how many of you are writers here and how many of you are budding writers here and
many of you are budding writers here and
many of you are budding writers here and how many of you think there’s there’s
how many of you think there’s there’s
how many of you think there’s there’s something right the writer’s block there
something right the writer’s block there
something right the writer’s block there are so many definitions of this term
are so many definitions of this term
are so many definitions of this term writer’s block sometimes when you sit in
writer’s block sometimes when you sit in
writer’s block sometimes when you sit in front of the laptop you suddenly find
front of the laptop you suddenly find
front of the laptop you suddenly find nothing there your ideas suddenly vanish
nothing there your ideas suddenly vanish
nothing there your ideas suddenly vanish into thin air you can’t write anything
into thin air you can’t write anything
into thin air you can’t write anything you can’t pen your thoughts and these
you can’t pen your thoughts and these
you can’t pen your thoughts and these monsters of negativity sort of they
monsters of negativity sort of they
monsters of negativity sort of they start flaunting their fans and all and
start flaunting their fans and all and
start flaunting their fans and all and then try to grip you said so many times
then try to grip you said so many times
then try to grip you said so many times my students have told me that madam we
my students have told me that madam we
my students have told me that madam we cannot write this writer’s block is
cannot write this writer’s block is
cannot write this writer’s block is always there there are so many
always there there are so many
always there there are so many definitions of this term they call it a
definitions of this term they call it a
definitions of this term they call it a literary inhibition literary slowdown
literary inhibition literary slowdown
literary inhibition literary slowdown but I call it a myth a total
but I call it a myth a total
but I call it a myth a total unadulterated myths and let me hark back
unadulterated myths and let me hark back
unadulterated myths and let me hark back to my childhood I was in the sixth
to my childhood I was in the sixth
to my childhood I was in the sixth standard and I was obsessed with the
standard and I was obsessed with the
standard and I was obsessed with the writing I would just write and I used to
writing I would just write and I used to
writing I would just write and I used to think that I was a great writer in the
think that I was a great writer in the
think that I was a great writer in the 6th janeth then came this girl in the
6th janeth then came this girl in the
6th janeth then came this girl in the sixth standard and she would come every
sixth standard and she would come every
sixth standard and she would come every day
day
day she had a notebook in her hand she would
she had a notebook in her hand she would
she had a notebook in her hand she would come and sit on the last bench of the
come and sit on the last bench of the
come and sit on the last bench of the classroom and she would scribble
classroom and she would scribble
classroom and she would scribble something I was sort of overall by her
something I was sort of overall by her
something I was sort of overall by her because she had this superior or about
because she had this superior or about
because she had this superior or about her but one day I am bastard enough
her but one day I am bastard enough
her but one day I am bastard enough courage to ask her what are you writing
courage to ask her what are you writing
courage to ask her what are you writing with an arrogant toss of her head she
with an arrogant toss of her head she
with an arrogant toss of her head she said I am writing a limerick
said I am writing a limerick
said I am writing a limerick I was totally flummoxed I did not know
I was totally flummoxed I did not know
I was totally flummoxed I did not know what a limerick was I was in the sixth
what a limerick was I was in the sixth
what a limerick was I was in the sixth anyway I do not ask her I went home and
anyway I do not ask her I went home and
anyway I do not ask her I went home and consulted the dictionary but I couldn’t
consulted the dictionary but I couldn’t
consulted the dictionary but I couldn’t get the word because I did not know the
get the word because I did not know the
get the word because I did not know the spelling but then I must have courage to
spelling but then I must have courage to
spelling but then I must have courage to ask my dad what a limerick is and he
ask my dad what a limerick is and he
ask my dad what a limerick is and he told me that a limerick is a 5-line
told me that a limerick is a 5-line
told me that a limerick is a 5-line verse with the rhyme scheme of a a b b a
verse with the rhyme scheme of a a b b a
verse with the rhyme scheme of a a b b a and then he recited a limerick which I
