"What's your style of writing" by Ruchira Khanna

Author Ruchira Khanna

Twice upon a time, there was a young lady in distress. She was not happy with the way of life around her. Corruption, dishonesty, back biting, fake smiles, dual personalities, deceiving within the family. Gosh! All this was making her swirl as she was overwhelmed with her surroundings and with a heavy heart she wanted to shout out to the world...why? For what? How much?

Alas! No one to hear her tale, since all were busy in the grind of life. She wanted an ear or two, but nah! Finally, she took a pen and paper.

And she wrote...

She wrote each day until her heart would get lighter. That led to her mind and body to make a connection, and it allowed her to breathe and continue to live and strive for what she was passionate about. Her messages were simple and from her heart. She wrote what bothered her, what inspired her and what her intentions were, and soon she was known as a writer with a 'preachy' style of writing. At first, she was alarmed, since 'preaching'; was not in her blood. She only knew to take orders, laugh at minuscule things, and rarely command anyone! In fact, her laughter is still so infectious that when she would start to laugh, people in her company would giggle along courtesy the 'style' of her laughter that would be like a train chugging along the tracks.

So what's your style of writing that sets you apart or makes you unique?

Literary pundits define a style of writing to fit a purpose or an audience. The kind of choices a writer makes in words, the sentence fluency, they all contribute towards the author's voice.

When Thomas Paine wrote “These are the times that try men’s souls,” he arranged his words to convey a sense of urgency and desperation. Had he written “These are bad times,” it’s likely he wouldn’t have made such an impact!

Many elements can contribute to the writing style of a writer, but three of the most important are: Choice of words, Fluency of sentences and Voice.



Choice of words

Some authors use short words, deleting out the unnecessary wordings, while conveying the exact meaning. It's like keeping the readers on the path, without any distraction lead them to their destination of the topic discussed above. They rarely use adverbs; use adjectives sparingly while allowing the verbs to convey the message.

Fluency

When a sentence has the flow and rhythm by using parallel structures within sentences to reflect identical ideas, the author is aware of how to delete vague words, make the topic of discussion tighter by using the right phrases and ideas to keep the reader on target.

Voice

Voice is an essential element of style that reveals the writer’s personality. A writer’s voice can be indifferent or friendly, authoritative or reflective, objective or passionate, severe or funny.

Your choices?

What are your word choices, sentence structures, and language that you usually use while penning down your thoughts? What is the impact on the reader after your thoughts have been read by them? Are you bothered, anxious or curious on the kind of literary style they have tagged you under?

Thus, started her journey of writing even though her personality was a contrast to her style. For her, the journey did not matter since the destination was yielding results.

She enrolled in the NaNoWriMo program in the year 2013 and penned down her thoughts, all in the form of fiction where diverse characters came to life, as the writer in her brought out the emotions, the despair, and the zeal towards life and the many choices she made. It was a novel straight from the heart, and all it tried to portray was 'Does fate make a man, or do his desires? Do ambitions and desires actually lead a person to true happiness and fulfillment, or do providence and life changing

events actually show a person the actual path to follow?'

She had entertainment and a message enclosed in the book titled, "Choices: A Novel". The book attracted a few, the cover of the book enchanted some, and handful loved the diverse characters in the storyline. But in the end, whoever read it had to nod in a positive way agreeing that the choices we make do shape our destiny thus, concluding that being aware, mindful along the journey of life is not only essential, but also as vital as oxygen is to life.

The writer turned author was satisfied and overjoyed by those gestures of the head, and she looked around once again. Peeped into the hearts of people trying to find the cause of their pain since all yearned for happiness. Humanity is breathing with the intention to smile, laugh and have a happily ever after. Alas! There are obstructions at each junction thus, leading to a diversion, which ends up as a detour to the ambition, thus making the man suffer either in silence or cry out in public.

That lead her to another fictional tale on the quest for happiness where she took a bunch of travelers around the globe and brought them under the roof of a tourist company that guarantees to bring joy towards the end of their tour. How? Magic? Mind and Body connection is made, and after shedding tears over many gloomy situations, they went home with a smile. As the saying goes, 'Life throws lemons, make lemonade.' She could churn her fiction in a savory delight that was liked by a handful.

