by Jacqui Lofthouse

1. Set aside a regular time each week for your writing and make it sacred. Even if you can only find a single time slot, for example Sunday evening, put it in the diary and make it A FIXTURE. Tell everybody you know that you’re busy and honour this time. It may seem a small step, but it’s a way to signal to yourself and others that you are committed.

2. Write only what you love. Nothing is going to make you write if you are not passionate about what you are doing. When considering a writing project, ensure it is something you really WANT to write about. If you can find the passion, you are halfway there. Your desk will draw you like a magnet.

3. Perfect your writing space. Make sure that the place where you write is conducive to your work. It’s difficult for anyone to work at a desk that’s strewn with bills or work-related reports. Think carefully about what kind of space you would like to create for your writing. Does it include a pin-board covered in inspirational post-cards? A vase of flowers? A perfectly clear space? Or, if you can’t manage a desk, might it involve an early night curled up in bed with a journal? Make this a space you long to return to. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!

4. Just ‘open the file’. Every day. I learned this one from time management coach Mark Forster. The biggest excuse for not writing is that we ‘don’t have time’. We believe we must have huge swathes of uninterrupted time if we are to be truly inspired. Thus, we often don’t write at all. But what would happen if you made a true commitment to just ‘opening the file’ every day. You go to your computer or desk, you open the document you are working on and you commit to writing for five minutes. Try it. Five minutes can become ten, fifteen… suddenly an hour has passed. Trick yourself into working. Daily.

5. Simplify your life. This one is essential. And it goes deeper than you may think. What are you so busy with that you don’t have time to write? Is there any way in which you could simplify your life? What could you let go of in order to find time to write? What would happen if you decided to say no more often and set up stronger boundaries about yourself? Could you resign from a committee? Get your shopping delivered? Stop wasting time surfing the Internet? List ten ways now in which you are complicating your life. And commit to taking three actions to create more time to write.

6. Carry notebooks wherever you go. You know this, right? But do you do it? First, it’s about the notebooks being there, when you’re inspired. But it’s also a way of allowing a thought to develop over the course of a day or a week. Get down the initial inspiration and watch the idea twist and change. If you don’t record it, you may lose it. A notebook encourages you to ‘write when you’re not writing’; to be constantly musing on the development of your work.

7. Find a place you can escape to. Maybe it’s a nearby café or the reading room of an art gallery. Again, make this a regular date. When you are outside your normal environment, away from distractions, it is easier to focus on the task in hand. It doesn’t matter where you write, it just matters that you do it. Many of my clients write on the train, or in their lunch hour. One writes for the first hour after her toddler is dropped off at nursery. Don’t assume you must be at your desk. What matters most is momentum.

8. Make a game of it. Set yourself a weekly target in terms of word count and make yourself accountable to somebody else for reaching that target. Set up a reward for yourself, if your weekly target. It’s amazing what you can do when you have an incentive. Remember, if you only write 500 words every day, you’ll have a draft of a book within 6 months.

9. Use the ‘mosaic’ method. As I write, I’m considering taking a course in making mosaics. It occurs to me that mosaics, like novels, are built from tiny fragments, that, taken alone, are not a work of art – yet when they are assembled, formed into patterns, they become something entirely different. Don’t make the mistake of believing you need to see the entire picture before you begin. Think of it as laying down single tiles (single words). Each day, you lay a few tiles; you’ll see your pattern build. You don’t have to have a template. You simply have faith that a pattern will emerge. But you have to put those tiles down, even if it’s just a few.

10. Don’t let the well get empty. If you find yourself lacking in inspiration, it’s possible you’re pushing yourself too hard. Working all hours? Sitting at your desk in the evening, staring at a blank screen? Too much pandering to screaming children? Not enough time to just stare at the sky? If you don’t make time for creative play, you’ll have nothing to write about. It’s SO important to fill that creative well. What small thing can you do today to ensure your creativity will flow? Visit an art gallery? Dig the garden? Read a fascinating book about the Russian Revolution? It doesn’t matter how you recharge your creativity, but if you don’t have ‘input’ you won’t have ‘output’. It’s that simple!

© 2006-09 Jacqui Lofthouse

Jacqui Lofthouse is UK’s top writing coach. She has published three novels and has taught creative writing in a broad variety of settings including at City University, the Cheltenham Festival, for Artemisia holidays in Tuscany and at Richmond Adult and Community College. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and a trained coach. Jacqui has been profiled in ‘The Independent’ newspaper and her work has been reviewed in publications such as The Times, The Observer, The Telegraph and Time Out. You can find out more about Jacqui and sign up to her free newsletter here http://www.thewritingcoach.co.uk

So tell our readers more about your book? Who is it for and who do you think will be interested in reading it?

The book Our Stories Our Lives: Inspiring Muslim Women’s Voices began as a vision designed to explore the insights and experiences of Muslim women in Bradford. Funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the project focused on over 100 women from all walks of life between the ages of 14 to 80 – and harnessed media technologies to capture their insights. The aim was to empower women to present themselves in their own words through participatory video, documentary film, audio, oral history/narratives, seminars and the internet. The result is a number of engaging cameos that identify their hopes, aspirations and concerns through their day-to-day activities. Throughout the process of producing the videos and other media material, their voices remained pivotal, un-obscured by too much analysis and interpretation. In essence the book is meant for anyone who believes in the power of authentic voices and stories. From academics and policy makers through to the average person in the UK who wants to engage with the lives of individuals who have helped shape the landscape of Great Britain but whose stories have often been hidden from history.

