Passion Stories

I started writing when I was just seven but took to it up seriously while I was doing my Engineering. Though I dabbled in poetry and fiction my favourite genre was satire. I continued with my passion after joining Rourkela Steel Plant in 1988.  I got into trouble when a political satire  written by me was published in 1995 and I was forbidden to indulge in this form of expression. I then shifted, quite seamlessly, into the idyllic world of children’s literature.

I had a very demanding (almost a 24x7 job) as a Corporate Communications Professional. Besides, being from a broken home I was  obsessed with the idea of giving the very best to my family. Despite these very strong tugs, I made sure that my tryst with creativity continued unabated. This required tremendous amount of discipline, focus and perseverance  on a day-to-day basis.

The first chance I got I took Voluntary Retirement to devote my entire time to my passion.

When the cancer verdict slammed into me, it was my  writing which  gave me solace, strength and succour.  Even today when I am in the space of creativity, I am completely in the moment, oblivious to the chaos within and without. 

Here’s my advice to aspiring writers :

• Make writing your passion, your  Ikigai.
• Writing is all about imagination, observation and experience. And the more you enhance these aspects the better you will turn out as a writer.
• Don’t wait for an ideal scenario to write. Try to cultivate the habit of writing in entropy.
• Keep a journal whenever an idea comes write it down, or record it  on your  phone.
• Never fear rejection.

Write in as many genres as possible. That is the best way of keeping the dreaded ‘writer’s block’ at bay.

And finally,write for the love of writing, for the joy of creating. You writing may not make you  rich, it may not make you  famous, it may not even make you popular but if your words can lighten someone’s burden with a ray of happiness or a flicker of hope then you can  take pride in a job well done.