What it takes to be a writer

The new book of South Asia Speaks ‘How I Write’, delves into the journeys of South Asian writers and offers readers gritty tips on refining and embracing the writer’s craft.

When a published writer walks in, most think they are enlightened beings—free of fear, doubt, and insecurities. We regard them as transcendental beings ideally suited for the title of writer, no longer fragile creatures worrying about sentences, their rhythm, structure, and the hierarchy of what goes first, second and last in storytelling because they have triumphed over their odysseys. We see them as intellectuals, possessing a power and an aura that makes them stand out in a crowd. When we think of writers, we almost always overlook their human side.