As editor of the book, what were your hopes for the project? Did it meet your initial expectations?

The vision for the overall project had very humble beginnings. It was a concept that was thought through whilst I was resting in bed one night. The vision later flourished through conversations with other like-minded men and women both Muslim and non-Muslim. All believed in the importance of opening up the spaces for experiences to be shared in creative ways. The project has far exceeded the initial vision but the hope is that people will not only gain valuable insights into the lives of Muslim women, but also realise the power of narrative and the role digital media and creativity can play in reaching out to all sections of society.

Did the women involved have any writing sessions or have their stories been told in their own words?

It was very important for me to work closely with the women featured. Each story was jointly edited with the women and every measure was taken to ensure the women were content with each word that was used. Whilst none of the women were given writing sessions, they were provided with opportunities to go through their individual stories, to make adjustments and ask questions. The process worked on several levels: firstly, the women were clearly informed about the vision behind the book; secondly, the women were interviewed by an oral historian; thirdly, narratives were formed based on the individual interviewee’s own words; fourthly each woman was provided with an opportunity to go through her story: usually I was present and jointly edited the story with the women. In some cases women wanted to alter sections of their story, or grammar in which case every effort was made to accommodate their wishes. I then went back to each woman and worked with a photographer to capture the images for the book. What became obvious from the outset was that the women wanted to share their stories; they were aware that the book would be read widely and were vocal about how their stories were depicted.

Where did the idea for the project come from?

Over the past few decades the UK has seen major demographic, social and cultural changes and Muslims have emerged at the heart of countless critical debates and analysis with particular reference to mainland and global security; cohesion, participation and integration, marriage, immigration and also educational and economic disadvantage. Many of these debates have continued to homogenize Muslim men and women, and failed to represent the rich diversity of opinion within Islam and between people.

It is necessary, in a society where over the years particular voices have been silenced, that we hear authentic experiences that talk to us with genuine openness and critical reflection. In a sense, the idea for the project emerged against the backdrop of all these changes and challenges. My feeling was that whilst there is a need to explore issues, the way this is done should be different. In other words, I wanted to use the art of digital media and story telling as opposed to more conventional research methodologies that often depict stories through the eyes of the researcher. I wanted to do my best to place the stories, words and experiences of the women at the heart of the project. It wasn’t always easy in terms of the time it took to edit both the stories and films. But what was essential was that the women who had given so much to the project were respected.

So much is written about Muslim women but little is often said by them – here you’ve given ordinary Muslim women a voice and captured their existence – how was that experience for you?

Much of the coverage portrays Muslim women as subjugated victims of oppressive patriarchal cultures, with a widespread assumption that they are one large homogeneous group. In fact there are a large variety of Muslim women around the world, from the vastly different cultures of the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia, Yugoslavia, Northern Africa, and the Southern parts of the former USSR. And the experiences of women in each of these countries is unique to them – just as it is for women in the UK or US.

As a Muslim woman myself and as the editor of the book I have always believed in the power of stories in reaching out to people’s hearts and minds and the importance of capturing history as it unfolds. Growing up in the UK, I have witnessed a number of changes and challenges. I see a number of Muslim women who have achieved positions of influence – in local government, business, further and higher education, charities and other organizations. Women who care about the society in which they live and bring up their children; women who increasingly find a voice together to promote values and who work together to make things happen. I know that there’s a considerable way to go in harnessing the potential that lies at the heart of this change and there is a need to acknowledge that there also continues to be a disproportionate lack of reflection on women’s achievements and experiences. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Muslim women are paving the way forward in new dynamic, challenging and creative ways. For me capturing just some of the women’s triumphs and heartaches was both a joy and a challenge. I was very new to the book publishing world, although I had written articles and the occasional paper, my experience in this area was minimal. I really was fortunate because both The Policy Press and Joseph Rowntree Foundation helped me to understand the process. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing and a great many decisions had to be made. From how the front cover should look, to how each page should be structured and designed – it was a labour of love to say the least but worthwhile!

What are your plans for the future – is there a tour planned or other projects that tie in with the book?

The official launch of the book is on October 6th and interest in the book is gaining momentum. I am preparing book launches in Oxford and London.

Our stories Our Lives, edited by Wahida Shaffi is published by The Policy Press.

So tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Paddington, London and have spent most of my life in South London , where I still live. After graduating with a BA in Modern Languages, I taught English (as a foreign language). Although I enjoyed teaching, it was hard to find the time to write by doing so. I embarked on several short term jobs to sustain myself and somehow found the drive and motivation needed to start and eventually complete my first story.
As a child, I had many hobbies and interests but my biggest passion was judo. From nine years of age through to my early twenties, I participated in this sport and was fortunate to have fought in major local and national competitions. I soon grew to love other martial arts, including kung-fu but unfortunately various injuries soon put an end to my training. I’ve tried to incorporate my passion for these sports in my book.

When did you decide that you were a writer?

I’m not too sure if I ever have to be honest! I’ve always been a reader and find myself thinking up alternative endings for stories I have read or films I have seen and then my imagination takes over and before I know it, I’ve created an entirely different story in my mind. I hold my parents responsible for this as I remember doing this often whilst they would be watching something ‘grown up’ on TV that really didn’t appeal to me as a young child! As for being a writer, I think I’d more consider myself as a storyteller and as I have always found that I express myself better on paper, this for me, is the most natural way to communicate my stories. It is something I really enjoy doing so would love to make a career and living out of it… so here I am trying to make it happen!