and then he recited a limerick which I
and then he recited a limerick which I can never forget and with your
can never forget and with your
can never forget and with your permission I would like to recite that
permission I would like to recite that
permission I would like to recite that so many of you you must be knowing it
so many of you you must be knowing it
so many of you you must be knowing it there was a man from Nantucket who kept
there was a man from Nantucket who kept
there was a man from Nantucket who kept all his cash in a bucket he had a
all his cash in a bucket he had a
all his cash in a bucket he had a daughter named man who ran away with a
daughter named man who ran away with a
daughter named man who ran away with a man and as for the bucket Nantucket so I
man and as for the bucket Nantucket so I
man and as for the bucket Nantucket so I was so fascinated by this Limerick this
was so fascinated by this Limerick this
was so fascinated by this Limerick this genre of poetry that surreptitiously and
genre of poetry that surreptitiously and
genre of poetry that surreptitiously and very furtively I started writing
very furtively I started writing
very furtively I started writing limericks and still there about 200
limericks and still there about 200
limericks and still there about 200 limericks lengths have a gathering dust
limericks lengths have a gathering dust
limericks lengths have a gathering dust those lyrics I wrote in the school okay
those lyrics I wrote in the school okay
those lyrics I wrote in the school okay so then I graduated to writing essays
so then I graduated to writing essays
so then I graduated to writing essays and I’ll tell you how that happened in
and I’ll tell you how that happened in
and I’ll tell you how that happened in 10th standard I was obsessed with
10th standard I was obsessed with
10th standard I was obsessed with Charles Dickens and I remember having
Charles Dickens and I remember having
Charles Dickens and I remember having written an essay on Charles Dickens
written an essay on Charles Dickens
written an essay on Charles Dickens which was applauded by the nuns in the
which was applauded by the nuns in the
which was applauded by the nuns in the convent and they said it’s a very good
convent and they said it’s a very good
convent and they said it’s a very good essay but when I showed it to my dad he
essay but when I showed it to my dad he
essay but when I showed it to my dad he just flung it away saying what a lousy
just flung it away saying what a lousy
just flung it away saying what a lousy essay the your vocabulary is very poor
essay the your vocabulary is very poor
essay the your vocabulary is very poor you can’t write or not improve your
you can’t write or not improve your
you can’t write or not improve your style so I went home and in corners of
style so I went home and in corners of
style so I went home and in corners of the room I would sit and write and now I
the room I would sit and write and now I
the room I would sit and write and now I started improving on my essays and from
started improving on my essays and from
started improving on my essays and from limericks I graduated to essays so many
limericks I graduated to essays so many
limericks I graduated to essays so many of them I wrote and that was the end of
of them I wrote and that was the end of
of them I wrote and that was the end of my literary career in my childhood I
my literary career in my childhood I
my literary career in my childhood I wrote limericks and essay
wrote limericks and essay
wrote limericks and essay that was the . but later on in college I
that was the . but later on in college I
that was the . but later on in college I was too busy getting educated so writing
was too busy getting educated so writing
was too busy getting educated so writing to the backseat and I did not write but
to the backseat and I did not write but
to the backseat and I did not write but then when I became a lecturer myself at
then when I became a lecturer myself at
then when I became a lecturer myself at times I would get bored of the classes
times I would get bored of the classes
times I would get bored of the classes and all so one day I again took to
and all so one day I again took to
and all so one day I again took to writing but I would write very furtively
writing but I would write very furtively
writing but I would write very furtively I did not show what I wrote to anyone
I did not show what I wrote to anyone
I did not show what I wrote to anyone well then something very interesting
well then something very interesting
well then something very interesting happened in one of my infill classes I
happened in one of my infill classes I
happened in one of my infill classes I was teaching the Mahatma Gandhi and I
was teaching the Mahatma Gandhi and I
was teaching the Mahatma Gandhi and I was referring to Martin Luther King jr.
was referring to Martin Luther King jr.
