Pothi.com Books: Philosophy

Search for Existence by P. V. Rai

Search for Existence - CoverBesides exploring the aspects of existence from its inception, the author has explained the various philosophies of life that influence one’s being. The language is simple. The concepts are well defined. The ground work done by the author to make this book possible is applaudable. This book is a must read for anyone who wishes to know the essence of existence and add a new dimension to one’s own life.

Advaita Vedanta (A Student’s Note) by Shashikant Padalkar

Advaita Vedanta - coverThis book offers an indepth insigth in to the philosphies of the Vedas. It is a highly knowledgeable book and a very good read for anyone who wishes to gain knowledge about the rich heritage and learnings the Vedas have to offer – that have been passed on from, through generations. The author’s study and efforts are commendable. His research is well manifested in the manuscript. The paradigm of philosophies over cenruaries is well explained and the inevitable outcomea are well depicted.

Silence of the Mind by Dr. Ketan Bajaj

Silence of the Mind - CoverThis book opens up one’s mind. It helps us understand, in a very simple and lucid way, how the several aspects of our lives influence that what our mind is constantly telling us. We are in constant conversation with our mind and hence need to know and determine what we want to converse with it. This book explores various fascinating factors that influence our thoughts. The author has stated relevant examples that make his philosophy more vivid and comprehendable. The language used is not too technical which is a plus point. The book is a good read for anyone who wishes to empower his/her mind.

The Meaning of Life by Vimal Sehgal

The Meaning of Life - Vimal SehgalThe book portrays an indepth guide to the aspect of life. At some level or the other, life per se, is an intriguing topic. The author has discussed and explained this topic in a simple language. The philosophies manifested in the book are thought provoking. The references to ancient theories backed by modern beliefs gives the reader a deep insight into the various ingredients of life. The author has done his research well – which is evident through his work. This book is a very good read for anyone who is at that junction of life – seeking its meaning.

Pothi.com Books for Children

The Adventures of Dara – Tanya Chatterji

Well done Tanya! The Adventures of Dara come with a moral message for its young readers. Even adults can learn a lesson or two, which they may have forgotten, from Dara’s adventures. The language is simple and descriptive. The illustrations summarize the words and depict the stories aptly. One can revisit those days of fun and frolic through these stories. Anyone who has read Tanya’s book knows that this young girl is soon going to be a renowned writer… or wait! I think she already is. All the best.

Links for Purchase

Dream World – Gaurav Manik

Cover for Dream World by Gaurav ManikThis is a well written book. The adventures are gripping and one can relate to them well if one allows herself to get lost in the Dream World. The drawings depict the story very well. The language is simple and perfect making it convenient for the young readers to savour the book. The story evokes the desire for more adventure. Nick’s quest is thrilling and the reference to Harry Porter in particular is fun. This book makes the reader wonder if Nick was indeed just dreaming or was it all for real.

Links for Purchase

Mystic Power Force – Shachii Manik

Mystic Power Force by Shachii Manik

This is an adventurous book. It raises the curiosity of the reader and the reader wants to read on to see what happens next. The story has a very good moral message that power should be used judiciously. The 5 brave children described in the book are very well portrayed. The characters, the settings and the story by itself, is very interesting.  The writer has managed to open up the young minds of the readers of this book. The drawings are well made and enhance the story.

Links for Purchase

Rainbow of Stories – Sarah Deshpande

Rainbow of Stories by Sarah DeshpandeYoung Sarah has written so many short stories in this book.  There are very good drawings at the beginning of every story. Each story has a very nice message to it. All the stories have happy endings and are as colourful and cheerful as the Rainbow itself. The language is simple and honest. Here is a budding short stories writer. Congratulations to her. All the best.

Links for Purchase

Pothi.com Books on Mystery and Crime

Neha Agarwal reviews four books around the theme of “Mystery and Crime”.