What’s your novel about and who is aimed at?

I wanted to write something for children which I hoped would not only entertain but also inspire and motivate them. One of my favourite books is ‘The Alchemist’ written by the fantastic Paulo Coelho. His book can be interpreted in so many ways but fundamentally it has such a strong and positive message to his readers. I wanted to write something that I hoped would hold a similar message without preaching to kids. The message I wanted to present is that regardless of background or beginnings, we are all capable of succeeding with our dreams whatever they might be and that through self-belief, perseverance and commitment it is possible to overcome inevitable challenges to achieve these dreams. The actual storyline has a fantasy/action theme to the age old issue of ‘good versus bad’.. It is basically about a group of children who have been especially selected to become warriors by unknown powers. They are based on the planet Ricon and have to undergo a series of challenges to successfully complete their training. Once they have done so, they then go back to Earth ‘undercover’ to protect certain children who have been targeted by the ‘baddies’.

What has been the most challenging aspect of writing a novel and getting it published?

Writing it was the easiest part! Getting published was very hard! I tried the mainstream route of sending it to agents but was unsuccessful and as most publishing houses will not look at manuscripts unless they come via an agent, it was a matter of continuing to try and find an agent who would be interested in my work. I think the toughest part of this process was having to work during the day in poorly paid temp jobs that really did not challenge me at all and as it took around four years to get published, there were plenty of times that I really did wonder if I was doing the right thing or not. I was seeing so many of my friends and my family progressing in their career paths, buying their first home etc but here I was still living with my parents and chasing a dream that might never surface. That said, I love writing and I haven’t experienced anything else that I have been so passionate about doing career wise and I was determined not to give up. My book was published thanks to a new scheme that a website youwriteon.com embarked upon and fortunately for me, children (and adults) really seem to have taken to the story. The feedback I have on Amazon.co.uk and from my website has been mind blowing and this is what continues to drive me.
As for the mainstream route, since getting my book published, I have had heard some very interesting comments from people in the industry that I was completely unaware of. At the London Book Fair, this year, I listened to a seminar regarding ethnic minorities in publishing. One of the guest speakers was Hardeep Singh Kohli (comedian/presenter and writer) and he pointed out that ethnic minorities are generally expected to write stories that somehow incorporate their culture/experiences and that it was very rare for someone from a minority background to have had mainstream fiction published. I was extremely surprised by this and at the end of the talk, I put my hand up and explained that what I have written has absolutely nothing to do with my cultural background but was more-so influenced by my experiences of life and in particular the sports I participated in as a child. The characters in my book, I have deliberately created from all races but I haven’t focused on this at all. It was just a natural thing for me to do as it is a reflection of whom I have as friends in my life.

I’m not entirely sure how true this maybe. However from my experiences, I know that when I go into schools and talk to the children, the response has been fantastic and especially from boys who generally are not as interested in reading as girls are but as soon as I mention the storyline and my previous interests in judo and kung-fu, they seem to come alive and are full of questions at the end of the talk. The colour of my skin nor my ethnicity has hindered my rapport with any of these kids, if anything, I think it has been more of a positive attribute. So if what I have heard is indeed the case, then my experiences lead me to believe that the industry is losing out by doing so especially in regards to the children’s market. On a personal level, if this is the case, then it just adds to the other challenges that I’ll somehow have to overcome as I would need to be taken on by a larger publishing house for the book to be more easily available.

The book tackles coming of age issues? Did you start off with the intention of writing this for and about young teens?

My main reason for writing this book was my little sister Tania who is twelve years younger than me. She was about twelve years old when I first put pen to paper and then when I picked it up again two years later, she was at a crucial point in her school life and I too found myself at a crossroad in my life. The issues that arise in the book, I think can be related to all ages but my target demographic when I was writing the story was the pre-teen market. I tried to address certain topics that I had encountered at her age and that she had also relayed to me.

What’s the response been to your book so far?

The usual remark I hear is ‘Have you written the second book?’ and at this point in time, I cannot think of any better response! I’m actually overwhelmed and feel very blessed for all of the feedback I have had as it has been extremely encouraging and made all the challenges and difficulties that I have encountered worthwhile.

Tell us what you’re working on at the moment. You hint at the end of the novel that there will be a sequel…if not sequels, so what are your plans for the future?

I am working on the second part of story, I have an idea in mind for a third as well but for the moment I am focusing on book two.

As the book was published via the scheme I mentioned before, it is only available on-line and all the promotion and marketing is solely up to me. As soon as I have completed book two, my next goal will be to get a publishing deal with a bigger publishing house so that it will be available in shops as well as on-line and whilst doing that, I’ll start visiting schools again to promote the first book.

Finally what advice would you give to aspiring novelists?

Be certain that this is what you want to do and that your reasons for doing so will stand strong though the hardships you are more than likely to encounter and once you are certain, believe in yourself and do not give up! Keep in mind that what you write will not appeal to all so do not be deterred by any negative comments but at the same time you need to be a realist. If you continue to receive the same feedback, then perhaps you might need to re-evaluate what you have written… persevere and don’t ever be defeated!

Arshia Sattar’s mail plopped into my Inbox on Jan 11, 2009,

Hi Suneetha
Happy New Year
we have a vacancy at sangam house from Jan 12 to Feb 8

Would you be able to come?
Arshia

Remember what Danny Boyle did on stage after taking his Oscar statuette into his hands? I did something similar! Arshia sounded like she was offering something quite routine, but it wasn’t anything mundane at all. This was a dream come true, literally.

