Author: Anita Nair

  • *conditionsapply speaks about how, for writers, one size doesn’t fit all digital platforms

    Season 2 at Anita’s Attic | Week 3

     
    Once upon a time writers cut their authorly teeth in magazines. We saw the publishing of our stories, essays and poems in publications as the beginning of a literary career. And then the internet happened and a whole new world opened up. The digital space where you could speak your mind, shape your thoughts and find a platform to launch yourself as a writer.

    But how do you create a digital footprint that is followed ? In a universe teeming with Facebook and Twitter users, bloggers and WordPress savants, how do you ensure that your presence is felt ?

    Which is where Biju Ebenezer, senior member of my digital partners *conditionsapply stepped in. Sharing tips and techniques on how to navigate the digital space with the Season 2 writers at Anita’s Attic.

  • Zac O’Yeah at Anita’s Attic, sets the tone for the Season

    Season 2 at Anita’s Attic | Week 2

     
    The first writer to visit Anita’s Attic usually sets the tone for the particular season, in this case the 2nd Season of Anita’s Attic Creative Writing & Mentorship program. And who better than the uber talented and highly amusing Zac O’Yeah ?

    A travel writer and novelist, Zac O’Yeah has a unique perspective on what it takes to be a writer in India and how to rise above the ordinary and commonplace.

    Thank you Zac. We loved having you!

    Zac at the Bangalore Lit Fest 2014

  • Vestin Verghese

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    Vestin-Verghese---Author-Profile

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    I am : From Thrissur, Kerala

    Presently biding my time : Nurturing the creative side of me

    As I secretly follow my dream of : Being a great novelist

    As good as : Roald Dahl

    Part of the : Creative Writing Mentorship Program from 24 January – 11 April, 2015

    Contact Me : vestinwrites@gmail.com
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    About being a part of Anita’s Attic Creative Writing program

    If Alice was a budding writer, Anita’s Attic would have been her wonderland. Anita Nair’s magic touch transformed my clumsy first draft into a novel well worth publishing. Along the way I came face to face with elusive beings from a parallel universe. A literary agent, a couple of writers, a journalist, an editor and a publisher from the literary sky, lit up our Saturdays at Anita’s Attic. A motley yet talented group of fellow writers supported and spurred me on every inch of the way. Eleven writing Alices found their voices at Anita’s Attic. And I was one of them.

     

    Vestin Verghese’s Bio

    Vestin Verghese is a writer. Vestin Verghese was the magazine editor of his Anglo-Indian school. He went on to represent the Thrissur Veterinary college and won prizes in short story writing and essay writing at the University level. Vestin Verghese won the Times of India ‘Funny Valentine contest’ in Hyderabad. He wrote for the Youth Express. He was also a columnist for City Journal, a local newspaper. Vestin Verghese has written extensively for children. Over a hundred of his pieces have appeared in Magic Pot. He has made telling contributions to Tell Me Why, the magazine which won the National award for scientific communication in 2015. Vestin Verghese is a passionate night-time writer. During the day he works as a vet. Currently he is honing his writing skills at Anita’s Attic in Bangalore. His much awaited children’s novel is expected to hit the bookshelves this year. He may be reached at vestinwrites@gmail.com.

  • Akhil Kakkar

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    Akhil Kakkar

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    I am : From New Delhi

    Presently biding my time : As a writer and trainer

    As I secretly follow my dream of : A novelist and short story writer.

    As good as :A writer who perennially contemplates if the styles of Don DeLillo and Ian Rankin could be fused into a single novel

    Part of the : Creative Writing Mentorship Program from 24 January – 11 April, 2015

    My Website : Time to Write

    Recent Published Work : My short story ‘Space Submission’ was recently published in the literary journal ‘Madras Mag’
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    About being a part of Anita’s Attic Creative Writing program

    I was extremely lost after writing one-third of a novel I started during my M.A program. At this exceedingly uncertain juncture of my professional writing career, twelve weeks at Anita’s Attic was just what I needed to solve my doubts and get my writing back on track. I can confidently say that the Anita’s Attic Creative Writing program has definitely reinforced my confidence in my writing. Anita Nair’s insights and suggestions have significantly helped me improve the quality of my writing and given me a deeper understanding of the Indian publishing industry.

    As we were required to submit our creative work every week, I developed a habit of writing and meeting deadlines. I also achieved significant order and control in my writing. As for the class at Anita’s Attic, I was fortunate enough to be in a group of very talented people who had diverse styles of writing.