Entertainment goes hand in hand with a message because, without pleasure, a fictional novel would be dull. There goes the book in the recycle since the reader would resist picking it up again. The message is also important, since after spending three to four hours of their precious time, the reader

needs to get a comprehensible conclusion.

As her journey is unfolding with one book at a time, this writer is happy that she could stir the pot with the essential herbs, that could help mold the society that we all live in, with one individual at a time. No doubt, she still gets those pangs of anxiety and discomfort, but now that her 'preachy' sense of writing has been adapted by some readers, she knows the destination will not be far!

So follow your heart, and let your style be carved naturally rather than being intimidated by what others have to say.

The feminine divinity is what author Sunanda Joshi Chatterjee believes in!

Author Sunanda Joshi Chatterjee

In your stories, the protagonists, usually young girls show remarkable mental strength and resilience. Is that to instill courage and confidence in young girls or do you think they all have it in them, but are unaware of it?

My stories show strong female protagonists facing odds that are seemingly impossible to overcome. But through their own strength, and through the help of family and friends, they accomplish things they had not thought possible. I admire people with strong convictions who will stand against injustice at the peril of their own safety. Today, women all over the world face prejudice and injustice, regardless of religion or culture. Women must stick to the stereotypes or be considered aggressive or pushy, and in turn, undesirable. Why can’t a woman have the same ambition as a man? Why can’t she be the main provider, or be the dominant one in a relationship? The saddest part is that it is often women who are the perpetrators and perpetuators of such beliefs and prejudices.

Having been in the Indian Air Force at a time when women officers were few and far between, I faced my own set of challenges and had to fight stereotypes: “Why is this woman wearing a uniform?” “Why must I salute a woman, that too, one younger than me?” Some of the officers’ wives did not like their husbands saluting me. Did I not salute officers who were senior to me? Their civilian wives did not have to salute officers who were senior to their husbands. Did the wives object then?

I was there because of my own ability, devotion, and perseverance. I wanted to scream, “I have earned those salutes!”

Growing up in a family with two boys and two girls, I always felt that my parents never differentiated between us when it came to our education and opportunities. They encouraged us all equally. That open-mindedness empowered me.

I want the female characters in my stories to feel the same sense of empowerment. My characters may start out living within the confines of societal expectations. They laugh when they are happy, cry when they are sad, and love with all their heart. But one thing unites them: they all learn to speak up in the face of inequality, and fight for justice.

I believe in the feminine divinity, the female power, which rises only when essential, which fights only when called upon to rid the world of atrocities. And that female power exists in each of us: man or woman. That power is what makes my characters strong. Because it is nascent until necessary, and then it is unleashed with phenomenal power. And they have help not just from the stereotypical male protectors. They are helped by other female characters: Rani for Hansa in Fighting for Tara, and Lupe for Moyna in Shadowed Promise.

“Don’t focus on publishing while writing” by Sundari Venkatraman

<< Creativity VS Rules

Author-itative tips on writing, publishing, marketing

3. Don’t focus on publishing while writing

As I had mentioned in my first article, you are a fiction writer because you want to tell a story and the story is not letting you rest till you are done. 

When you begin penning this masterpiece, try to remain focussed on it. If you begin to procrastinate on who’s going to publish it, you are bound to be distracted. And believe me, you will suddenly realise that a few months have gone by and you have written barely a thousand words. 

In such a scenario, a publisher becomes redundant as you don’t have a book to publish.

A writer is a dreamer first. I am sure you all agree with me on that. 

But there is dreaming and there is procrastination. The dictionary meaning of procrastination is, “the action of delaying or postponing something”. So, you spin a story in your mind and dream of publishing it with the biggest publisher in the world, it might be just a waste of time and even worse, a waste of energy.

First write the book. Then think of publishing after your first draft is ready. Imagine the joy of having people read your work, rather than the fame of getting published. You can be published by a famous publisher and even sell a lot, but that still doesn’t guarantee that your books are actually being read. Of course, nothing can guarantee that. But wouldn’t you rather people really read and valued your book than having it just published? And for that the book needs to be written first. 