To the uninitiated, the Sangam House Residency for Writers is the first-of-its-kind international writer’s residency in India and an ‘on-going annual program in arts and letters’. To quote from their website:  “Our residency program is designed for writers who have published to some acclaim but not yet enjoyed substantial commercial success. We want to give writers a chance to build a substantial and influential network of personal and professional relationships that can deepen their own work, in effect expanding and diversifying literature.”

They had put up a call for applications sometime in the first half of 2008, and thrilled but never really expecting to get a selection, I too collected two recommendations and sent in my sample and published work. That was in July 2008. Later on, I saw that some bloggers were talking about their Sangam House nominations, so I wrote in to Arshia, who was coordinating the program in South Asia and came to know I had been wait-listed.

You can’t imagine how disappointed I was; so near and still not there! But when I saw the list of people selected, I felt honoured about the waitlist; the writers-in-residence nominations included people like Mohammed Hanif, who wrote ‘The Case of Exploding Mangoes’. Well, I left it at that, it was almost January 2009 and I didn’t expect a vacant slot to pop up so near the conclusion of the programme.  This mail that I received from Arshia was out of the blue and changed everything.

Writing and reading the whole day without the daily chores to interrupt me!  A whole three weeks of no cooking, creative planning and execution of menus and a sabbatical from being a CEO with no staff! Now, that doesn’t sound like a writer’s fantasy, but a small-town middle-class writer-cum-journalist-cum-mom-cum-wife, who was writing because she simply couldn’t keep away from the alphabet, still has just so much space and no more. Think ‘A Room of One’s Own’ and Virginia Woolf. I was at the threshold of such an offer and just had to say YES!

I decided to live on the dream and said yes, and so began my Sangam experience in January 2009.

Jan 12, the date that Arshia offered was too soon, in fact barely six hours away from my opening her mail; and I had a hundred things to wrap up and plan, including the family menus (Oh! Yeah, I am the proverbial lizard holding up the roof)

My work as a freelance writer had several commitments which would be left hanging if I left Trivandrum pronto; then there were the tickets to see to, I had to call up Arshia and check the route….Everything passed off well and I arrived on the morning of the 16^th of Jan into the unbelievable calm and cool of the Adishakti Properties, Pondicherry, the seat of the Sangam House Residency in India and also into the warmth of an unforgettable friendship with Mike, Lydia, Leonora, Aseem and Honggyu all of whom I will introduce in a minute.

The Adishakti Properties is the seat of a theatre company of the same name, and the company of the excellent artists resident there, Vinay, Nimmy, Suresh, Aravind and Arjun lent the extra spice to the residency days. While these guys were around, there was music, discussions on every possible topic under the sun and cinema. Within our writer’s group, it was more focused; there was the learning of the other culture, outings to good old Pondi town and night life; all mixed with the absolute quietness of the mornings and evenings, apart from the writing and its peripheral activities. But my idea of a residency also included in-depth discussions about the craft of writing and maybe even writing exercises. But that was my mistake, I confused the residency with a workshop, but the mistake was soon rectified.

You are really pampered at Sangam, I have to say that! A great and cosy room with comfortable beds, clean linen and enough blankets, moving space in case you want to pace a bit inside while you are thinking a scene out, a clean and nice bathroom with hot water and so on. There is a table to write and a cupboard for your stuff, just like you would have at home. Laundry service was also provided and clothes would be delivered back to you ironed to perfection.

The room I had occupied singly was on the ground floor and the other two women in the residency group were housed around the open corridor on the same floor. The men were on the upper floor and we had two ISPs working the web for the laptops. Unfortunately there was no web connected on the common PC which was in the dining space in a separate thatched country-type hall just off the guest house, but you could work offline and print out anything from there.

The meals provided were south Indian cuisine for breakfast and a mix of north and south Indian cuisine for lunch and dinner and these were served at fixed timings at the dining hall. We all usually took out our plates to the benches and tables outdoors under the trees and sat round chatting till work beckoned us back to our rooms.

We also raided the kitchenette at the guest house for those hunger pangs outside meal times that we writers usually have at odd hours. The fridge and larder were well stocked with bread, spreads and fruits and milk, tea and coffee and a limited quantity of liquor as well. The kitchenette saw people ganging up on coffee/fruit sessions even at midnight. Fruit was mostly out of the Adishakti orchard and we had yellow yummy papayas, just ripening guavas, and luscious pomegranates freshly plucked for us.

Now tell me what else you would want for inspiration? Peace and quiet? Nature?

You had them all at Sangam. Except for the time when the Adishakti artists practise, or the meal time banter, the place is really quiet. And the grounds are vast, and truly pretty in the golden evenings and dewy mornings. Close your eyes and you could listen to the umpteen birds that practise choir at any time of the day or night. So all we had to do was to apply our posteriors to our chairs or where ever you choose to sit and attack with the pen or mouse whatever your weapon happens to be.

But let me introduce the fellow writers who were resident with me in the incomparably beautiful guesthouse at Adishakti. We were the last batch and about a dozen people had come and gone before us since November 15, 2008. The www.sangamhouse.org  website lists the alumni.

Lydia Bravo, who is from Spain but resident in London, is a poet who writes in Spanish and a published translator handling Spanish and English.

Leonora Christina Skov is an established writer in Denmark, with two novels behind her.

Honggyu Son is an academic and a popular and award winning novelist in Korea.

Michael Obert is a renowned writer in German and has several non-fiction writings to his credit.