The Offsite (e-book & print book) – Hema Gollamudi

The offsite - CoverHere’s a murder mystery with a difference. With reference to the employees of the erstwhile IT industry, this book gives an insight of the complex feelings and emotions that today’s working generation has towards hierarchy and its implications. The characters are life like and well depicted in the story. The author has uncovered various possibilities that otherwise one would not consider in a conventional scenario. The story also outlines the paradigm the Indian society is going through – especially with regard to white collared crimes. Given the current scenario of India and Bangalore in particular, the story is unfortunately, a very plausible one. The mystery is well portrayed, captivating the reader, compelling her to make her own guesses of who it could be the culprit and the why. Overall, the story is nail biting.

Links for purchase


Bedevilled (print book) – Kumar Rajgeet
Bedevilled - Cover
Bedeviled unfolds a nail biting story which comes with clear cut message to its readers – watch your actions as they may have unbelievable repercussions. It is indeed a novelette that uncovers a series of life changing events in the life of the protagonist – Daniel. The message is manifested through descriptions of events that keep the reader at the edge of her seat. It compels one to re think one’s own karmas. However, the end is a little vague and abrupt making it a little disappointing for a reader who wants closure. Overall the effort is good.

Link for purchase


Open End (e-book) – Gourav Salanke

Open End - CoverThis book involves a story in a story. The reader cannot decipher what is the actual follow through of events. Albeit a short story, it grips the reader and keeps the reader keenly involved. It is riveting to say the least of all and evokes reader’s imagination to solve the mystery – compelling her to get involved in the story – just like the other innocent bystanders who get entangled in the crime portrayed. The end is open ended (in sync with the title) – left to the reader’s interpretation.

Link for download (available for free currently)


10 Most Interesting Questions (e-book) – Mr. Wrong

10 Most Interesting Questions - CoverThe pen name of the author and the title of the book sure arises the curiosity of the reader and arrests her attention. The questions chosen by the author are indeed questions that would have arisen in the mind of a person with normal levels of curiosity. While the author or more aptly the researcher has attempted to answer these questions with conviction, some of them still remain open ended mysteries which are left to the imagination of the reader to infer from.

Links for purchase

Major Book Fairs in India

Don’t you hate it when you miss a book fair just because you didn’t know when it came to town—and left?

India is one of the ten biggest book publishing centres in the world, according to the Mumbai International Book Fair website, and is only third, after USA and UK for English titles.

Book fairs are not only fun to visit for good book deals, they are also a place to discover new authors, books and friends. This apart, you get to participate in literary and cultural programmes, listen to poetry recitals by famous poets and interact with authors, which are especially conducted during these fairs and a rare treat for those who enjoy and appreciate the marvels of the written word.

We’re talking about major book fairs in India, not exhibitions where a bookstore offers a discount sale on leftover books to clear stock. Major book fairs are large events in which publishers, book stores and people related to the publishing industry put up stalls to promote reading, writing, literature and, of course, to sell their books and promote new releases.

There is no single place on the Internet where you can get extensive information about all the major book fairs in India, so we thought we’d do some research and put one together.

Here is a listing of major book fairs in India, zone-wise, along with the dates during which they are generally conducted so you can plan ahead and be there.

North India

  • Delhi – There are two types of major book fairs held here. The Delhi Book Fair, organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), in its 16th year, will be held from 25 Dec 2010 to 2 Jan 2011 at Pragati Maidan. It drew three lakh visitors last year. The date for the fair is not constant—for instance, the next fair will be from Aug 29–Sep 6, 2011.
    The other major book fair in Delhi is also held in Pragati Maidan but is called the New Delhi World Book Fair and is organized once in two years by NBT. In its 19th year now, this fair was held from 30 Jan–7 Feb 2010, so the next one will be in 2012. This, according to NBT, is the biggest book fair in the Afro-Asian Region and attracts exhibitors both from India and abroad.
  • Jaipur – The Dainik Bhaskar Book Fair was held between 24 Sept and 3 Oct 2010, at the outer area of SMS Stadium, near Ambedkar Circle. Dates and venue differ. Dainik Bhaskar also conducts book fairs in several other places in North and Central India. Please check http://www.bhaskar.com for more information.
  • Noida – The 4th Noida Book & Stationery Fair organised by Udichi and TradexpoIndia will be conducted at GIP Mall, Sec 18, Atta Market, Noida from 27 Nov–5 Dec 2010. It is an annual fair, conducted simultaneously with Edufiesta, an education fair that draws a large number of students.