was referring to Martin Luther King jr. and none of them had heard about Martin
and none of them had heard about Martin
and none of them had heard about Martin Luther King jr. but they knew something
Luther King jr. but they knew something
Luther King jr. but they knew something about golly something and one of the
about golly something and one of the
about golly something and one of the students he had the audacity to tell me
students he had the audacity to tell me
students he had the audacity to tell me madam you always talk of Gandhi we don’t
madam you always talk of Gandhi we don’t
madam you always talk of Gandhi we don’t need a Gandhi we need a Hitler and I
need a Gandhi we need a Hitler and I
need a Gandhi we need a Hitler and I will read about Gandhi only when you
will read about Gandhi only when you
will read about Gandhi only when you paint something about Gandhi in poetry
paint something about Gandhi in poetry
paint something about Gandhi in poetry so that was the trigger for me and
so that was the trigger for me and
so that was the trigger for me and because I had been writing limericks in
because I had been writing limericks in
because I had been writing limericks in school this struck me with full vigor
school this struck me with full vigor
school this struck me with full vigor now and I started writing the poetic
now and I started writing the poetic
now and I started writing the poetic biography of Mahatma Gandhi in the
biography of Mahatma Gandhi in the
biography of Mahatma Gandhi in the Limerick jhana
Limerick jhana
Limerick jhana hey BBA but I was so obsessed with it so
hey BBA but I was so obsessed with it so
hey BBA but I was so obsessed with it so passionate about it that I did not
passionate about it that I did not
passionate about it that I did not suffer any writer’s block because in
suffer any writer’s block because in
suffer any writer’s block because in school I was so passionate about writing
school I was so passionate about writing
school I was so passionate about writing limericks I was so passionate so
limericks I was so passionate so
limericks I was so passionate so obsessed with writing essays that I
obsessed with writing essays that I
obsessed with writing essays that I never suffered from this mythical
never suffered from this mythical
never suffered from this mythical writer’s block so I started writing this
writer’s block so I started writing this
writer’s block so I started writing this Ballad of bapu and I did not know when
Ballad of bapu and I did not know when
Ballad of bapu and I did not know when it turned into 300 pages of words it
it turned into 300 pages of words it
it turned into 300 pages of words it became a book and right now it’s a
became a book and right now it’s a
became a book and right now it’s a best-seller and I sent it to Tushar
best-seller and I sent it to Tushar
best-seller and I sent it to Tushar Gandhi the great-grandson of Mahatma
Gandhi the great-grandson of Mahatma
Gandhi the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and he was so fascinated by it
Gandhi and he was so fascinated by it
Gandhi and he was so fascinated by it that he asked me in an email
that he asked me in an email
that he asked me in an email madam can I write the blob can I write
madam can I write the blob can I write
madam can I write the blob can I write the foreword in poetry so he has written
the foreword in poetry so he has written
the foreword in poetry so he has written the poetic forward to this book
the poetic forward to this book
the poetic forward to this book so that was recently that was in 2014 so
so that was recently that was in 2014 so
so that was recently that was in 2014 so I never what I’m trying to say is that
I never what I’m trying to say is that
I never what I’m trying to say is that in this literary career or lack of it
in this literary career or lack of it
in this literary career or lack of it whatever you call it
whatever you call it
whatever you call it I never suffered from the writer’s block
I never suffered from the writer’s block
I never suffered from the writer’s block which I always insist is a myth and many
which I always insist is a myth and many
which I always insist is a myth and many of my students in my classes creative
of my students in my classes creative
of my students in my classes creative writing classes tell me that sometimes
writing classes tell me that sometimes
writing classes tell me that sometimes madam we sit in front of the laptop and
madam we sit in front of the laptop and
madam we sit in front of the laptop and suddenly those grotesque faces appear
suddenly those grotesque faces appear
suddenly those grotesque faces appear there and they start making those funny
there and they start making those funny
there and they start making those funny faces and ugly faces and they try to
faces and ugly faces and they try to
faces and ugly faces and they try to browbeat you so I keep telling them
browbeat you so I keep telling them
browbeat you so I keep telling them there’s nothing like that these are just
