Friday, June 22, 2007

Writer's Block....

The best writers in the world encounter a stumbling block...i'm just a novice.....i edit/write for a living, but even Lord knows my writing is far below mediocre....so what happens when i face a writer's block? I had interviewed a renowned poet a few months ago, who told me how he encounters writer's block. Every writer faces it, i face it everyday when i'm on the lookout for a story idea. I just hope my grey cells are capable enough to cross the block sooner than later! No not hope, it's a sincere prayer really, lord! i need to save my job after all!
My boss tells me to write a story every week. And, i rummage for story ideas. They come to me anytime...and sometimes they don't come to me at all...i'm left clueless...what do i write about that's not already been written?
My boss tells me, features writing is all about "saying it differently"...everyone already knows what you're writing. The skill lies in presenting it differently, with a new facet, a novel approach. Yes, its true. Most of our news pages are filled with stuff you all have read before, yet we manage to tactfully lure you into reading our words everyday! That feels great,really, especially when we know in our hearts that it's merely a play of words packaged interestingly!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Old friends...

I just love catching up with old friends...its so great to pick up where you left off...find out about the latest occurences in their lives, and just have a good time reminiscing about the good old days as well. I am someone who is far too attached to her friends. So, even if my closest friends have left this city and moved elsewhere, i have tried to keep in touch with them, to the best of my ability. Of course, technology has certainly been great...friends are just a pushbutton or a click away with emails, cellphones and online networking websites.

Some of my closest buddies...who i enjoy "catching up with..."
Neeti: My oldest friend, one of my best friends - known her since i was 6 years old, and we became best buds in class 5. Her family moved to Pune when we were in Class 9...i was so sad when she left. But nothing changed. Anything that needed to be said, i knew my buddy was just a phone call away. We meet about once a year either when she visits Pune or i go to Mumbai. Everytime we'd meet our typical weekend would include go shopping, partying, staying up all night, chitchat, gossip about boys and bitch about girls ;) , playing silly boardgames, sharing joys & sorrows, get tipsy by spiking coke with alcohol from our respective dads' closets ;)...watching the sea waves lash the rocks at Bandstand from her balcony, playing darkroom, truth and dare, even planchit...aah....these are memories that will stay with me forever! Neeti was a crucial person who helped me during my data collection in mumbai - city that frankly overwhelms me - for my Masters dissertation. I havent met her for long as both of us are busy with our respective jobs....just cant wait to catch up with her again!

Ranjit: Met him in std 11...my best friend all through 7 years in college...he left for australia to pusue is PhD in July 2005. I havent seen him for 2 years. I us miss him so much. We speak occasionally on international calls for secial occasions like our respective birthdays. Life is jus not the same after he left. Ranjit was my shoulder to cry on for all my problems. always an eager ear, giving me the apt advice...but the best part about him is his incredibly wacky sense of humour....he can evn make Hitler guffaw! he's unbeatable! We've gone shopping, watched every aishwarya movie together (he's her biggest fan - currently sad cos she's mrs bachchan), had great music sessions, cooked, studied, even made a film together...thats' enjoying international viewership these days, and is highly acclaimed in Germany and Australia from what i hear!! Ranjit's home is like second home to me, his parents are the most adorable people i have known. His father is one of the leading professors in Media Studies, and his mom is just like a second mother for me. They stay alone here in Pune and i try to visit them as often as possible. Ranjit is doing very well for himsel in Australia...just wish he comes to Pune soon...i miss him so much!

[This post will be continued.....]