moments with us.

  Lipika Bhushan: For a boutique agency fund is always a challenge. Unlike other industries, our partners especially publishers work on small marketing budgets and that restricts us as well in some ways. When we are able to deliver better results for every project that we pick, it’s a WOW moment. Every writer going back happy with what we could deliver for his book is a great feeling and a WOW moment. Every time a writer or a publisher you have worked with introduces you as the best in the industry is a WOW moment for us.

• Deeba: What is a modest budget that an author should keep in mind to market a book well?

  Lipika Bhushan: Every book demands a different kind of marketing mix. But to start with a minimum of about $1000.

• Deeba: Since marketing for authors with a traditional publisher is taken care of by the publisher, I would like to know your key services for an independent author. Can your company help make a best-seller?

  Lipika Bhushan: We have been helping create bestsellers.

  In 5 years of our existence and having worked with over 6 dozen writers not even once have we had to advertise to get work as firstly, we pick and choose what we like as a reader, secondly we always provide tailor-made marketing services that supplement and not duplicate the publisher’s efforts.

  With growing pressure of an increasing number of new titles and greater fight for space, while publishers do put in their marketing efforts but they have too many to focus on. Just by being more focused and continuously thinking of better ideas and pitches that help in media publicity and digital efforts, we are able to add tremendously to the visibility.

  So in short, writers should come to us once they have a fair idea of what their publishers can deliver on the marketing front so we help them take it to the next level especially in the area of publicity and digital marketing.

• Deeba: Do you also help in converting formats like into audio books?

  Lipika Bhushan: No. We let the experts do that job.

• Deeba: What does a weekend mean to you? One question I ask all my guests – what is your favourite non-alcoholic drink?

  Lipika Bhushan: Curling up with a book. Guess it’s the Pahari gene but the all-time favourite is ‘Chai’

• Deeba: Advice to the writers of ‘The Write Scene’ who are looking to get their work represented and who are looking for a publisher?

  Lipika Bhushan: You are making a pitch for something that you have really worked hard on, do get someone to read and edit professionally before making a pitch to publishers. Get a good agent to help you as many publishers only take representations through agents. Connect with publishers who are known for some success in the genre you write in.

About Her

Nikita Singh is the bestselling author of ten novels, including 'Every Time It Rains' and 'Like a Love Song'. She is also a contributing writer to The Backbenchers series and the editor of two collections of short stories, '25 Strokes of Kindness' and 'The Turning Point'. Born in Patna and raised in Indore, Nikita worked in the book publishing industry in New Delhi for a few years before moving to New York for her MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) at The New School. Nikita lives in Manhattan, where she does digital content and marketing for a solar energy company.

At the outset, congratulations for being shortlisted for the First International Young Author Awards for traditionally published Authors and welcome for a quick chat for our writer’s portal.

• Deeba: At what age did you start writing? Share with us an anecdote.

  Nikita Singh: I started writing when I was nineteen. In the first 2 years as a writer, I wrote and published 6 books! Ever since then, I’ve consciously slowed down to an average pace of a book per year. Now when I realize I’ve written 11 books in 7 years, it sounds made up!

• Deeba: How many books have you published so far?

  Nikita Singh: Letters to My Ex is my eleventh book.

• Deeba: What’s next? At what stage is your next project?

  Nikita Singh: I’ve started working on my next book, which is actually a sequel to my last book, Every Time It Rains. We don’t have a name yet, but it picks up where left Every Time It Rains off.

  It’s actually the third book of the series. Like a Love Song was a story about Maahi and her friend Laila. Every Time it Rains was about Laila’s romantic relationship. In the next one, we see more of Maahi’s life.

• Deeba: How did you get published? Share with us your journey to publication?

  Nikita Singh: Back in 2010, I went to an internet café to do my research on publishing guidelines set by publishers. I discovered that most publishing houses require a synopsis, a few sample chapters and a short bio about the author. My bio was very short because I had done nothing in life yet; I was in college studying Pharmacy!

  Once I had my proposal packet, I went back to the internet café and sent it over to publishers. Fortunately, I started hearing back from them very quickly.

• Deeba: What is your writing process and how do you deal with writer’s block?

  Nikita Singh: My writing process is a running joke in my friend-circle! Basically, I plan my book subconsciously in my mind (aka procrastinate) for 8-9 months. And then I sit down to write when I’m about to miss my deadline. I then have no choice but to write really fast! I finish my first draft in 14 days.

  Then send it to my agent, who sends his notes. I read my manuscript for the first time, make edits based on whatever I feel intuitive and my agent’s notes. I send this second draft to my editor, and then we go back and forth on primary edits, copy-edits, proof-reading and typesetting for a couple of months, and there — we have a book!

• Deeba: What do you read? Share with us your favourite fiction and non-fiction book. What are you currently reading?

  Nikita Singh: I’m very bad at answering that question because it’s so hard to choose one! I read mostly fiction, but recently, I’ve been reading mostly non-fiction. How about I tell you some of my favourite authors instead? They are a mix of fiction, non-fiction, Indian, International, genres - Jhumpa Lahiri, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, James Baldwin, Vladimir Nabokov, Cecelia Ahern, Thomas Bernhard, J.K.Rowling, Rebecca Solnit, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters… oh, so many to name!