there’s nothing like that these are just
there’s nothing like that these are just the monsters of negativity
the monsters of negativity
the monsters of negativity they’ll try to browbeat you they’ll try
they’ll try to browbeat you they’ll try
they’ll try to browbeat you they’ll try to calm you down but these are just
to calm you down but these are just
to calm you down but these are just monsters of negativity you have to
monsters of negativity you have to
monsters of negativity you have to positive eyes yourself so they also tell
positive eyes yourself so they also tell
positive eyes yourself so they also tell me that mom you always keep saying it’s
me that mom you always keep saying it’s
me that mom you always keep saying it’s a myth I say of course it’s a myth and
a myth I say of course it’s a myth and
a myth I say of course it’s a myth and the only antidote is that you should be
the only antidote is that you should be
the only antidote is that you should be obsessed with writing whatever you are
obsessed with writing whatever you are
obsessed with writing whatever you are doing you should be obsessed you should
doing you should be obsessed you should
doing you should be obsessed you should be very very passionate about it so let
be very very passionate about it so let
be very very passionate about it so let me cite one other instance one of the
me cite one other instance one of the
me cite one other instance one of the students he said madam I’m very very
students he said madam I’m very very
students he said madam I’m very very passionate about writing and I want to
passionate about writing and I want to
passionate about writing and I want to see my book as a best-seller he was just
see my book as a best-seller he was just
see my book as a best-seller he was just 18 or 19 and then I told him write on
18 or 19 and then I told him write on
18 or 19 and then I told him write on this I gave her topic but the very next
this I gave her topic but the very next
this I gave her topic but the very next day he comes to the class and tells me
day he comes to the class and tells me
day he comes to the class and tells me madam I just cannot write I have this
madam I just cannot write I have this
madam I just cannot write I have this writer’s block I said are you with me on
writer’s block I said are you with me on
writer’s block I said are you with me on Facebook are you my facebook friend he
Facebook are you my facebook friend he
Facebook are you my facebook friend he said yes very much since long so I told
said yes very much since long so I told
said yes very much since long so I told him I block you right here and that is
him I block you right here and that is
him I block you right here and that is the writer’s block so later on he
the writer’s block so later on he
the writer’s block so later on he cornered me madam you embarrassed me and
cornered me madam you embarrassed me and
cornered me madam you embarrassed me and all that so I said I don’t believe in
all that so I said I don’t believe in
all that so I said I don’t believe in writer’s block there’s no such thing as
writer’s block there’s no such thing as
writer’s block there’s no such thing as a writer’s block if you are a writer you
a writer’s block if you are a writer you
a writer’s block if you are a writer you are a writer you’re a writer the
are a writer you’re a writer the
are a writer you’re a writer the plumber’s don’t have a block the
plumber’s don’t have a block the
plumber’s don’t have a block the engineers don’t have a block the doctors
engineers don’t have a block the doctors
engineers don’t have a block the doctors don’t have a block so why should the
don’t have a block so why should the
don’t have a block so why should the writers we saw in tight
writers we saw in tight
writers we saw in tight why should they luxuriate in this
why should they luxuriate in this
why should they luxuriate in this writer’s block
writer’s block
writer’s block so whatever but some people there are
so whatever but some people there are
so whatever but some people there are many definitions many perspectives on
many definitions many perspectives on
many definitions many perspectives on the writer’s block some say that no it’s
the writer’s block some say that no it’s
the writer’s block some say that no it’s not mythical there is an iota of truth
not mythical there is an iota of truth
not mythical there is an iota of truth in it and this reminds me of what Maya
in it and this reminds me of what Maya
in it and this reminds me of what Maya Angelou used to say that whenever I have
Angelou used to say that whenever I have
Angelou used to say that whenever I have these monsters of negativity trying to
these monsters of negativity trying to
these monsters of negativity trying to browbeat me then I start writing
browbeat me then I start writing
browbeat me then I start writing anything that comes to my mind I start
anything that comes to my mind I start
anything that comes to my mind I start writing doggerel I start writing