Aseem Shrivastava is an economist and academic of repute who hails from India but with his footprints spread globally.

And it is with these reputed names that poor old I rubbed shoulders for an entire two weeks. But my self-esteem which has always been poor got a power shot during that fortnight I spent at Sangam. I found that I wasn’t as ordinary a writer as I thought from the comments of my fellow writers who read my work and expressed their opinions. I also realised I was at least as prolific as the rest of them. The publishing credits were in varying degrees, the people from outside India seemed to be more successful. And the strangest thing was that except Aseem and me, the representatives from India resident currently, and both of us who write in English, the rest of them write in their mother-tongues.

Mike writes his travelogues in German, Lydia writes her poetry and her current novel in Spanish and adeptly translates them into English, Leonora writes in Danish and explains her literary ventures to me in English, and Honggyu, writes and handles only Korean. Once Lydia, Honggyu and I shared a hilarious time with each of us talking in our own language and laughing away at how it contrasted against the other’s speech.

Closeness inspires confidences, and all of us had heart-to-heart sessions on our life experiences. We found that love, family, relationships and life was the same in all corners of the world, albeit slightly different definitions. I remember an incident on the day I left Sangam I attended a call for Mike on the public phone. I had to call out to Mike who lived on the upper floor and he was engrossed in work so heard me only after my voice had grown frantic.

Mike came running down with a greatly worried expression which had me curious and I hung round wondering what was troubling him and if I could help him in some way. Mike soon found that the call was only from the Adishakti Office about some travel arrangement, and I watched the tension melt away from his face. After keeping the phone down Mike told me that for a few moments he had worried about his Mom back in Germany. I thought of the time when my brother had rushed back on emergency leave when he suspected that Dad was in hospital. The nomad life of a writer doesn’t make any of us different about emotions.

We also found time for one outing to Pondi town on a late evening. We came back really and truly late and riding the waves of cool night air and I do believe most of us went in straight to write. Pondi has that effect on you.

A typical day at Sangam had you routing for coffee at the kitchenette whenever you woke up or proceeding straight to the diner for the first meal of the day. Some of us even woke with the birds that set up a dynamic dialogue as early as 4 am. Chat sessions around the breakfast table would go on till someone realised the time and all would rush back to work. Lunch followed the same pattern, so did dinner. Snacks at the kitchenette were intermissions. In the midst of this food-rote, some people took off for Auroville for visits or shopping or massages; others took off to Pondi for the day when work was at saturation point. But generally work was prolific with all of us. We ate, wrote, ate more, and wrote more again. We even heard the Dalai Lama one day when he was at Auroville.

Soon it was the 29^th of Jan, my last day at the residency and the day for the reading session organised at Chennai, and all of us left in two great cars accompanied by Arshia who had come in a day earlier. The session was at the Taj Hotel, the new one, and we had some press coverage too. All of them except me left for a bash, and I went back home from Chennai.

People have asked me what I did at and what I gained from the residency. The experience and exposure was invaluable. I did manage to write a lot in spite of the fact that I was terribly home sick triggered by my withdrawal symptoms from the web. I am laptop phobic and I was not able to access the web as much as I usually do. At home I have two PCs with two different ISPs open round the clock. Lack of web access made me cut my allotted days short and I left a whole seven days earlier. But I did manage to write about 10000 words of my current novel, a number of short stories and a screenplay.

As for what I gained, it’s not something I can say easily. I went there with one impression of myself and came back with all that changed. In short, I found out not who I was but who I wasn’t, in the company of all these wordsmiths. They all were well travelled persons most of whom were leaving for other destinations for more taste of the world outside their circle. I was someone who had travelled alone very little, and that too only recently. I had ‘roots’ as they all told me several times, and I wasn’t the brave cosmopolitan woman I believed myself to be. But we all stood at par as writers, and I was at last confident of my writing.

When I look back, Pondi looks like a dream still, I can’t believe it happened until I look at my PC and the folders holding the work which I did after Sangam. Sangam came to my life at a time when I had started doubting my credentials as a writer, and two months later, I have a bunch of new pals across the globe and a new confidence as a writer. I know my mindset has changed forever, and I believe all those Indian writers who manage homes and jobs and yet manage a lot of writing, needs a residency to sort themselves out and begin on the real journey of a writer.

They have invited applications again for the 2009 residencies with Sangam House, so in case I have inspired you, please check the link

http://www.sangamhouse.org/interestedwriters.htm

Suneetha is a writer, translator and journalist who works from her home at Trivandrum in idyllic Kerala in South India. She writes and translates into two languages viz English. She writes fiction in English and poetry in Malayalam.

By Suhel Ahmed

Transforming the desire to write to the actual act of writing has become something of a struggle lately. Every time I open up my notepad, it’s as if I’m standing at the bottom of a rock-face, staring up at the glorious summit, yet at that moment a vertiginous feeling courses through me and what I used to find natural becomes scarily alien.

So presented with the opportunity to spend a day at the Urban Writers Retreat, I instantly put my name forward, hoping that a change of scenery would be the very thing to haul me out of this psychological infirmity. Just days before my arrival, the organiser, Charlie Haynes, sent me a “goal setting sheet” requesting that I write down my aims for the day. Rather draconian, I thought, but I was willing to give anything a go to kick-start my creativity.

