Writer & Poet
isn’t as hard as you may think. As long as you know what you want to write about and why you want to write about it in verse, the former slightly easier than the latter. Verse is best suited for stories that are written in first person, have a strong character arc, lots of emotion,… Continue reading Writing a verse novel
"Hurry up and wait" seems to be the publishing industry's tagline, or so I'm told. Hurry up, wait, and disintegrate while doing both seems to be more like it.
The year was 2021 and it was a warm, sunny day just like all the other warm, sunny days before it... Just kidding. It was actually one whole year before that in 2020 and the pandemic was raging, so it was unlike ANY other day really. I had chosen this strange time to write my… Continue reading How I got my agent!
Growth is to human existence what revision is to a writer. It makes us better. But not without a whole lot of suffering first. Look at Lord Buddha's quest for enlightenment, for example. He had to spend years and years trying out extreme methods on both sides of the spectrum before finding the middle path,… Continue reading The pain of revision
In the past, I've written about two wonderful critique groups I belong to. One is a picture book critique group that is smaller and operates more typically, and the other is a middle-grade group that is larger and takes on a more supportive role, offering beta reads and critiques as and when necessary. Both of… Continue reading #FreeWriterResources: Critique Groups
One of the best things that happened to me as a writer was being invited to a critique group. I'm usually shy with new people (can you imagine?!) and having never lived out of Sri Lanka, I don't have many foreign friends. I was apprehensive, and all those middle-grade feelings came up- will I fit… Continue reading It’s always better when we’re together: An inside look at a picture book critique group
A few years before I got married the song 'God bless the broken road' by Rascall Flatts was really popular. I loved the song and lyrics so much that it was one of my top choices for my future first dance song. By the time I eventually got married, this song had been so overused… Continue reading On all roads leading to the same place
I used to look at those who labeled themselves as 'creative' rather enviously. There seemed to be a certain air about them. In Sri Lanka, the CCs (Cool Creatives as I called them) would wear dangly earrings and loose flowy clothing, sport multiple piercings/nose rings/tattoos, stylish flat sandals, have long, wavy hair, and smoke. They… Continue reading Do you ‘look’ creative?
Reem first caught my attention as a picture book author and then when she announced her debut middle-grade novel in verse. It means a lot when someone who juggles as much as she does -not only is she a talented writer but also a great photographer and mom of three- takes the time to offer… Continue reading An interview with Reem Faruqi
Below is a list of free mentorships specifically for writers from diverse/underrepresented backgrounds. As a recipient of one of the below mentorships, I truly appreciate the efforts made by these individuals and organizations to help us in our dream of creating a more realistic representation of the world we live in through the books we… Continue reading #FreeWriterResources: Mentorships- Part 2