South India

  • Chennai Chennai Book Fair or Madras Book Fair is an annual book fair organized in Chennai by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India. The fair lasts for about 10 days and is held between December and January. The fair is one of the important cultural events every year, and has been around a long time—the 33rd fair was held in January 2010.
  • Hyderabad – The 25th Hyderabad Book Fair will be organized from 16th to 26th Dec 2010, at People’s Plaza Ground, Necklace Road. The fair is usually held around the same dates every year.  Since this is the silver jubilee year, the fair promises special attractions. More at http://hyderabadbookfair.com.
  • Bengaluru – The Bangalore Book Fair, organised by the Bangalore Booksellers and Publishers Association, in its sixth year now, was conducted in Palace Grounds from 12­–21 November 2010. This major book fair is said to be the second largest in the country and is generally held in November. It draws more than 1 lakh visitors and has revenue in several crore rupees.
  • Vijayawada – The Vijayawada Book Festival Society (VBFS) has been organizing book festivals on the lines of the National Book Trust (NBT) since 1989. They organize several events such as ‘Walk for Books’, celebrating birth centenaries of eminent Telugu writers, competitions for students, to name a few. These events do not need an entry ticket. The Vijayawada Book Festival is held from 1–11 January every year.
  • Kochi – In its 14th year now, the Kochi International Book Festival, organized by the Antharashtra Pusthakotsava Samithy, Kochi, is held from 26 Nov–6 Dec 2010 at the Ernakulathappan Grounds. Their focus, they say, is the book lover rather than the publisher and book seller. Several literary events are organised, too.
  • Thiruvananthapuram – In the Tehelka Readership Survey 2010, it was found that the maximum monthly spend on books in India was in Thiruvananthapuram (Rs 569.50). The Thiruvananthapuram Book Fair, organised by the Department of Culture, Government of Kerala, is held from 18­­–26 December at Kanakakkunnu Palace and is part of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival. This time, a children’s writers and publisher’s workshop will also be a part of it.

West India

  • Mumbai – The Mumbai International Book Fair (MIBF), organised by the Good Governance India Foundation, a trust dedicated to the promotion of literacy and reading as a habit, is held in January every year in the Bandra-Kurla complex.
  • Pune – The 9th Pune Book Fair (PBF), supported by the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, was a 5-day fair conducted from 20–24 October 2010 at Kamayani grounds in Patrakarnagar. While the fair is held every year, the date and venue differ.

East India

  • Kolkata – The largest book fair in India is the Kolkata Book Fair. In its 34th year, it was held from 27 Jan–7 Feb in 2010. Many foreign countries participate and there is a theme each year dedicated to literature from one country. Awards to authors for lifetime achievement and promising writer were given this year. The dates for the next fair are 26 Jan–6 Feb 2011, with the focal theme: USA. The entry will be free in 2011 in homage to its being the 150th birth year of Rabindranath Tagore. More at www.kolkatabookfaironline.com

The National Book Trust (NBT), India, organises several book fairs across India. From their website: The National Book Trust, India, established in 1957 for the promotion of books and to inculcate book culture in India, organises book fairs/festivals at local, regional and national levels. To look for the upcoming fair (2010-11) in your neighbourhood, please visit http://www.nbtindia.org.in/download/NOV2010/NBFairs1011.pdf . For later fairs, please visit the NBT website at http://www.nbtindia.org.in.

Interview with Nikesh Rathi: Author of Somewhere@Nowhere

Nikesh originally self-published his book through Pothi.com after which the book was accepted and published by PustakMahal.

