I have been in a state of ‘emotional unwell-being’ for seven years. There, I’ve said it. Why? Well, after my father died, I believed that if I reached out with love to ‘good friends’, counsellors, suitors, and relatives, there could be pockets of joy to offset my grief and loneliness, thereby maintaining my emotional well-being. Instead, I received repeated metaphorical slaps in the face. It’s qui...

  Ever had that feeling that you’ve waited years for something to happen and then, it happens all at once? And it is bigger and wilder than anything you imagined? Well, that’s exactly what transpired in the first two weeks of October 2025 when the various facets of my life converged to create memories that will last a lifetime. Let’s start with the night of 3 October. I was at a cocktail recept...

  About a month ago, a comment in the forum from a fellow-participant of a writing programme jumped out at me: ‘My agent, who has had my book on sub for two years and sent it like to six people has finally decided to quit the industry entirely.’ I shared it with a local writer-friend. While we discussed how we’d counsel her if she were seated in front of us, I also shared my mother’s advice when...

15 Habits of Writers Who Are Mentally Tough by Aneeta Sundararaj Earlier this year, I read an article by Travis Bradberry (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248234) where he sets out 15 habits that mentally tough people should have. I analysed the same 15 habits, but applied them to the writing/publishing industry. Here’s what I came up with:

Semantics of Democracy In the wake of the dramatic political events in the Middle East in February 2011, there are many who wonder if some countries there will now embrace democracy. Indeed, since the revolution in Egypt, there is analysis of how fast its citizens were able to start the revolution to oust the regime of Hosni Mubarak. Also, there has been debate about the blueprint for democracy t...

Orwell, Bell and the English Language When I started writing many, many years ago, a friend referred me to 2 resources. One was an essay by George Orwell called ‘Politics and the English Language’. I studied the essay, summarised the points and have used the teachings ever since. The other was a book called ‘Plot and Structure’ by James Scott Bell. I’d like to share what I learnt below.

7 Genres for Your Novel and How to Choose the Right One “Go to the bookstore and you’ll see my new book on the shelves,” said a recently published author. Her book was a fictionalised account of her spiritual journey and finding God a year after her divorce. Two days later, I was at the Customer Services desk of the bookstore, giving the lady the title of the book, name of author and even the ISB...

You’re delighted with the bonus you’ve received for a job well done. You spend the holidays with your family and it’s a happy time. A month later, you find that you’ve been promoted and this adds to your happiness. By the end of the month, though, that happiness seems to have paled. A mere six weeks later, you admit that this is a recurring pattern in your life where your initial happiness gives w...

Years before Age: 10 Steps to Success “After 40, you should be valued for your experience, know-how and judgement, rather than for the ability to work 18 hours every day.” (Korda, Michael. “Ten Steps to Success Before 40.” Reader’s Digest. Jan 1988. 49-51). Korda, the article also states, was editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster and author of half a dozen books, including the best-sellers Powe...