Focus on writing. Dream of your characters. Allow them to play in your mind. Let them free to deal with each other. Then write down what they have to tell you. 

This is how I breathe life into my characters. Believe me when I say that you can’t fail with your writing in such a scenario. 

If your story is good and well told, publishing is too easy nowadays with the advent of indie publishing. And if you are a success at that, big publishers will knock at your door.

All this is for those writers who are in this game for the long run. We aren’t talking about flash in the pans here.

Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author of 14 titles—12 romance novels & two short story collections, all on Top 100 Bestsellers on Amazon. 

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Coming up next week: Read what you like to write >>

P.G. Van, author of 'The Evil Twin?' speaks to Sanchita Sen

Author P.G. Van

Author P.G. Van discusses the challenge of writing a hot romance and generously shares some tips on real life romance as well.

Romance is not all hugs and kisses, it's the funny moments that happen that makes you laugh in public when you think about it. It's the small things like, I made you coffee because I could tell you 'needed it' moments. Catch up with P.G. Van to know more:

Sanchita:  ‘The Evil Twin?’, a very intriguing name for the book! How did you happen to come up with it?

P.G. Van: Great question! After publishing my Destiny Series (Destiny Decides and Destiny Embraces) I needed a title that didn’t come off as too serious and I wanted something simple yet intriguing. I started off with a list of names and set it aside and started working on the outline of the story. When I got closer to the part where a father had to make the toughest decision of his life, the only thing that I could think of was the father giving up the evil child. It was that thought that got me to the name, but as usual the story took its own life and it was more of a question if the twin was really evil. When I knew it would be a twin story where it is believed one of the twin is the good one and the other evil, and I knew it had to be about the evil twin, I added the question mark at the end to let the reader decide if the twin was really the evil one. I hope the readers will find the title justifying the story.

Sanchita: Hot Romance is surely your forte, but this one also has an interesting mystery element to it. Tell us a little about how you got the idea for this one.

P.G. Van: I love to read hot romances and write them too and I believe books in this genre still need a strong plot. I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, growing up with an equal amount of M&Bs, and I love pulling a little bit of both into my stories. When I first started writing I had no intention to publish it or I would say I didn't think that far, so I wanted to write something that I could read. I like my stories to have a strong story that unfolds itself and transports the reader right into the lives of the protagonists. My goal was to write a story that was focused on the main characters but with a more than usual focus on the secondary characters and what they add to the story. The secondary characters define the main characters and their actions. The drama that comes into play with the interactions is what I always try to include in my stories so it's not always about the main characters. A reader enjoys the book when they don’t expect the twist and my goal is to offer the ‘I did not see that coming’ experience for my readers. People remember a book lot longer and are more likely to go back and read it again to see if they had failed to catch the subtle hints that are sprinkled through the story. I personally as an author want to get a reaction out of my readers when they are reading it, in some form, and I hope I have done that with the evil twin.

Sanchita: How would you define a perfect romantic relationship?

P.G. Van: A romantic relationship is full of laughs and hugs and drama free and I don’t mean there shouldn’t be any arguments. Any healthy relationship is a perfect romantic one. A perfect one is probably hard to come by these days because the couple does not take time to be a couple. They are either super competitive with each other trying to prove each other or busy with kids or other priorities. Romance is not all hugs and kisses, it's the funny moments that happen that makes you laugh in public when you think about it. It's the small things like, I made you coffee because I could tell you 'needed it' moments. A lot of couples forget to do the small things that keeps the romance going and if they are able to sit next to each other while they are working or watching TV or even reading a book, that bond and romance will thrive. Romance is not just the physical attraction; it’s the small things you do for your loved one, the things that they do to make you smile.

P. S I sound like a therapist but I am just a romantic at heart.

Sanchita: According to you, what is the most difficult part about writing a hot romance?