Pothi: Nikesh, congratulations on getting your book published by Pustak Mahal! Tell us something about yourself.

Nikesh: I belong to Raipur, have done most of my schooling at Baroda, my engineering at NIT, Bhopal and MBA at IIM, Lucknow (2008). I have worked in IT and FMCG industries for some time before moving to education sector recently. Currently I am working with the academics team at IMS Learning Resources, Mumbai. I have lived in several places in India.

Apart from writing, I am interested in reading, watching movies, quizzing, cricket and travelling.

Pothi: Where can we find your book on the Web?

Nikesh: It is available with several leading online stores: Flipkart, Infibeam, Indiaplaza, Amazon (Kindle version), etc.

Pothi: Favourite author/book? Name the one that made the biggest impact on you.

Nikesh: It is difficult to single out a book but some of my favourites are: 1984 and Animal Farm (both by George Orwell), To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), Catcher in the Rye (J D Salinger), Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams), Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts), Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), The Prophet (Khalil Gibran), The Godfather (Mario Puzo) and The Day of the Jackal (Frederick Forsyth).

Pothi: How did you get the idea to write a novel? Is it a novel? Memoir? Fiction based on real life?

Nikesh: It was a mix of various factors. It was something which I always wanted to do!

I have been somewhat creative throughout my life but this had been mostly limited to blogs, short stories, few articles in college publications or just cracking PJs! There was always an urge to do something more, maybe on a larger platform and this is where I got this idea to write a book. I started and abandoned the project a few times, but eventually I got going and wrote it.

It is a work of fiction, but at some level it has been influenced by my life—my beliefs, opinions, travels or experiences while working in FMCG industry, a result of watching too many movies, a reflection of my confused self or just a figment of my imagination!

I guess there will be people reading between the lines, and there is nothing I can do about it. Maybe, if this happens I can consider it as a good omen!

Pothi: What is your favourite part/passage/chapter from the book?

Nikesh: Impossible to single out any one!

Pothi: How much time and effort did it take to finish the book?

Nikesh: It took a few months to write. It kind of followed Pareto’s principle—the first 80% took 20% of the time! That was when a basic skeleton was ready. Then it was all about revising it, re-revising it, re-re-revising it and so on. Theoretically there is no end to it. This went on for almost around a few months. Most of that time was used in giving ‘finishing touches’!

The process was quite interesting and it often involved stretching my imagination and kind of living two lives—one real, and other one virtual, imagining what the book’s “hero” would be doing! Once the image was ready, putting it into words and what would finally come out was a lot different from what I had initially imagined.

Pothi: How was your publishing experience? Any advice for new authors?

Nikesh: The publishing experience was a kind of mixed bag. To begin with, I was a ‘nobody,’ sending an unsolicited manuscript to publishers. There were publishers who never replied, there were some who rejected it outright and there were some who wanted to make major changes to the content to make the book more ‘spicy’!

I eventually decided to go ahead with self-publishing on Pothi.com and the feedback was quite encouraging.

Later on, Pothi sent me a mail regarding a competition by Cedar Books. I participated in it and my book was selected for publishing.

As far as writing a book is concerned, I think getting started is the most difficult part. Once you break that inertia, you have set the ball rolling.

To begin with, self-publishing provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase your work. Also, since there are no major copyright issues or other legalities involved, switching to a traditional publisher (the advantage in this is the reach of their distribution channel) is hassle free. With pothi.com, they were quite responsive and willing to help and also have a transparent system in place, which makes the self-publishing (especially for a new writer) experience a lot more comfortable.

Pothi: Did you find the experience of self-publishing worthwhile? What more would you like to see?

Nikesh: Absolutely! Self-publishing is a wonderful opportunity as it lowers the barriers to become a published writer.

Also, it lets you control your content as some of the traditional publishers dictate terms about content. It is like you have a movie ready and the producer comes and says, “This won’t work. Add a few item songs, introduce a love story as a sub-plot, put in more masala and make it spicy.” If you are comfortable with it, it might work in your favour, but as an author I felt that my book should be what I want it to be.

