And a little taste of MA in Creative Writing — Since last month’s newsletter, I’ve received several messages telling me they are eagerly waiting for the next one. I’m really surprised and humbled by this response. I sometimes forget that as much fun it is for me to write this, people actually do read this and some, if not many…

And recommendations from some of my own mistakes. — Big Hello! 🙋🏻‍♂️ I’m writing this to you from London. What am I doing here? I’m pursuing my Masters in Creative Writing. It’s a one year course, and I’m so pumped to be doing this. Finally! I alluded to this in my previous newsletter as well but I’ve applied to…

And the big reveal — Hello! This is a special newsletter and it’s divided into two parts. Part 1 — Retrospective I’d first met the word retrospect at a Naseeruddin Shah talk. His autobiography was out and it was an interview which I’ve mostly forgotten, except this line: “life makes sense in retrospect.” Till today I remember how that…

And the silence of bookstore — Recently, I’ve had a surge of email subscribers to this little newsletter of mine and I want to take a moment to welcome them all. Thank you for joining this journey with me. I hope you find some value here, however small. Since the last few months, I’ve been alluding…

And a dash of poetry — Hello. I’m writing this to you sitting in an Apple Orchard tucked away on a mountain in Parvati Valley in Himachal Pradesh. Almost 8000 feet above sea level. Those who know me, know this is where we host the Alekhya Writers Retreat. I talk about it nonstop to everyone I…

Learning about who you are — Hello. I’ve been reading, rather sipping, from this delightful little book called Release the Bats by DBC Pierre. Here is one paragraph that gave me pause: There are writers who have yet to write a word who will go on to write masterpieces. There are writers who have yet to…

Hello! Living in Mumbai for an upward of 30 years, I’m quite familiar with the three seasons this city produces: Hot, not hot and oh look it’s raining today. The latter is usually met with delight or a groan depending on your location under a roof and your future plans…

Hello. March always feels so long. Maybe because it sits right next to February and in contrast March comes out as the bloated one? Or maybe it has something to do with the financial year ending in India? Everyone seems to be on edge. …

But when are they not? — Hello! As a child in the 90s, there were times when I had to ask my father for permission. It was mostly to do with school picnics or some such similar outings. My father always said, “No, times are bad.” This was such an immediate and recurring answer that I…