How I Became A Writer

sln · Sep 4, 2024

How I Became a Writer
My journalistic journey began with writing compositions for my daughters. My uncle, a voracious reader, introduced me to Sexton Blake detective novels. Studying in a Tamil-medium municipal school, I had to rely on a dictionary to unravel the mysteries of the English language. Once I developed an admiration for the language, there was no stopping me. However, my foray into a professional course put an end to my formal connection with both English and Tamil.

When I married Mithila Kannan, I was delighted to find that she was also a voracious reader. She was particularly proficient in Tamil and had a strong command of the language. I encouraged her to write short stories, and she excelled in this art. Her stories were published in all the leading Tamil magazines and won accolades. In fact, one of her stories was selected as one of the top ten short stories by Kalki magazine, with an illustration by the one and only Gopulu. On another occasion, she refused to cash a cheque for ₹125 signed by CHAVI. She was a dreamer who would romanticize anything she heard or read.

After retirement, in search of secretarial assistance, I enrolled her in an institute to learn MS Word. After she completed the course, I said, "Why don’t you try writing in English? After all, you are a postgraduate." I also shared all my articles on management subjects with her. Another source of inspiration for her was my role as the founder editor of our in-house magazine for 1,200 employees. She used to joke that, being in a senior position, employees had no choice but to read whatever I wrote. However, she made a grand entry into IL (IndusLadies), and there was no stopping her. I would share interesting incidents from my life, and she would weave magical articles with her play on words. She also wrote for other blogging sites.

One fine morning, she received a congratulatory message from another blogging site, informing her that she had been selected as the best writer in a competition and would be presented with a diamond ring, courtesy of Kirtilal & Sons. In her excitement, she put sugar in the rasam instead of salt. On the appointed day, I drove her to the award ceremony. At the venue, I quickly got out of the driver’s seat and opened the door for her, befitting her status as a diamond ring winner. We went inside and were seated side by side around an oval table. There were several other ladies winning prizes for various accomplishments. Then, a stern-looking woman in her mid-forties entered and announced that the winners should sit in the first row, while their attendants or friends should move to the second row. Sheepishly, I moved to the second row, much to Mithila Kannan’s amusement. Adding insult to injury, Mithila said, "Sorry."

It was then that I made up my mind to start posting articles in IL. I quickly garnered a captive audience. The climax was reached when Mithila’s article and mine competed with each other, and mine was selected as the finest post. With a twinkle in my eye, I told Mithila, "Sorry." The diamond ring, which my daughter now wears, stands as a testament to the enviable and endearing relationship we had. The friendship continues.

Viswamitra · Sep 4, 2024

Dear SLN Sir,

I was late into IL and joined only in 2012 and I had a chance to read some of Mrs. Mithila Kannan's writings. She has a magical way or presenting a simple subject in a fabulous way. Her words make us feel her emotions in her mind when she writes a subject. You too have your own unique style in writing and I never compared your writings. I never knew she was a winner of a diamond ring for her writing.

Even now, English writing is not one of my greatest skills and I do make a lot of mistakes in my writings. You have seen people immitating someone else's speech in the form of Mimicry. I learned how to write from my two bosses who had excellent writing skills and I started immitating them. That is how I learned how to write in English. I also studied in Tamil medium school and had no formal background of English speaking until I went to the college.

sln · Sep 4, 2024

Viswamitra said: ↑

Dear SLN Sir,

I was late into IL and joined only in 2012 and I had a chance to read some of Mrs. Mithila Kannan's writings. She has a magical way or presenting a simple subject in a fabulous way. Her words make us feel her emotions in her mind when she writes a subject. You too have your own unique style in writing and I never compared your writings. I never knew she was a winner of a diamond ring for her writing.

Even now, English writing is not one of my greatest skills and I do make a lot of mistakes in my writings. You have seen people immitating someone else's speech in the form of Mimicry. I learned how to write from my two bosses who had excellent writing skills and I started immitating them. That is how I learned how to write in English. I also studied in Tamil medium school and had no formal background of English speaking until I went to the college.
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Churchill said " success has many fathers and communication is one of them" . My father instilled in me the need to develop communication skills. I have been trying to pick up good grammatical tamil without success.In english it was said " the muffled drums are beating as the funeral marches to the grave- meaning that with every step the pall bearers are nearing their end.In tamil it was beautifully said " setharai savar sumappar". The amount of reading that we do with a dictionery by the side decides the quality of our writing.Fortunately neither we nor our readers have English as our mother tongue.Let us carry on without any anxiety as this will kill the creative process.

Thyagarajan · Sep 4, 2024

Dear @sln
An interesting read as to how you got an impetus or felt impelled to write anectodes for social consumption. The interaction between spouse and you is quite interesting centring around story telling.