Self-publishing is a relatively new concept in India and its reach is quite limited. So, if I write a book, not many people outside my immediate friends circle might know about it.

Going ahead, I would like to see self-publishing sites having tie-ups with retail channels (especially online ones like Flipkart). This might help in giving authors a wider reach.

Pothi: Plans to write more going forward?

Nikesh: Definitely. But I would try to steer clear of all those life/love at IIT/ IIM kind of stories!

Pothi: Thanks for talking with us, Nikesh, and all the best for your writing endeavours!

Nikesh originally self-published his book through Pothi.com after which the book was accepted and published by PustakMahal (http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9546B/isbn:9788122311303/index.html).

 

Pothi: Nikesh, congratulations on getting your book published by Pustak Mahal! Tell us something about yourself.

 

Nikesh: I belong to Raipur, have done most of my schooling at Baroda, my engineering at NIT, Bhopal and MBA at IIM, Lucknow (2008). I have worked in IT and FMCG industries for some time before moving to education sector recently. Currently I am working with the academics team at IMS Learning Resources, Mumbai. I have lived in several places in India.

 

Apart from writing, I am interested in reading, watching movies, quizzing, cricket and travelling.

 

Pothi: Where can we find your book on the Web?

 

Nikesh: It is available with several leading online stores: Flipkart, Infibeam, Indiaplaza, Amazon (Kindle version), etc.

 

Pothi: Favourite author/book? Name the one that made the biggest impact on you.

 

Nikesh: It is difficult to single out a book but some of my favourites are: 1984 and Animal Farm (both by George Orwell), To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), Catcher in the Rye (J D Salinger), Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams), Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts), Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand), The Prophet (Khalil Gibran), The Godfather (Mario Puzo) and The Day of the Jackal (Frederick Forsyth).

 

Pothi: How did you get the idea to write a novel? Is it a novel? Memoir? Fiction based on real life?

Nikesh: It was a mix of various factors. It was something which I always wanted to do!

I have been somewhat creative throughout my life but this had been mostly limited to blogs, short stories, few articles in college publications or just cracking PJs! There was always an urge to do something more, maybe on a larger platform and this is where I got this idea to write a book. I started and abandoned the project a few times, but eventually I got going and wrote it.

It is a work of fiction, but at some level it has been influenced by my life—my beliefs, opinions, travels or experiences while working in FMCG industry, a result of watching too many movies, a reflection of my confused self or just a figment of my imagination!

I guess there will be people reading between the lines, and there is nothing I can do about it. Maybe, if this happens I can consider it as a good omen!

Pothi: What is your favourite part/passage/chapter from the book?

 

Nikesh: Impossible to single out any one!

 

Pothi: How much time and effort did it take to finish the book?

 

Nikesh: It took a few months to write. It kind of followed Pareto’s principle—the first 80% took 20% of the time! That was when a basic skeleton was ready. Then it was all about revising it, re-revising it, re-re-revising it and so on. Theoretically there is no end to it. This went on for almost around a few months. Most of that time was used in giving ‘finishing touches’!

 

The process was quite interesting and it often involved stretching my imagination and kind of living two lives—one real, and other one virtual, imagining what the book’s “hero” would be doing! Once the image was ready, putting it into words and what would finally come out was a lot different from what I had initially imagined.

 

Pothi: How was your publishing experience? Any advice for new authors?

 

Nikesh: The publishing experience was a kind of mixed bag. To begin with, I was a ‘nobody,’ sending an unsolicited manuscript to publishers. There were publishers who never replied, there were some who rejected it outright and there were some who wanted to make major changes to the content to make the book more ‘spicy’!

 

I eventually decided to go ahead with self-publishing on Pothi.com and the feedback was quite encouraging.

 

Later on, Pothi sent me a mail regarding a competition by Cedar Books. I participated in it and my book was selected for publishing.

