Not Just Mangoes & Monsoons: How to Write Authentically About Your World
In this masterclass, we will explore how to take inspiration from the rich immediate world around us—our homes, our neighbourhood, our family—even what we last ate for lunch—to make our writing come alive. We'll look at Adichie's 'The Danger of a Single Story' and challenge the rules on writers by the Western world on the language we can use in our stories as well as the things we deem interesting enough to write about.
We will look at short stories and excerpts by contemporary Indian writers such as Deepa Anappara and Aravind Jayan as well as Arundhati Roy to analyse what makes their fiction so vivid and close to home yet universal. Through writing prompts and exercises, we will play with technical aspects of fiction such as description, detail, specificity and characterisation to fearlessly craft new story ideas that feel authentic to our lived experience—and use them as tools to propel our writing. Participants can expect to leave the workshop having written new short pieces, and gained greater confidence to write more and approach their world with curiosity. Book your spot below.
2. Writing Childhood: How to Write Child Narrators for Adult Fiction
How does one write childhood in fiction? Better yet, how do one do so from the perspective of children themselves? In this masterclass, we will explore what child narrators and protagonists bring to a story—and why they continue to interest writers and readers alike. What do they show us about the world that adult characters cannot?
Through discussion and generative writing exercises, we’ll explore how we can inhabit the inner world of a child in our fiction. What choices can we make on a sentence level to reflect a child’s age authentically? How do we use rich imagery, metaphor, and perspective to step into their shoes? How do we nail ‘voice’?
We will look at excerpts from contemporary works and modern classics such as Room by Emma Donoghue, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and Western Lane by Chetna Maroo, among others. We’ll revisit unforgettable voices like Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird and Liesel in The Book Thief, and ask: what makes these characters distinct from one another, and what connects them?
I’ll share how I crafted the voices of Mira (9) and Ashu (14) in Hot Water, my debut novel, and the decisions that helped me shape their language, character and narratives. I encourage you to bring charcoal, colours, paint, pens—anything that helps you tap into playfulness. Equally, if you’re most comfortable working on a laptop, that’s absolutely fine. Participants can expect to leave this masterclass having written new short pieces from the perspective of a child, and explored voice and characterisation. Book your spot below.
Sign-up Form
When: Saturday, June 21 & Sunday, June 22
Time: 4pm-6.30pm India time (or 11.30am-2pm BST)
Where: Online over Zoom
Fee: INR 2800 for one masterclass, INR 5000 if you sign up for both (£28/ £50)
UPI Payment ID: bhavikagovil@okhdfcbank or scan the QR code below. Please fill in the form below after payment for confirmation or if you would like any other payment details :)
International payments: Please fill in the ‘Payment Information’ section for details
Seats are limited, and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