On a bright and beautiful Sunday morning, (a little encumbered by the fact that it was a bright and beautiful Sunday morning), I set off to enter this writer’s bootcamp, with my goals jotted down, laptop in bag, and the bit between my teeth. On arrival, our host Charlie showed me around the venue. A Boho craft workshop during normal business hours, the place exuded a homey feel; a place where you felt you could kick off your shoes, make yourself a hot cuppa, and gossip away with your best chums. The rooms began on the main ground floor and then descended to a subterranean level, (as if to emphasise that a writer needs to be quarantined in order to create). Each room was furnished with a large table surrounded by chairs, as well as power points for laptop users.

After a five-minute introduction, during which I had the feeling that my fellow retreaters wanted to forego this part and get down to some serious writing (after all, it was a writer’s retreat and not a social club), we all chose our seats and sat down to begin a day of uninterrupted work. We were asked to turn our mobile phones off. Before I’d even reached into my bag, an exam-room type hush descended, punctuated by the patter of fingertips eagerly working away on portable laptops. Slightly intimidated by the level of conscientiousness, I felt the need to share a quip, a joke, some kind of badinage to lighten the mood, but the three writers at my table didn’t seem to be in a playful mood. The politesse of the place clearly demanded a churchly silence. So I took a deep breath and turned on my laptop, ready to do battle with my creative demons. Currently I’m trying to write a collection of short stories, but admit to suffering the aches and stiffness from having completed a novel manuscript, not to mention the simmering anxiety that I might be falling prey to the second book syndrome.

However, without any distraction, soon I found my creative muscles limbering up; the aches from the previous project ebbed away. In fact, within the first two hours I’d made more progress than I’ve managed in the previous two months. In the company of so many focused writers, I was reminded of the diligence required to craft a story. I was reminded too that a story doesn’t just materialise in a flash but feeds on a writer’s sustained obsession, and anything of lesser conviction translates to mediocrity on the page.
By the end of the day, I’d barely exchanged more than salutations with my fellow retreaters, but that was of little consequence, since I’d become closely acquainted with the characters in my story, and basked in that Ready Brek glow a writer feels when he comes up for air after being immersed in the world of his imagination. Most of all, I was relieved to find that there was still fuel left in the creative tank.

On reflection, the day gave me a much-needed boost by denying me the opportunity to make excuses or search for distractions. A case of tough love, perhaps, but it made me realise that I wasn’t really searching for a kick-start, but a hefty kick up the backside. On the train home, I felt I’d come out of the ailing writer’s equivalent of a monastery, my focus returned, and my faith renewed.

Urban Writers Retreat runs one-day weekend writing retreats with a supportive atmosphere in London. Retreats run from 10am-6pm at The Make Lounge in London and cost from £35. To find out more visit http://tinyurl.com/urbanretreat

What a night! I spent the last few hours in the company of some of the richest, diverse and talented writers. The first thing that struck me, I was listed for a VIP table. I don’t know if it was a mistake but I wasn’t about to complain. I guess wearing a sparkly gown, headscarf and matching handbag and not forgetting my gorgeous silver heels, I did fit into the evening nicely! Everyone kept asking me what award I was up for? I was a little tempted to make something up but the sheer thought of being caught out stopped me.

After all, I was given the best seats in the house. I had to be on my best behaviour because my kids were watching! The night began with powerful poetry from Dreadlock-Alien, electrifying performance from Warsan Shire and hypnotic rhymes from Amir Sulaiman. I have to confess Warsan Shire haunted me all evening. She is a talent to watch out for! Not just a Somali poet, but a writer, freelance journalist and spoken word artist. She won the title of International Slam Champion 2007.

The Rt Hon Stephen Timms – a pleasant man with a positive message. He spoke of Muslim writers and his hope that they are seen as talented artists and not just members of the Islamic faith. Another one of my favourite speakers of the night was Sadiq Khan, Minister for Communities. He talked about his involvement in projects to help ethnic minorities integrate in Britain. It wasn’t all serious speeches; there was entertainment from the likes of Aa’shiq Al Rasul, Khayaal Theatre group and the Flutebox by Nathan Lee. If that wasn’t enough to lighten the mood, there was the like of James Caan from Dragon’s Den to drool over. Finally, the judges from the very best of British publishing: Penguin, Bloomsbury, Canongate were present to give out awards to the winners.

Presenters Shelina Zahra Janmohamed and Hasan Mahamdallie were fabulous in keeping the audience entertained. But personally I felt let down by the actual awards presentation. Once the winners were announced and given their awards, they were quickly whisked off stage. I was told there wasn’t enough time to hear their winning pieces. The MWA were on a tight schedule. Cameras rolled and lights flashed blinding any who were caught looking. It was a live televised event to many countries around the world.

Afterwards, I was lucky to be able to speak to some of the winners. Hanzla Arif Macdonald, winner of the short story competition and poetry competition for the 14-16 age groups was excited to attend the awards with his parents and younger brother. To my surprise, he had won an award at last year’s MWA. As one judge put it “he will come to be a name to remember.” Other humble winners were Shameam Akhtar for her unpublished poetry and Reba Khatun for unpublished –children’s story. Both ladies appeared a little shy to talk about their success, but very glad to have submitted an entry. I guess it goes to show if you don’t write you won’t ever know. If you have a passion to write then let yourself be heard. You never know where it may lead.

Rukhsana Bhatti is a writer and mother of three. She is currently rewriting her children’s fantasy novel which was given brilliant reviews when it was pitched to EMI Media at DMU this year. She blogs at http://rukhsanab.blogspot.com/

This month we launch our online bookclub. How does it work? If you haven’t already done so, you need to register for the bookclub by emailing me at editor@theasianwriter.co.uk with ‘BookClub’ in the subject line. Secondly read the book that we feature here. And then wait for the discussion to hit your inbox. It couldn’t be simpler!