 

As far as writing a book is concerned, I think getting started is the most difficult part. Once you break that inertia, you have set the ball rolling.

 

To begin with, self-publishing provides a wonderful opportunity to showcase your work. Also, since there are no major copyright issues or other legalities involved, switching to a traditional publisher (the advantage in this is the reach of their distribution channel) is hassle free. With pothi.com, they were quite responsive and willing to help and also have a transparent system in place, which makes the self-publishing (especially for a new writer) experience a lot more comfortable.

 

Pothi: Did you find the experience of self-publishing worthwhile? What more would you like to see?

 

Nikesh: Absolutely! Self-publishing is a wonderful opportunity as it lowers the barriers to become a published writer.

 

Also, it lets you control your content as some of the traditional publishers dictate terms about content. It is like you have a movie ready and the producer comes and says, “This won’t work. Add a few item songs, introduce a love story as a sub-plot, put in more masala and make it spicy.” If you are comfortable with it, it might work in your favour, but as an author I felt that my book should be what I want it to be.

 

Self-publishing is a relatively new concept in India and its reach is quite limited. So, if I write a book, not many people outside my immediate friends circle might know about it.

 

Going ahead, I would like to see self-publishing sites having tie-ups with retail channels (especially online ones like Flipkart). This might help in giving authors a wider reach.

 

Pothi: Plans to write more going forward?

 

Nikesh: Definitely. But I would try to steer clear of all those life/love at IIT/ IIM kind of stories!

 

Pothi: Thanks for talking with us, Nikesh, and all the best for your writing endeavours!

Six Tips for Indian Writers on How to Write Better

For people whose native tongue is an Indian language, it is difficult to write error-free English. Even those who speak English all the time but live in India cannot avoid the Indian-ness that seeps into their language, both spoken and written.

  1. Avoid literal translation

    For new Indian writers, there is a strong tendency to literally translate from their mother tongue into English.Each language has a specific structure, without which the language would collapse or turn into something ridiculous. For example, in French, most adjectives are placed after the noun, such as ‘une chaise bleue’. If translated word-for-word into English, this becomes ‘a chair blue’ instead of what it should be: a blue chair. Imagine reading a sentence like this:“There were chairs blue, tables of wood, cushions red and music soft playing.”

    This is how a reader feels while reading English that has been directly translated from an Indian language. The result is confused, sometimes hilarious, meaning.

    You may have read these often:

    • “Don’t eat my head!”
      (Kannada: Nanna thale thinnbeda)
      Try: “Stop it. You’re getting on my nerves!”
    • “Don’t be angry on me.”
      (Hindi: Mujhpe gussa mat karo)
      Use: “Don’t be angry with me.”
    • “We all are going out.”
      (Hindi: Hum sab bahar ja rahe hain)
      Use: “We are all going out.”

    Keep a watch on these literal translations.

  2. Original idioms, please

    English has its own set of idioms and sayings—use them and not the translation of Indian ones. Idioms have a strong cultural and historical root, so they are best used word for word and in the original language.The Hindi ‘Daal mein kuchh kaala hai’ has the English idiom equivalent: ‘There’s something fishy going on’. Instead of the Tamil ‘Kazhudaikki theriyuma karpoora vaasanai’ use ‘To cast pearls before swine’. Not all sayings have equivalents, however. The best way to become familiar with what’s available is to read a lot. Looking up a book of English proverbs doesn’t always help unless there are a few examples for each included and the author is a reliable one. Online, have a look at Idiom Dictionary (http://www.idiomdictionary.com).

  3. Keep track of time
    Till a sentence back, you ‘were’ thinking. Suddenly you ‘are’ feeling. You may not realize it while writing and this switch may even sound natural because we often think haphazardly, but while writing, you need to maintain consistency in tense or you’ll distract or confuse the reader about whether something happened in the past or is happening in the present.Take a look at this example:

    Veena walked up the path to Mr Wood’s house. She is thinking she should knock but what if he is sleeping? She doesn’t want to disturb him and get him in a bad mood. That is why she could not make a sale. She had irritated him.