  I just received a copy of 'Love a Little Stronger' that Preeti Shenoy sent me, and immediately started reading it!

• Deeba: What is your opinion about our initiative, ‘Young Author Awards’?

  Nikita Singh: I think it’s great! Every once in a while, people like to pause and think about the direction their life is going in… and this can be a major milestone in anyone’s life. I feel honoured to be nominated. I definitely cherish how it makes me feel.

• Deeba: There is one question that I throw at all my guests, what is your favourite non-alcoholic drink?

  Nikita Singh: Tea! I take it black, no cream or sugar. Literally the best thing ever.

• Deeba: What would be your advice to the aspiring authors of ‘The Write Scene,’ who are looking to get published?

  Nikita Singh: Honestly, I wish I heard more questions about writing than publishing. It seems as though everyone is focused on reaping the benefits of their imaginary hard work. 70,000 words on paper don’t just happen by accident. You have to write every single one of them, so that’s my advice — write.

• Deeba: Your quote on being nominated for Young Author Awards.

  Nikita Singh: It makes me so happy, to be recognized for representing my generation and their thoughts. I’m very grateful!

   

  To connect with Nikita Singh:

  Twitter: @singh_nikita

About Him

Anees is an award-winning Indian Author who works for an Advertising Agency. His works which have been nominated / won awards are - Vanity Bagh, The Small Town Sea and The Bling Lady’s Descendants.

Welcome to ‘Candid-with-Deeba,’ Anees. It's a pleasure to have you as our Guest. I would like to ask you the following questions:

• Deeba: When did you know you wanted to become a writer? Did you get any professional training in writing?

  Anees : I must have been 15 or 16 when I first felt the urge to write. No, I didn’t attend any creative writing course. I am terrified by the idea of getting trained to do anything I naturally like to do. Anyway, I am not academically qualified to attend any university of high repute.

• Deeba: You have written five books over six years and in fact you had two books published the same year. What is your writing process? How long do you take to finish a book and how long does it take for you to edit it? Do you use an external editor or do you self-edit?

  Anees : It took me two decades to write those five books, not six years. They appear to have been written in a short span of time because they found publishers in quick succession after being repeatedly rejected for many years. I write continuously, I discard drafts continuously. And I like to write for long hours but that is not possible as I have a very hectic day job. My first book ‘The Vicks Mango Tree’ had more drafts than I could count and took six or seven years to complete. I could finish all other books in two years or so, except ‘Tales from a Vending Machine’, which took about six months to complete. Till my book is ready for submission, no one reads it, not even my literary agent. Once the book is with the publisher, an editor will step and we will have discussions.

• Deeba: How do you find time with your full-time job in advertising? With my background in Advertising, I am curious to know which area of advertising do you work in?

  Anees : Well, I write very early in the morning. I write at least 3 hours a day and I sometimes write during the lunch break. I started my career as a trainee copywriter with FCB ULKA, Cochin and now I head both the business and creative operations of the Cochin branch. Besides that, I head the creative department of FCB ULKA, Chennai.

• Deeba: How did you get your first publisher? How long did it take? Share with us your journey.

  Anees : As I mentioned earlier my manuscripts were repeatedly rejected for many years by publishers and literary scouts. About seven years back I sent a query letter to an agent called Kanishka Gupta in the guise of a young Muslim girl. This girl was the protagonist of ‘Tales from a Vending Machine’, the book I had just finished writing and wanted an agent for. The voice and the plight of the young girl moved Kanishka. He wrote immediately back, asking for sample chapters. Then he wanted to read the entire book. A week later he sold the book to HarperCollins.

• Deeba: Do you ever get writer’s block? How do you handle it?

  Anees : Sometimes I write slower than my usual pace. But I always find a way to regain my rhythm.

• Deeba: Which of your books is closest to your heart and why?

  Anees : I like or dislike all my books for different reasons. But they all have the same place in my life.

• Deeba: Share with us your five all time favorite books. And what are you currently reading?

  Anees : ‘A House for Mr Biswas’ by V S Naipaul, ‘In a Free State’ by V S Naipaul, ‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, ‘A Single Man’ by Christopher Isherwood, and ‘The Sound and the Fury’ by William Faulkner. I am currently reading ‘Satin Island’ by Tom McCarthy.

• Deeba: There is one question that I throw at all my guests, what is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

  Anees :Tea.

• Deeba: What would be your advice to the aspiring authors of ‘The Write Scene,’ who are on the road to get published?

  Anees : Read, read, read. Write, write, write. And never give up. Never.

• Can we have your views on our new initiative of ‘Young Author Awards’ to recognize the next generation authors under the age of 30?

  Anees : Writing is a lonely and excruciating task. And nothing can be more rewarding than recognitions from people who love and promote literature. I sincerely hope Young Authors Awards will inspire the new breed of writers to write more and write more creatively.