This month, we have chosen Nikita Lalwani’s debut novel, Gifted. If you’ve never read it,  then read it, and if you’ve got something to share/say, tell us what you loved and hated. Then remember to email me at editor@theasianwriter.co.uk to join the bookclub discussion. We are thankful to Ashanti Omkar who will be leading the discussion this month. We will publish our thoughts in the next issue.

Try Me is a fascinating memoir of one woman’s search for belonging. Damji takes the reader on her own personal journey right from turbulent childhood days in Africa, dances in her drug crazed partying teen-adult life in New York to her prison life as an adult. Try Me is a painful but powerful memoir and Damji’s story is one which will haunt its readers for some time. The Asian Writer caught up with Farah Damji to find out more…

1) What was your initial motivation for telling your story?

I have been told I should write a book for as long as I can remember. In 2003, an agent from Curtis Brown read a commentary piece I wrote after Idi Amin died and took me on and I wrote a book. He was very inexperienced though and wanted a different book to the one I gave him. It wasn’t this one, because obviously I didn’t have the experiences or the depth of life from which this story is told. I wrote it to tell the truth, which can be painful but instructive. I wrote the book because I have always wanted to write a book, it’s been a lifelong ambition. And God knows there is enough material!

2) Did you ever have a change of heart, or lose faith whilst you were writing your story?

Every day. Writing is a discipline and I naturally react violently against anything which takes a great deal of effort and concentration! It passed though, once I sat down and started actually writing and not thinking about or talking about doing it

3) You don’t ever hold back in the story, its really a tell all – looking back now, do you wish you’d left some things out?

No. It’s the whole story. It was hard to write about some of my criminal past. I have been judged and rejudged and sentenced for life by complete strangers who think they wear a wig and red robes and sit on a bench when it comes to my life. But in order to tell the story, I couldn’t leave anything out, it added to the understanding of the whole picture. I had to distance myself completely from any perceived or anticipated reaction and write it as if I was writing in a vacuum, without a thought for other people’s sensitivities.

4) Have any of your family read the book yet? What do they make of it?

I know my beloved estranged aunty the Yazzmonster is worried about it, there’s quite a lot of information in it about her she would rather not have out there for public consumption, my brother whom I haven’t seen for twelve years asked my son (aged 11) to tell me to not to publish it. They haven’t read it but as I have always said, this is MY story and there’s a memorable line in Desperate Housewives which says “The truth is just a previously agreed upon set of lies.” Everyone’s versions of the same event are going to differ dramatically. I am sure my parents live in the delusion that they did a wonderful job

5) Was the process of writing for you, painful or therapeutic? Did it offer closure on some aspects of your past?

Incredibly painful but ultimately healing. I’ve said it was like childbirth, but it’s like 9 months of labour pains. It offered closure in as much as writing down something forces you to relive it and come to terms with it in your own head. Then you have to move on and I did. There are some things that I will never understand but they don’t have the same power or control over me anymore.

I have absolutely nothing to hide any more. my life is quite literally an open book. It’s all in there, anyone can read about it. There’s a lot of freedom in that because I am not obliged to uphold any “fake” or inauthentic version o myself that has been propagated for years by others and myself. I was afraid of who I was and the process of delving into the darkest parts of myself forces the light onto those events and experiences that lurked there, and actually scary monsters that torture our nightmares are not so scary in the day-light.

6) You re-live some horrible moments in the book, right from a turbulent childhood to a confused young adult life…what did you learn about yourself when writing about that time in your life?

I wish I had had proper adult role models, not fucked up cardboard cutouts around me.Yasmin, my parents and family can’t be called “normal” or “functional” in any way. I learned I have a strong centre and that is unbreakable. I learned to have faith in my ability to survive, no matter what. I learned I have some very good friend who have never turned their backs. I think children who grow up in crazy alcoholic homes have to become resilient way before their years and we see the world through adult eyes before we should. I feel much compassion for the child in me who lost her innocence but a lot of healing happened when my own daughter was born because she offers me so much hope and love.

7) Who did you write the book for? And what do you hope people will get from it?

Anyone who wants to read it. It’s every woman’s story to some degree though not every woman goes off the rails ( or has the opportunity to) like I did. Men have said they are interested in it because women don’t usually write about openly about sex, relationships and power in the way that I have.

8) I like the fact that you talk about disturbing personal experiences, without ever sounding like a victim even though you can be perceived in that way…did you make a conscious decision to move away from the common misery memoir genre?

I have never considered myself a victim of anything. I created the chaos around me, I was the result of the upbringing I had but I could have turned out a very different person. There are so many things that come into the mix when it comes to fate but ultimately I believe we control our karma. I think if we take on the victim mentality, we invite more abuse in some shape or form, kind of Cosmic Ordering inverted.

9) Although you may have been written about in presses long before this, you’ve never come out and had your say or told your version of events…is your memoir an attempt to redress this balance?

Maybe subconsciously and also on a superficial level, there was some need to tell “my” story but even this isn’t safeguarded. People can quote from it what they want, only salacious sexy bits and leave out the underlying themes which are bigger. I wrote it because I think the books has something to say, beyond just “my” story. As for as balance, I don’t engage in any public squabbles with anyone, so this is more of a statement, a drawing a line in the sand and saying, “this is it,” rather than an invitation for debate.

