Saturday, March 12, 2016

Sharing: DON’T PLACE ME IN A GOLDEN CAGE

Okay, this one has been working on my mind since a couple of months and had to be said, come what may.

Writing set me free after I turned 40. Till that time, my imagination used to always work. But I couldn’t write. Why?

Looking back, I realised that it was the shame of wearing my heart on my sleeve; sharing my inner most thoughts with strangers; fear of criticism.

God has his own way of working, moving us towards the goals we are born for. No, I don’t believe that He’s a puppeteer who’s pulling the strings. That’s the dumbest theory brought about by Mr. Failure.

I worked in a school office (no, I am not rambling, please bear with me till the end of this blog) for a few years. I was secretary-cum-admin-cum-typist-cum-general dogsbody. It was up to me to type out the hand-written articles submitted by kids for the school magazine.

The guru comes to you when you are ready to learn. My guru(s) came to me in the form of tiny kids from Std. I, II & III along with the school Principal. The kids were given free rein – to write any damn thing that came to their minds. My mind boggled at their imagination; even more so with their freedom of expression. I was under the impression that most of the articles/stories would have to be re-written. I was astonished when Princy told me to just check for spelling and grammar and leave the content alone.

Voilà, the writer in me was born at that point – or so I believe – even if it took me a few more months to pen my first bestseller.

My jaw was hanging throughout the time I typed out the articles. Yeah, there were many from the older children too. But the ones from these small kids were the ones that were truly fascinating. I think that they unlocked something in me. All these years, I had been imagining the stories that I wanted to tell. But I never had the guts to bare my thoughts to others. When I saw the way these tiny tots told their tales fearlessly, it struck me that I could do it too.

And the writer in me was born a few months after I quit my job.

Today, I am known as a romance author who writes about women’s issues. Yes, some kind of an issue does seem to spring up in my books – except for Meghna and MatchesMade in Heaven (an anthology of 13 short stories).

These two books are for pure entertainment. People who read these books first and my others later, are convinced that these books are excellent. But, if they read them in the reverse order, they think that these two are not up to my standard.

Do I have a standard? Please don’t place me in a Golden Cage!

A request to my readers:

I have acquired my freedom after 40, to express myself through writing. Let me be! Don’t put my writing on a pedestal. It doesn’t belong there. I write for fun, for entertainment. I write pure fiction. I write for the joy of it. I hope to bring a few hours of fun and joy to my reader. I don’t plan to preach. I don’t want to preach.

Now, my sixth book, An Autograph for Anjali, is a romantic suspense. No, I don’t claim it’s a murder thriller or a whodunit. It still is a romance. I have written this book very differently from my usual way of writing. Read it for what it is. I sincerely hope you don’t compare it to my other books and “hoist me with my own petard”.

Life in this world of illusion is both positive and negative. A hero cannot be identified without the villain. So, I thank both of them for being what they are.

In the words of William Shakespeare:

“All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances...”



20 comments:

  1. Standing ovation. You have written this from your heart and as a reader I will always respect this in you. And Sundari.. this is what shines in your writing. This road not traveled uniqueness. Please never loose this.

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  2. Sometimes it's the little ones who show us the way. They help us overcome our fears and unlock ourselves. :)

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  3. This just goes to show that we should give rein to our inner child in our lives..

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    1. Absolutely true Floryie :D thank you for stopping by and posting a comment.

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  4. We both are late bloomers(not to be mistaken with the chaddi types) or late to evolve. We all have our niche and you are good at what you write...and to write 6 books in such a short span of time something great. I can't think of next blog post! Cheers and applause to you. Do what you feel right...and live the life queen-size ;)

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    1. Hugs! :D "Live life queen-size" YES!! I will, thank you

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  5. Hear... hear... entertainment is the key! Also a writer evolves with time, so its okay. Keep writing and entertaining.

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  6. Well said. It shows your versatility as a writer, and that you write from the heart.

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  7. I take a bow. The moments that defined your life and kick ass attitudes. How I love your writings!! No statement or moral judgement but pure entertainment where values are enmeshed.

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  8. Very inspiring story. Sundari, you prove that it is never too late in life to start dreaming. Currently reading - An autograph for Anjali.

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    1. Thank you Sujata :D Would love to know what you think of the story

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  9. I left a long comment and it disappeared... :(

    What I was saying was that I read a few of your books recently (thanks to Kindle Unlimited) and started with Meghna, The Runaway Bridegroom then The Malhotra Bride and 2 days back, The Madras Affair. I felt there was a marked difference in the way you wrote The Madras Affair... maybe it is called evolution as a writer... maybe it is called finding your voice... but I liked the latter the best...! Looking forward to your nxt and waiting to see the experiment with the change in writing style... all the best :)

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    1. awwww... I stopped commenting from my cell phone for exactly this reason. Thanks for your patience, for commenting again :D
      Yeah, I don't consciously experiment. The story & the characters find their own voice(s). I just go with the flow. And yes, we all evolve day by day. Today, I am the sum total of all my experiences till yesterday :D

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  10. Could relate with this Sundari. Looking forward to read An autograph for Anjali. You know I am already a fan. The Madras Affair will always remain a favorite.

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    1. Thank you so much Paulami! For reading and commenting and for also liking my book :D

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