About Him

Ashwin Sanghi ranks among India’s highest selling English fiction authors. He has written several bestsellers (The Rozabal Line, Chanakya’s Chant, The Krishna Key, The Sialkot Saga, Keepers of the Kalachakra) and two New York Times bestselling crime thrillers with James Patterson, Private India (sold in the US as City on Fire) and Private Delhi (sold in the US as Count to Ten). Included by Forbes India in their Celebrity 100 and winner of the Crossword Popular Choice, Ashwin has also mentors, co-writes and edits titles in the immensely popular13 Steps series.

Welcome to ‘Candid-with-Deeba,’ Ashwin. It's a pleasure to have you as our Guest. I would like to ask you the following questions:

• Deeba: When did you think of becoming a writer? Share with us your journey.

  Ashwin : My passion for reading was ignited when my maternal grandfather would bombard me with books that were far ahead of my time. He would insist that after reading every book I must write a letter detailing what I liked and what I didn't. That was the genesis. But the spark happened much later. I was in Srinagar and ended up visiting the tomb of a Muslim pir. The shrine is called Rauzabal or “Tomb of the Prophet”. Local land records acknowledge the existence of the tomb from AD 112 onwards. The sarcophagus at Rauzabal has been placed along the north-south axis according to Muslim custom but the true burial chamber beneath reveals that the grave of YuzAsaflies along the East-West axis as per Jewish custom. A carved imprint near the sarcophagus of Rauzabal shows a pair of normal human feet that bear crucifixion marks on them. I was fascinated with the notion that the man buried in the tomb could possibly be Jesus Christ. This led to my first book, The Rozabal Line.

• Deeba: What’s your take on self-publishing?

  Ashwin : Self-publishing is an extremely crowded space in which it is almost impossible to be noticed. While most new authors will tend to look at success stories, the reality of the situation is that the average self-published title sells around 100-150 copies, mostly to the author’s friends and family. Virtually none of the mainstream newspapers or magazines wish to read or review a self-published title, so getting visibility is almost impossible. Distribution of your title tends to be limited to online stores because the brick-and-mortar stores rarely stock self-published titles (though Crossword has just started a program that does). It is important to understand that self-publishing takes the pain out of getting yourself “out there”, but once you are, it’s rather difficult to make a living from it. Self-publishing is an easy route to getting your work out into the public domain but it places a greater responsibility on the author as regards content, quality, editing, cover design, pricing and promotion. Treat self-publishing as a serious endeavour to get all the elements right. If you keep your expectations low and your personal commitment high, you might just be one of the few lucky ones to strike gold.

• Deeba: What is your writing process? How long do you take to finish a book and how long does it take for you to edit it? Do you use an external editor or do you self-edit?

  Ashwin : On weekdays, my writing usually happens early morning between five and nine o’clock. Saturday is a day when I catch up with my latest project because I am able to write or research for several hours at a stretch. Sundays are entirely for my family. I usually take around eighteen months to write a book. The first six months are spent on research; the next three months are devoted to building the plot outline; the following six months are used for the actual writing of the story; and the final three months for editing and polishing. I use three editors on every book.

• Deeba: Do you ever get writer’s block? How do you handle it?

  Ashwin : I rarely face writers block. The reason is my organized style of working. I spend several months collating research, then several months developing a plot outline. By the time that I start writing, my job is like that of a child using crayons within a colouring book. With the outlines drawn, how difficult is it to choose which crayon to use?

• Deeba: Which is your favorite piece of work till now?

  Ashwin : That’s like asking a parent to choose a favourite child. I cannot answer that question.

• Deeba: How do you decide on your topics to write on?

  Ashwin : Most people have ideas but they have no idea that they have those ideas. I am simply methodical about jotting down all my observations on a daily basis. Over the past decade, I have emailed myself around 12,000 times with various ideas. When I start work on a new book, I simply review my past observations and then decide on a topic that I can live with for the next two years.

• Deeba: Your 5 favorite books. And what are you currently reading?

  Ashwin : Top 5 favourite books:

  • Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
  • Autobiography of a Yogi by ParamahansaYogananda
  • Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre
  • The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
  • The Art of War by Sun Tzu
  • Currently reading: Sapiens—A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari

• Deeba: On a personal front, what does a weekend mean to you? Your favorite pastime?

  Ashwin : Family, books, whisky, cigars.

• Deeba: There is one question that I throw at all my guests, what is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

  Ashwin : Water, because it can be added to whisky.

• Deeba: What would be your advice to the aspiring authors of ‘The Write Scene,’ who are on the road to get published?

  Ashwin : One: don’t think about writing... write! Two: don’t quit your day job… it could be a while before royalties can sustain you. Three: don’t think of yourself as a writer but as a storyteller… words become irrelevant if your story is great. Four: become thick-skinned… rejections and criticism are part of the process of evolving as an author. Five: remember that the words are not yours, they come from a higher power. Stay humble even when you’ve made it.

• Deeba: Can we have your views on our new initiative of ‘Young Author Awards’ to recognize the next generation authors under the age of 30? (http://www.youngauthorawards.com)

  Ashwin : Excellent initiative. I hope that it will inspire many young authors to persevere.