    Nowadays, every Saturday, I get a strong feeling of nostalgia, as Saturdays now remind me of the valuable guidance sessions by Anita Nair and the inspiring conversations with fellow writers at Anita’s Attic. In addition, she also exposed me to all other facets involved in writing – editors, literary agents, publishers etc. Every week, we had a speaker who opened our world to all other finer nuances. What more can a budding writer ask for?

     

    Akhil Kakkar’s Bio

    Akhil Kakkar is a Delhi based writer and trainer. He has an M.A. in Creative Writing from Brunel University, London where his dissertation tutor was Booker-longlisted author Matt Thorne. He has attended the ‘Time to Write’ course at University of Cambridge twice, and also has an M.Sc. in Management from Lancaster University. Influenced by Don DeLillo’s ‘Americana’, Akhil left a prosperous but mundane career in marketing communication, during which he was an extensively interviewed and published spokesperson for the construction chemicals industry, to pursue creative writing, his passion. He has forbidden himself to question this transition. He is currently working on multiples short storiesand his first novel.

  • Swapna Narayanan

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    Swapna Narayanan

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    I am : A feminine spirit effectively (at least I think so!) juggling the core pillars of my life – my boys, my profession, and my writing.

    Presently biding my time : Nurturing the creative side of me

    As I secretly follow my dream of : Bringing out beautiful narratives about the indomitable human spirit that manages to face all odds and still emerge victorious.

    As good as : My all time favourite character heroines – Draupadi, Dagny Taggart, Meredith Bancroft, Florentyna Kane, Scarlett O Hara. And some heroes too! Rhett Butler, Hank Rearden, Atticus Finch, Karna, Krishna…

    Part of the : Creative Writing Mentorship Program from 24 January – 11 April, 2015

    My Website : Life – A beautiful journey
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    About being a part of Anita’s Attic Creative Writing program

    This program has been a life changer in many senses. It was a platform where I could identify my voice and capture it into beautiful narratives. Something, I was not able to do, amidst the clutter of a full time business writing profession.

    Apart from learning varied aspects of language, diction, character, voice, scene etc., what I liked the most was the insistent focus on disciplined approach to writing. For someone who always thought writing was a very ‘from the heart’ thing, this was a revelation. Anita is a very patient mentor, who caught sight of my core forte early on, but allowed me to discover it on my own – as my journey.

    In addition, she also exposed me to all other facets involved in writing – editors, literary agents, publishers etc. Every week, we had a speaker who opened our world to all other finer nuances. What more can a budding writer ask for?

    Overall, a memorable 12 weeks, etched permanently in my life.

     

    Swapna Narayanan’s Bio

    Swapna Narayanan (@swapnanarayanan) is an Indian author based in Bangalore. Enamored by the power of the written word, Swapna always nurtured a dream to become a writer. Riding on the prevalent IT wave of the 90’s, she achieved part of her dream by taking up Technical Communication as profession. After spending 20 years in the field of business writing, she went back to her dream and started writing short stories and essays. Today, she divides her time in pursuing her literary ambitions and managing a documentation company. An avid communicator she has lectured in various forums and colleges and has participated in talk shows about technical communication.

  • Six Writers from Anita’s Attic get their work showcased in the Criterion International journal

    Anita’s Attic is proud and delighted to have placed the works of six of our writers from Season 1.

    Six voices. Each one distinct and strong. Showcased in the Criterion International journal.

    Writer Title Pages Read the Story
    Akhil Kakkar Marathon 366-370 Click here
    Archana Vijay The Delivery 371-374 Click here
    Harini Rajasekhar The Bathtub 375-377 Click here
    Krupa Ge The Day Alamelu Grew Up 378-380 Click here
    Sathya Ramaganapathy If It’s Dinner, It Must Be Dosa 398-401 Click here
    Swapna Narayanan Mala, Old and Tall 402-405 Click here

     

    Congratulations !

  • Anita’s Attic opened its doors to Season 2 on Teachers’ Day

    And so on Teacher’s Day, Anita’s Attic opened its doors to Season 2

    12 writers from different parts of the city. 12 writers whose reason to write and styles have nothing in common. 12 writers seeking to find an expression for their imagination.

    It will be exciting to see what each of these writers will do with their time at Anita’s Attic.

    It will be interesting to see their voices develop and blossom.

  • La Repubblica carries the Italian version of ‘No Reservations’ on its Front Page

    I am not a political pundit or even qualified to make political commentary. However there are many things that trouble me about our country and its governance. La Repubblica the leading national newspaper in Italy invites me every now and then to express these points of view without mincing my words*. Here is the latest commentary on the reservation policy, Hardik Patel and the off-kilter Indian society.

    *Some of these articles have appeared in English and Malayalam.