    Is Veena walking to Mr Wood’s door as we read? Or has she already walked and come back after a failed attempt at making a sale?

    Double check if you’re switching tenses in your writing without the story demanding it. Sometimes it is necessary to change tenses, say for a time when you’re narrating a scene in a flashback as if it’s happening right before the reader. But if you’re a new writer, stick to a single choice of tense throughout and you won’t go wrong.  Once you become confident of using tenses properly, you can try using more than one.

  4. Unclutter your punctuation

    There is a tendency to use exclamations in proportion to the amount of surprise or shock.

    E.g. A mountain gorilla was standing before him!!!!!!!!!

    Another is to intersperse the exclamations with question marks.

    E.g. Was the hunk eyeing her?!?!?!

    Please. Stick to one punctuation mark. “A mountain gorilla was standing before him!” shows surprise enough. “Was the hunk eyeing her?” will do. Trust readers to get the quantity of shock or wonder you intend. And trust your writing skills to convey the situation so that they do.

    English punctuation rules do not accept a combination of ? and ! or multiple exclamations. A few style books have begun to accept one pair of ?! but most do not.

    Many new writers like to create an ‘effect’ by trailing dots after a sentence.

    E.g. She stood before him……………in the black dress he had given her……

    The punctuation that uses dots is called an ellipsis and consists of three dots (…). No more, no less. Sometimes, you want to trail off a sentence and end it that way. Then you follow the ellipsis with a full stop, which then totals four dots.

    E.g. And there she waited for him every day….

    Multiple exclamation marks and generous strings of dots reek of amateur writing. Knock them off. These are simple ways to make your writing look professional.

  5. Articles gone AWOL

    Can you eat a curry with no salt? Similarly, you cannot write without articles. If you’ve forgotten the basics of when to use ‘the’ or ‘a’ or ‘an,’ please pick up a simple grammar book and leaf through it (you can do it with a torch, hiding in a cupboard if you like—but do it). Simpler still, visit a grammar site online, bookmark it and refer to it when in doubt. You don’t visit Taj Mahal, you visit THE Taj Mahal.It’s never too late to learn, and these are simple rules that, when followed, make your writing come alive. The rules exist to help you remember, not to make your life difficult.

  6. Remove redundancy

    Find the repetitious words in the following:

    1. That store sells many delights such as cookies, cakes, toffees, chocolates, etc.
    2. I have never heard of this before.
    3. I will read this and return it back to you.
    4. Keep this money, in case you may need it later.
    5. I bought a red colour dress.

    In the first example, when you say ‘such as,’ you don’t need the etcetera. ‘Such as’ means this is only an indicative list. In the next, ‘never’ and ‘before’ are saying the same thing. If you’ve never seen it, there’s no need to say ‘before’. In the third sentence, if you’re going to return something, you’re obviously giving it back, so ‘back’ is redundant.  ‘In case’ indicates a possibility, so use ‘in case’ OR ‘may’ – in case you need it later – or Keep this money, you may need it later. Red is a colour. Duh.

    But new writers love to inject their writing with crystal clarity by providing extra words to help their slow readers. These writers will make you enter into a room, not just enter it, just as they’ll help you exit from the story instead of quickly exiting it.

Here’s a secret: there is no shortcut to writing happiness.

Read that again.

You can’t press a key and make it happen. Anyone can write, but to write well and communicate effectively, you need to put in effort, just as you would for any other skill. Read a lot and read books of quality writing. Reading even prize-winning children’s books can help you build familiarity with the language. Newspapers are not literature, so use those to get the news, not to improve your reading habits.

Write a lot, and get feedback from someone whose English is good, or at least better than yours. Get your writing edited by a professional editor and learn from the feedback and comments.

However, there is one place for weak English, even Indian English, and that is in dialogue. If your character speaks that way, you can use ‘Don’t eat my head’ in his dialogue. As long as you don’t use it yourself in the narration!