P.G. Van: The most difficult part of writing a hot romance novel is striking the right balance between the depth in the story and the steamy scenes. The challenge is that with so many books out there it is hard to keep the reader engaged enough. I have tried different options with the format of the stories for introducing the hot romance piece and it is hard to say what works best. Some readers like the tease, the build up and drama while others like the steamy aggressive romance and I am constantly trying different approaches to offer the experience to the readers. In most of my books it's Insta love or attraction and some readers like that and some want the build up and the story behind why the lead characters are attracted or love each other. My personal preference is Insta love, but I tried to smooth it out and not make the characters desperate for each other, but to acknowledge they have a connection. That connection to me is a form of love at first sight that we all want from a romance novel without sounding too cheesy. A romance reader picks up a book listed as ‘hot romance’ to escape into this perfect world and keeping them engaged while they are exposed to various emotions and page burning heat is always  a challenge and I absolutely love those kind of challenges.

Sanchita: Sneak peek into your next project.

P.G. Van: My next book is ‘The Marriage Contract” and planning to release it in March of 2017. It’s a story of a young businesswoman who gets into a marriage of convenience to save her business. She swirls in a world of confusion when she comes close to breaking the rules of her own contract. I am having fun writing the story of Kareena and Blake.

Rapid fire round (first thought that comes to mind on hearing these words)

a.       Chemistry – Eyes clash, breath hisses.

b.      Passion – feel it deep inside

c.       Ocean – endlessly blue

d.      Resolve – as strong as titanium

e.      Story – Twists and Turns

P.G. Van's latest release 'The Evil Twin?' is available at:

Amazon.com                    Amazon.in                    Amazon.co.uk

Steps on writing your manuscript by noted author Usha Narayanan

Author Usha Narayanan

From a seed of a thought to finally writing down the manuscript! How do you germinate and develop the idea and finally go about writing and completing your story? The step-by- step approach.

When you drive down a deserted mountain road, you catch fleeting glimpses of mossy paths and roughly hewn steps that lead somewhere. But where? What lies beyond? An ancient temple, a lotus pond, or perhaps the ruins of a haunted village? Writing a novel is just as exciting an exploration, where you come upon paths untraveled and characters undiscovered. Where will your destiny take you?

Here is an outline of the process I followed in writing my latest novels ― ‘Pradyumna: Son of Krishna’ and ‘The Secret of God’s Son’. Maybe you can develop your own version of it if you undertake a writing journey.

1. First, delve deep into our epics and puranas that are host to gigantic characters, mega conflicts and dizzying worlds. Pay particular attention to dramatic characters that play pivotal roles in determining fate, perhaps those that are relatively unknown. Make a shortlist and learn all you can about them.

2. The next step is more intuitive, at least in my experience. Some characters seem to call out to you with their enchanting, exhilarating presence. It’s like falling in love! I always liked the name ‘Pradyumna’ which has such a splendid ring to it. The hero of my first novel, ‘The Madras Mangler’, was named Vir Pradyumna. When I wrote that thriller, I had not even heard of Krishna’s son! When I came upon Pradyumna in our puranas, I was captivated by his splendour. I soon discovered that he had lived many dramatic lives. I began to connect the dots and drawing lines where none existed before. The god and goddess of love separated by destiny, a mammoth battle between good and evil, a universe spanning swarga and naraka ― there was no looking back. So look for your own special character who sets your pulse racing, for you will have to live with him or her for many long hours!

3. What next? Research your chosen characters even further. Do they have past lives, troubled relationships, flawed personalities? These are the possibilities you can explore, using your imagination to fill in the gaps. To me, the thrill lies in mixing myth and fictionin such a way that the reader is unable to discover where one ends and the other begins.

4. What is your protagonist’s quest or purpose in life? Who are those who help or hinder him? Jot down broad plot points, then come up with twists and turns, thrills and spills. Don’t forget that you need a spectacular finale that leaves your reader spellbound and breathless with excitement.

5. Start writing. Remember that the setting and the language need to be consistent. Are you going to transport your characters into the present world or transport yourself and your reader into an ancient universe? Enlarge your canvas, unleash your zest. There’s nothing impossible in your fantasy world. Intensify emotions and actions, bring the different strands together for that final catharsis, that explosive climax. Write and rewrite, plot and re-plot. To paraphrase Ernest Hemingway, ‘Sit at your computer and bleed.’

Are you ready now for your own quest, my friend? Good luck to you! And don’t forget to leave a few lines about my books after you read them. I’m waiting!

Find me at www.ushanarayanan.com, www.facebook.com/writerusha or tweet @writerusha.