A writer ought to be a psychologist and a philosopher: Pratibha Ray
A professor by profession and a writer by choice, author Pratibha Ray undoubtedly is a household name in Odisha and in most parts of India through her translated works. She is one of the leading fiction writers in India today. She gets candid with Purple Pencil Project in this exclusive interview on life, writing, acceptance as […]
In Conversation with: Manu S Pillai
Manu S Pillai needs very little introduction. Over the course of one decade and three books, he has contributed to taking history to a mass audience through his three books – Rebel Sultans: The Deccan from Khilji to Shivaji, The Courtesan, the Mahatma and the Italian Brahmin, and Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of […]
In Conversation With: Paramita Satpathy
Paramita Satpathy is among the most renowned modern fiction writers in Odia. In her career spanning three decades, she has carved out a niche for herself with seven short-story collections and three novels, including Jhankar, Kurei Phula, Prapti, Apathacharini, and Door Ke Pahad. Several of her works have been translated into books in Hindi and English. Her […]
In Conversation With: Unni R
Unni R is a Kerala-based Indian short-story writer and screenwriter, known for his work in Malayalam literature and Malayalam cinema. He’s the recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay for the film Charlie (2015). His notable literary works include Kaalinaadakam, Leela, Kottayam 17, Bahujeevitham, Oru Bhayankara Kaamukan. A collection of his short stories have been translated, in One Hell […]
Writing Meetup: unBlock 109
At Writing Meetup: unBlock 109, a participant narrated a dream he had earlier, combined with a story written on one of the audio prompts. Another continued their work from unBlock 102. unBlock sessions always come with new and quirky stories, and prove that to be a writer, you just have to sit down and write. […]
In Conversation With: Manikantula Bhattacharjya
Manikantula Bhattacharjya is a prolific Assamese writer. Author of 20 novels, six short story collections, three children’s novels and six collections of novellas, Bhattacharya has also written 11 scripts for television including a popular show on Doordarshan, “Gateway”. You write novels, short stories and poetry. How do you adjust your creative leanings while writing each? […]
Writing meetup: unBlock 108 with Jameel Gulrays
This is an original piece Jameel Gulrays wrote to demonstrate how to write Urdu poetry at our writing meetup unBlock 108. From Wren and Martin to James Hadley Chase to Ismat Chughtai, Gulrays shared all he had learnt over the years. His tips included: don’t write on prompts with a basic ‘A for Apple’ approach, […]
Writing Meetup: unBlock 107
Metaphors, poetic prose, and abstract musings dominated our seventh writing meetup, unBlock 107. Written and visual prompts were mixed, stretched, interpreted and laid out in unconventional ways, facilitating a major unBlocking of that crippling writer’s block. The writing meetup had participants sharing important feedback on each other’s works. The value small details add, quantity of […]
Amphan’s effect on publishing: How to Help
The publishing industry was going through a tough time already with the lockdown, and it has to now deal with Amphan’s effect on publishing. When cyclone Amphan hit Kolkata on 20th May, it further aggravated the woes of the book industry. For book lovers, it is heartbreaking to see beloved Boi Para, a.k.a., College Street, […]
In Conversation with: Jane Borges
We caught up with author Jane Borges, whose debut fiction novel Bombay Balchão released in 2019, captures the life and role of the Catholic community of Bombay, from independence to today. Let’s start by talking about the non-fictitious nature of Bombay Balchão. You mentioned you carried out extensive research to learn about Cavel and its […]