    La Repubblica
    English Translation

    One of the earliest stories I heard about my grandfather was how he broke down caste boundaries in his own way. Until then the farmhands were not allowed to come within ten feet of the main house. When my grandfather, still a young man then, decided that those who tilled his land would be welcome in his home and kitchen, it created a furore in the family and community.

    I was about seven when I was first told this. What’s the big deal, I thought dismissively. I realized what a monumental decision it was when a year later I saw pictures in an anthropological document of how the farm hands in Kerala were fed. A hole was dug in the ground and a broad leaf placed in it. Into it gruel was poured. So as though they were swine or dogs, they ate off the ground. For even the cattle had wooden troughs into which their fodder was thrust and water poured.

    Many of us from my generation first heard the word caste in the political context in the late seventies. Until then, we knew what the history books taught us. That the Indian society was divided into four primary divisions based on the Rig veda, one of the sacred texts of Hinduism, and later explained in the Manusmṛti : Brahmins (priests), Kshatriya (those with governing functions) and Vaishya (agriculturalists, cattle rearers and traders). According to this ancient text, the Shudra performed functions of serving the other three and beneath them were the Pariahs. These castes defined the roles required for any society to function. But somewhere along the line, the Sudras and the pariahs became downtrodden beyond belief. They were treated as subhuman creatures and lacking in the sense, sensitivity or sensibility attributed to normal mortal behaviour. It was a cruel and inhuman practise as was slavery. And no belief in karma or reincarnation would justify it.

    The Mandal Commission was established in India in 1979 by the then government with a mandate to “identify the socially or educationally backward to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination, and used eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine backwardness”. In 1980, the commission’s report affirmed the affirmative action practice under Indian law whereby members of lower castes (known as Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST)) were given exclusive access to a certain portion of government jobs and slots in public universities, and recommended changes to these quotas, increasing them by 27% to 50%. Naturally inclusion into the minority and backward caste quota was increasingly sought for its privileges were that many.

    And into this mess stepped the birds of prey – politicians who saw in the caste system an agenda of their own. They knew exactly how to play the caste sentiment to such an extent that people began to vote for people from their own caste no matter how undeserving he or she was. The belief was that the interest of that caste would be best protected if the man at the helm was one of their own. And so once again the society was skewed off kilter.
    In the classic Hindu belief of the Karma chakra, and typical of the conundrum that is India, the forward castes now occupy the place of fewer privileges and increasing denigration that was once the backward castes lot.
    In such a situation the rise of Hardik Patel, a young man in Gujarat demanding the inclusion of the Patel caste into Other Backward Castes and his ability to mobilize a massive six hundred thousand strong crowd at the rally raises questions as to what is the real purpose behind this protest? That there are other communities that mirror the Patels in Gujarat and that Hardik addressed the rally in Hindi which is more widely understood rather than Gujarati make the political pundits believe that what is truly being sought is a recalibration of the reservation system based on economic indices.

    The reservation system that ironically strove to create an equal society has only created yet another unequal society. And hence the subsequent chaos; and the subterranean rumblings and mumblings that may manifest into something else more horrific and violent will continue till such time we in India redefine who are the ones worthy of special consideration.

    Anita Nair is the author of several best selling novels. Her latest novel is L’Alfabeto Delle Spezie published by Guanda.

     

  • Vestin Verghese’s story Gandhi Rocks selected for Sampad’s Anthology

    Vestin Verghese, a vet by profession and a writer by calling, is a voice to watch out for among the writers of Anita’s Attic Season 1.

    His whimsical way of thinking makes him a natural children’s writer. As for his short stories, they are a class apart.

    Naturally, we at Anita’s Attic are very delighted to announce that Vestin’s story Gandhi Rocks  has been accepted by the U.K based Sampad (South Asian Arts Association) for publication in their anthology ‘Inspired by Gandhi‘ based on a competition held in May 2015.

    An Excerpt from the Selected Work

    ‘Ravi Kiran gazed out of the curtain-less tea shop window. He sighed. The grey of the boulder on which the tea shop stood gave way to the vivid green of the estates, and the silver of the water, that surrounded Rockhead Island. Ravi Kiran glanced at the tables…..’

    Congratulations Vestin Verghese….your storytelling rocks!

  • Anita’s Attic has a new, super-efficient editorial assistant

    Harini Rajasekhar was the youngest of the writers of the Season 1 of Anita’s Attic.

    Her writing was characterized by a grittiness remarkable for her age. In fact, she writes with an honesty that I have often wished I would see in established and senior writers. So when Harini wanted to intern with me as an editorial assistant, I was happy to have her.

    And in less than three weeks she has been helping me with book blurbs, interviews and research among other things.