Many of the writers in the beginning indeed had encountered hurdles and pitfalls. They had given up midway when stories sent never get published.

But those who began writing successfully must have been keenly observing and learning from vast reading and grasp the phrases and words to express situations, emotions and habits of people from media news papers and popular magazines as well.

I heard authors used to keep a small pocket diary and a ball pen or pencil to note down their observsrtions then and there. They have a writing pad and pencil below the pillow and middle of the sleep in night wake up and note down the points that they dreamt of.

I never knew I could write.

Once my son wrote to a news paper about cricket match in the colony between fathers and sons which was published. Many readers wrote accolades to him via e mail. Then he had suggested that with lots of experience and happenings in life, I must attempt writing those as anecdotes and send one by one to various magazines. My spouse too felt same. It all began in 1998 after my voluntary retirement.

With that encouragement coming from son and spouse I tried.

I sent as attachment via e-mail a story to CHICKEN SOUP SERIES. Hey presto it was a great delight to receive two copies of the book with a cheque encl from the publisher a covering letter signed by the chief editor cum compiler.

Then it became a regular. Stories one after another got published and I gradually turned confident that I can write that pleases a section of the readers. My son & I are regular contributors to Deccan Herald, The pioneer, The Hindu, The New Indian Express, Mid-day & some tabloids too.

The very first story of mine in black & white appeared at the letter head page of The New Indian Express was a great delight. I had posted that story with little changes in title and text in link

Disintegration On National Integration Desideratum

sln · Sep 5, 2024

Thyagarajan said: ↑

Dear @sln
An interesting read as to how you got an impetus or felt impelled to write anectodes for social consumption. The interaction between spouse and you is quite interesting centring around story telling.

Many of the writers in the beginning indeed had encountered hurdles and pitfalls. They had given up midway when stories sent never get published.

But those who began writing successfully must have been keenly observing and learning from vast reading and grasp the phrases and words to express situations, emotions and habits of people from media news papers and popular magazines as well.

I heard authors used to keep a small pocket diary and a ball pen or pencil to note down their observsrtions then and there. They have a writing pad and pencil below the pillow and middle of the sleep in night wake up and note down the points that they dreamt of.

I never knew I could write.

Once my son wrote to a news paper about cricket match in the colony between fathers and sons which was published. Many readers wrote accolades to him via e mail. Then he had suggested that with lots of experience and happenings in life, I must attempt writing those as anecdotes and send one by one to various magazines. My spouse too felt same. It all began in 1998 after my voluntary retirement.

With that encouragement coming from son and spouse I tried.

I sent as attachment via e-mail a story to CHICKEN SOUP SERIES. Hey presto it was a great delight to receive two copies of the book with a cheque encl from the publisher a covering letter signed by the chief editor cum compiler.

Then it became a regular. Stories one after another got published and I gradually turned confident that I can write that pleases a section of the readers. My son & I are regular contributors to Deccan Herald, The pioneer, The Hindu, The New Indian Express, Mid-day & some tabloids too.

The very first story of mine in black & white appeared at the letter head page of The New Indian Express was a great delight. I had posted that story with little changes in title and text in link

Disintegration On National Integration Desideratum
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sln · Sep 5, 2024

Great.I find that you are a prolific writer. This skill requires keen observation,analysis and articulation..It can be in Indian English also.Successful communication is one where the intention of the writer and interpretation of the
reader coincide, If there is a hidden message it is all the more satisfying..Life becomes interesting if there are more writers in the family. This is an art.There are many good speakers wo cant write and vice versa.The moment they take a pen it weighs like lead goes a saying. Congratulations on your achievement and your infinite patience in writing FB.
Regards

Thyagarajan · Sep 5, 2024

sln said: ↑

Great.I find that you are a prolific writer. This skill requires keen observation,analysis and articulation..It can be in Indian English also.Successful communication is one where the intention of the writer and interpretation of the
reader coincide, If there is a hidden message it is all the more satisfying..Life becomes interesting if there are more writers in the family. This is an art.There are many good speakers wo cant write and vice versa.The moment they take a pen it weighs like lead goes a saying. Congratulations on your achievement and your infinite patience in writing FB.
Regards
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Indeed it requires those qualities or virtues to turn into a writer and catering to a particular audience requires profound study research and apt expressions to get into heart of the readers.

sln said: ↑

Congratulations on your achievement and your infinite patience in writing FB.
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With reverance, I Thank you from bottom of the heart and for the observation about writing responses.

sln said: ↑

There are many good speakers wo cant write and vice vers
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Late UK PM Churchill comes to mind. Charles lamb comes to mind easily. He was reported shy of speaking in a group but popular writer. Lamb always played with facts and fictions and transforms the real into the literary.