writing doggerel I start writing
writing doggerel I start writing limericks and for example she cites an
limericks and for example she cites an
limericks and for example she cites an exam she says I write the cat sat on the
exam she says I write the cat sat on the
exam she says I write the cat sat on the mat and not the rat so this is something
mat and not the rat so this is something
mat and not the rat so this is something very absurd some doggerel and so she
very absurd some doggerel and so she
very absurd some doggerel and so she says she writes aware that the muse of
says she writes aware that the muse of
says she writes aware that the muse of poetry is so embarrassed
poetry is so embarrassed
poetry is so embarrassed that it comes scurrying to her and it
that it comes scurrying to her and it
that it comes scurrying to her and it tells her wait wait
tells her wait wait
tells her wait wait don’t write such poetry I’ll come so so
don’t write such poetry I’ll come so so
don’t write such poetry I’ll come so so the muse comes back so I believe that
the muse comes back so I believe that
the muse comes back so I believe that this block is only in the mind it’s only
this block is only in the mind it’s only
this block is only in the mind it’s only a myth there’s no such thing as a
a myth there’s no such thing as a
a myth there’s no such thing as a writer’s block and I know it because I
writer’s block and I know it because I
writer’s block and I know it because I have never suffered it I a writer should
have never suffered it I a writer should
have never suffered it I a writer should be obsessed with writing a writer should
be obsessed with writing a writer should
be obsessed with writing a writer should be very very passionate about writing
be very very passionate about writing
be very very passionate about writing let me cite another example
let me cite another example
let me cite another example all this Merida Babu was a best-seller
all this Merida Babu was a best-seller
all this Merida Babu was a best-seller and people still read it but then
and people still read it but then
and people still read it but then Facebook happened for me I started
Facebook happened for me I started
Facebook happened for me I started writing something on Facebook I did not
writing something on Facebook I did not
writing something on Facebook I did not know what it was earlier I was obsessed
know what it was earlier I was obsessed
know what it was earlier I was obsessed with limericks
with limericks
with limericks then I became obsessed with the essays
then I became obsessed with the essays
then I became obsessed with the essays then Facebook happened for me and I
then Facebook happened for me and I
then Facebook happened for me and I started writing obsessively on Facebook
started writing obsessively on Facebook
started writing obsessively on Facebook anything
anything
anything I used to write about the moon I used to
I used to write about the moon I used to
I used to write about the moon I used to write about the Sun the sunrays the
write about the Sun the sunrays the
write about the Sun the sunrays the Moonbeam and the smile on the ragpickers
Moonbeam and the smile on the ragpickers
Moonbeam and the smile on the ragpickers countenance so I wrote poetry
countenance so I wrote poetry
countenance so I wrote poetry I wrote essays I wrote novels and
I wrote essays I wrote novels and
I wrote essays I wrote novels and novellas and people started reading me
novellas and people started reading me
novellas and people started reading me well anyway and I was talking about this
well anyway and I was talking about this
well anyway and I was talking about this Oh hark
Oh hark
Oh hark I started writing on Facebook it was a
I started writing on Facebook it was a
I started writing on Facebook it was a very surreal astok spooky sort of a
very surreal astok spooky sort of a
very surreal astok spooky sort of a thing I wrote every day and for three
thing I wrote every day and for three
thing I wrote every day and for three days I wrote continuously then I
days I wrote continuously then I
days I wrote continuously then I suddenly stopped and then there was a
suddenly stopped and then there was a
suddenly stopped and then there was a barrage of questions queries from my
barrage of questions queries from my
barrage of questions queries from my readers asking me what next ma’am why
readers asking me what next ma’am why
readers asking me what next ma’am why did you stop so I couldn’t
did you stop so I couldn’t
did you stop so I couldn’t luxuriate in a writer’s block I had to
luxuriate in a writer’s block I had to
luxuriate in a writer’s block I had to write so when you’re obsessed with
write so when you’re obsessed with
write so when you’re obsessed with something when you’re very very
something when you’re very very
something when you’re very very passionate about something you cannot
passionate about something you cannot
passionate about something you cannot resort to crutches like the writer’s
resort to crutches like the writer’s
