Kadam Chhota, Change Bada!

Let me at the very outset confess that I wasn’t going to participate in this.

What could I add that hasn’t been said already? But the recent events in my own small sphere have been instrumental in my penning this post.

Scintillating_Sonny has been interning in a new city. A packed semester left him very little time to finalize a place to stay in his chosen city. Scintillating_Sonny was to stay with his seniors from college for a couple days and then move into his own quarters.

As parents of grown-ups, we are simply expected to stay back and watch the scary proceedings while flaunting a benign understanding smile, with tsunamis exploding in our stomachs. Plus transferring the money as and when required. The itch to set things right is so overpowering that your knuckles turn white because you are holding onto the chairs to control yourself and avoid saying ‘I told you! But you just don’t listen to me!“.

Thanks to GyaaniGoogle, we knew all about his trysts with destiny. I think my hotline with God worked because Scintillating_Sonny soon found a place to stay, where all the checkboxes were ticked. (Well Lord Supreme had to respond. I was buzzing him non-stop, 24/7)

During his stay with his seniors, Sonny made the breakfast every day. As luck would have it when he was vacating the seniors’ house, there were no flatmates present. My boy cleaned the entire kitchen, washed the dishes, restocked the fridge, cleaned up the bathroom too. Like a typical mom, I wailed away singing, “Badi nazo se pali Hamara Banna“. It was Hmm_Husband who brought back some needed clarity. “We should be proud of the way we have raised him. Self-sufficient and highly responsible. Take pride in that and stop moping! He is a survivor!”

Bhale hi mere Kadam Chhota ho, yeh Change Bada hi hai!

Because Sonny is completely house-trained. Countless times he has rustled up food for the family while I was busy with my own work. Washed the dishes when the maid didn’t turn up.  Hmm_Husband has been the pusher here, saying everyone needs to contribute to the efficient running of a home.

Right now, in her summer holidays, Darling-Dotty is being trained to look after the morning routine of the kitchen.

As a family, we may not be bringing in the revolution. But we are making a small change in our own sphere, where there is no gender associated with chores and all four of us are equal entities making a beautiful whole.

In the FB group (SeniorSchoolMoms) that I admin, Moms query freely and frankly about the educational options ahead for their children and seek assistance for their teenagers’ troubles like cyberbullying, peer pressure, relationship issues.

 I am happy that I have been able to create a supportive and an idea-sharing platform where Moms could be free of harsh judgments.

My ‘Happy Hours’ are 5-7pm when I tutor teenagers of the condo. No topic is taboo enough. We discuss everything.

I often say that Rational Thinking should be the only religion because increased Misogyny is the vile by-product when misplaced machismo gets heralded as exemplary.

When we raise sorted, rational, fair children, unburdened by the narrow schisms of society, we would have contributed to nation building.

The change begins with me.

Let us keep walking.

Every change begins with a small step, whether it’s a change within your family or the whole country! India’s hero, Padman, had its digital premiere on ZEE5, on 11th May. Don’t miss this inspiring true-life story, on ZEE5. Download the app and subscribe now. For every subscription, ZEE5 will donate Rs. 5 towards the personal hygiene needs of underprivileged women.

From a Blogger to an Author

 There are many writers who are looking to make the transition from a Blogger to an Author.

How does one go about that?

Typically a blogger is someone who writes about anything that inspires. It could be his/her own experiences, observations, opinions on events of the world. The blogs are individual articles which are short and reflecting a core purpose, like a cookery blog, fashion or a lifestyle blog. These are expected to be updated periodically by the blogger. The blogs typically have images and links to other related websites with all the relevant trending hashtags.

With an individualistic content that attracts eyeballs, a blogger can easily build up a dedicated reader base.

An Author is a composer of a literary work, who can pen a novel, a poem or an essay.

Your novel is a reflection of what you observe, learn, imbibe, execute, implement, give and receive in your life’s journey.

Writing a book tests not just your skills or passion but also your discipline and dedication because it is always a long-term project. Most importantly, it is a herculean task to balance the right ingredients in your book and get it published.

So how does one make the transition? What are the things to keep in mind when one makes the move from a blogger to an author?

1) You should be a storyteller first – An intrinsic one at that. The passion to tell your tale has to come from the gut. Because writing a novel involves stretching a larger canvas, stitching it with a deeper concrete theme.

2) Just as bloggers have networks and platforms to showcase their write-ups, there are enough storytelling platforms with churning discussions. It is a good idea to participate in competitions held by these forums across various levels to assess and hone one’s skills.

3) The harshest truth is that there are more writers per square inch than readers. How does one catch the eyeball? Innovating is the key. Tackling different themes or retelling an old tale on a different scale are some of the methods.

4) Give yourself the vital push needed for being a storyteller. Write at least 500 words every day. Add layers and experiment across genres.

5) The ability to develop a keen perspective on life’s twists and turns helps because your story should convey a point either subtly or bludgeon the same in.

6) Being creative is paradoxically all about continued discipline. Because one needs to be diligent and extremely patient during the multiple iterations that your story undergoes – either due to editor’s or publisher’s suggestions.

7) Editing a book is vastly different from editing a blog simply because blogs are shorter and easier to manage. Editing book spanning thousands of words involves great levels of concentration and effort from the writer.

8) One needs to be open to critique and criticism. Sporting a pachyderm helps when someone dissects your heartfelt tale.

9) Have a support system to fall back on in times of self-doubt. Connect with beta readers who will truly tell the worth of your work

So go ahead and take the leap of faith. Get that story out and get published.

#FreeWebinar – I, Anupama Jain, author of ‘When Padma Bani Paula‘, will share with you my experience as a budding blogger to a published author.

http://ow.ly/b7HM30jXBZf  on Sat, May 26, 2018, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM IST @juggernautbooks @anupamajain813 #writing

Featuring in the Top 100, Hot New Releases in Contemporary Fiction, since its debut. 

Pick your copies on Amazon.