A WORKING TITLE
By the title of this piece, you will understand I am not there yet. There is still a lot to learn, a lot of good practices to adopt, and a lot to write. You may think, I just did a Creative writing course at Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Communication. I should already be very good at writing blockbuster pieces, every day. But it is not the case. I am not there yet.
Let me be honest. When I started, I was never expecting it to be an all-encompassing course. All I wanted was to have interesting discussions about writing with like-minded people. A window into the world of writers. And, that was exactly what I got and "more". I was part of really great discussions driven by my teachers and fellow students.
Let me be honest. When I started, I was never expecting it to be an all-encompassing course. All I wanted was to have interesting discussions about writing with like-minded people. A window into the world of writers. And, that was exactly what I got and "more". I was part of really great discussions driven by my teachers and fellow students.
The “more” part is something I was not doing before.
First and foremost, I am writing more frequently than I have ever done in my life. You may ask, were I not writing in my schooldays? What about classworks, homeworks, pages and pages of answer sheets during exams? Let me make it clear. I am talking about writing creatively, and having fun with it.
Next, I have become more appreciative of my writings. I am still not there yet with total appreciation, as an old saying goes ‘Old habits die hard’. But I am working on it.
While reading a book, I have started observing details in characters, descriptions and dialogues. The course has also made me interested in reading non-fiction more.
I am still very bad at breaking ice with people for interviews. You can find me initiating awkward conversations with a baker or a vegetable vendor. That is me working on improving my extroversion. Because, writers cannot be introverts.
I am using pictures, objects and places as prompts for new ideas. I have started noting down ideas more frequently. I am eavesdropping on people shamelessly, whereas before it was none of my business.
The only thing I felt lacking in the course was the physical presence. I wish it was an offline class and I wish I was in New Delhi. But that is for another timeline. For now, I am thankful it was online and I got a chance to be part of it.
So, you can see I am still struggling to write one decent piece, with a good title and a good ending. But I will keep writing and have fun with it, as this course also taught me to be persistent about it.
First and foremost, I am writing more frequently than I have ever done in my life. You may ask, were I not writing in my schooldays? What about classworks, homeworks, pages and pages of answer sheets during exams? Let me make it clear. I am talking about writing creatively, and having fun with it.
Next, I have become more appreciative of my writings. I am still not there yet with total appreciation, as an old saying goes ‘Old habits die hard’. But I am working on it.
While reading a book, I have started observing details in characters, descriptions and dialogues. The course has also made me interested in reading non-fiction more.
I am still very bad at breaking ice with people for interviews. You can find me initiating awkward conversations with a baker or a vegetable vendor. That is me working on improving my extroversion. Because, writers cannot be introverts.
I am using pictures, objects and places as prompts for new ideas. I have started noting down ideas more frequently. I am eavesdropping on people shamelessly, whereas before it was none of my business.
The only thing I felt lacking in the course was the physical presence. I wish it was an offline class and I wish I was in New Delhi. But that is for another timeline. For now, I am thankful it was online and I got a chance to be part of it.
So, you can see I am still struggling to write one decent piece, with a good title and a good ending. But I will keep writing and have fun with it, as this course also taught me to be persistent about it.
~END~
(Author Notes: This was the last thing I wrote as part of the creative writing workshop. Nothing to add really, its all there.)
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