resort to crutches like the writer’s block and another instance of ohok was
block and another instance of ohok was
block and another instance of ohok was that in one of the scenes I kill a
that in one of the scenes I kill a
that in one of the scenes I kill a character he is a very very interesting
character he is a very very interesting
character he is a very very interesting character who is there forever making
character who is there forever making
character who is there forever making fun of people and he has this drum in
fun of people and he has this drum in
fun of people and he has this drum in his hand he’s the drummer I just killed
his hand he’s the drummer I just killed
his hand he’s the drummer I just killed him in one of the episodes and again
him in one of the episodes and again
him in one of the episodes and again there was a barrage of questions and
there was a barrage of questions and
there was a barrage of questions and queries and lemons from people madam why
queries and lemons from people madam why
queries and lemons from people madam why did you kill him you are the right to
did you kill him you are the right to
did you kill him you are the right to revive him so again I couldn’t
revive him so again I couldn’t
revive him so again I couldn’t luxuriate in the writer’s block I had to
luxuriate in the writer’s block I had to
luxuriate in the writer’s block I had to think ways and means of reflecting him
think ways and means of reflecting him
think ways and means of reflecting him from the dead so he was he had fallen
from the dead so he was he had fallen
from the dead so he was he had fallen down the cliff so in the next episode I
down the cliff so in the next episode I
down the cliff so in the next episode I pulled him up from the cliff so he said
pulled him up from the cliff so he said
pulled him up from the cliff so he said this drama follows the other guys and
this drama follows the other guys and
this drama follows the other guys and says I just took a fall step so I do not
says I just took a fall step so I do not
says I just took a fall step so I do not die so he comes back and he goes on with
die so he comes back and he goes on with
die so he comes back and he goes on with it so on the basis of my own experience
it so on the basis of my own experience
it so on the basis of my own experience I’m telling all the writers the budding
I’m telling all the writers the budding
I’m telling all the writers the budding writers that there is no such thing as a
writers that there is no such thing as a
writers that there is no such thing as a writer’s block it’s only in the mind
writer’s block it’s only in the mind
writer’s block it’s only in the mind these are just the monsters of
these are just the monsters of
these are just the monsters of negativity that playing us all the time
negativity that playing us all the time
negativity that playing us all the time they make funny faces at you
they make funny faces at you
they make funny faces at you they make grotesque faces and they try
they make grotesque faces and they try
they make grotesque faces and they try to browbeat you into submission so the
to browbeat you into submission so the
to browbeat you into submission so the only antidote to this is right right and
only antidote to this is right right and
only antidote to this is right right and right as James Thurber says somewhere
right as James Thurber says somewhere
right as James Thurber says somewhere don’t be obsessed with being right rght
don’t be obsessed with being right rght
don’t be obsessed with being right rght don’t
don’t
don’t obsessed with being right just right if
obsessed with being right just right if
obsessed with being right just right if you want to be a writer no shortcuts no
you want to be a writer no shortcuts no
you want to be a writer no shortcuts no crutches no blocks just right don’t
crutches no blocks just right don’t
crutches no blocks just right don’t think of being right just right just go
think of being right just right just go
think of being right just right just go berserk just keep writing and something
berserk just keep writing and something
berserk just keep writing and something sure that greatest park is going to be
sure that greatest park is going to be
sure that greatest park is going to be ignited whenever you feel down or
ignited whenever you feel down or
ignited whenever you feel down or whenever those monsters of negativity
whenever those monsters of negativity
whenever those monsters of negativity try to scare you into submission you
try to scare you into submission you
try to scare you into submission you just wash them with your confidence and
just wash them with your confidence and
just wash them with your confidence and you will be a winner you will be a
you will be a winner you will be a
you will be a winner you will be a writer you will be a best-seller thanks
writer you will be a best-seller thanks
writer you will be a best-seller thanks [Applause]
”
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