10) Is it easier to write from life or imagination? And what should writers who want to follow in your footsteps take into consideration before embarking on writing a memoir?

I like writing from life, I am not sure which is easier, I think it depends on what you prefer to write.

Things to consider before writing a memoir:

1) Be prepared to burn bridges because your version of your life is going to be different from that of those around you. They didn’t live it in the same way you did..

2) Be HONEST,

3)Be fearless.

4)Tell your story without embellishment and embarrassment. Step away from it and imagine it is someone else’s story so you can get some objectivity around it. It’s easy to be vicious and quite delicious but remember that everything you write for print will be around a lot longer than you ever will.

5) Remember that ultimately you are spending time on it, creating something of value for yourself. Enjoy it!

Try Me is published by The Ark Press in July 2009.

Please tell our readers a little bit about what you do, and what your background is?

As a literary agent I sell the right to publish books of the authors whom I represent. I manage an author’s career right from the time I receive a manuscript to the book being in a bookstore. This involves encouragement and support, sometimes nursing a writer’s block and advice and on the work front, which includes editorial advice (though not copy editing), assessing work by considering the overall structure, style, readability and marketability of the book. I negotiate the contract on the author’s behalf. I also, sell rights such as translation rights or other secondary rights that have not been granted to the publisher. I am responsible for collecting dues, checking royalty statements, receiving feedback from publishers regarding print runs, sales figures and marketing. Post publishing, I work on general promotion of the book from the book launch to publicity and checking in on distribution and store-availability.

I wrote a book of poems which was published in 2002 and found the entire process extremely alien if not intimidating and I wished that I had someone to guide me through it.

What does your role involve as a literary agent?

As an agent, I am actively involved in the entire process with the author from the time the manuscript is written (with constant contact, editorial feedback and support) to the point when the book is available at stores and thereafter its’ sale and promotion.

Do you have clients from all over the world, or are they based in India only?

I do represent clients from all over the world though currently I am focusing on their work being published in India and throughout Asia. I am currently representing the author, Michael Benanav who has had two successful titles published in America, (retaining his rights for Asia) and was on the Discover Great New Writers list on Barnes And Noble and have got him a publisher for his work in India.

How do you prefer new writers to approach you?

I prefer being approached via e-mail by new writers both for non-fiction as well as fiction. A strong covering letter, a synopsis and sample chapters that are well-written with strong characters and an original plot will certainly grab my attention.

What are your pet hates?

Rceiving manuscripts with spelling errors, that haven’t been edited, authors who are presumptuous about their own ability and talent and those who repeatedly query with the same manuscript after being turned down.

Are you more concerned with promoting your author in India or across the world and why?

I do believe that an author needs to relate to the reader and vice-versa, so by promoting them in India and the regions in which the book is available it bridges the gap between the two.

Even though marketing and promotion of books in India is a new concept, with chain stores promoting authors, launches and readings things are most certainly improving which also gives the author a platform to reach a wider audience.

Is a literary agent an employee of the author, or the other way round?

I think a literary agent and author work as a team in tandem with each other so the question of employee and employer doesn’t arise.

What is the decision maker when taking on a new client?

Primarily, I’m looking for an author who is talented, whose work I can relate to, who is professional and lastly saleable. In fiction, the author would have to be commercially viable as well as original. It’s fairly tough to come up with something novel which hasn’t been done before but a different twist to a tried and tested formula would work. The characters would need to be both memorable and identifiable with a unique storyline or setting. In non-fiction, a well written thorough manuscript that readers can identify to certainly interests me.

What do you think are the benefits of having a literary agent based in India?

For authors based in India, having an agent locally who understands the market, has contact with publishers and can support them through the writing process I think gives them the time and space to do what they love best, writing and leaves me to take care of the rest.

What advice would you give to new writers looking to secure an agent?

To secure an agent, the author needs to begin with having a distinctive book, and to find an agent who is equally passionate about it. The first interaction and covering letter, brief and synopsis should be gripping enough for the agent to be compelled to want to read further. An understanding of an agent’s role and complete trust are vital in order for the relationship to work successfully.

The Sherna Khambatta Literary Agency handles fiction and non-fiction, including children’s books. We look forward to receiving manuscripts in English from writers across the literary spectrum. We currently accept new manuscripts in Fiction, General as well as Narrative Non-Fiction in the areas of biography/memoir, narrative travel (no guidebooks), current affairs and contemporary issues. We do not handle plays, screenplays or film scripts. Sherna acts as the Indian representative of the U.K. based Wade & Doherty Literary Agency, for further information visit www.shernakhambatta.com

Sampad launches ‘Journeys’, an international writing competition. It is an opportunity for aspiring writers from or connected to the South Asian diaspora around the world to have their work published in a book.

This competition will bring together writers of all ages and backgrounds from cities, towns, schools and groups from across the world. There are two categories: one for writers aged 8 to 15; one for writers aged 16 and over. At the end of the competition the winning entries will be selected by a panel of judges and published in a book in 2010.

The writers’ work can be in any style – short story, poetry, reportage – they just need to use the theme of journeys as a starting point for their writing.

“This is an opportunity for people to tell us how they observe the world, people, nature, to express their own senses and feelings. To tell us where a real journey might have taken them, how it has changed their life, or where their heart and imagination is telling them to go”
Piali Ray, OBE. Director of sampad

Details of how to enter Journeys international writing competition are available at www.sampad.org.uk. All entries must be received by Thursday 31 December 2009.