P.G. Wodehouse would often say it’s damn difficult to know where to begin a story from. Go too far behind and your readers are twiddling their thumbs, bored by the old, irrelevant or repetitive information they already know, and love or hate or found uninteresting enough to forget in the first place. Start too far into the action, and your reader is probably scratching his head struggling to make sense of what is who and who is what, or making up his mind to leave.
If you got through the convoluted long sentences above you might want to try books by P.G.Wodehouse (Review coming up soon).
After all that digressing I come to an Indian television show, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon (ipk – to sound cooler). Ya, sorry, am still rambling and the next paragraph also has backstory. So, feel free to allow your mind to wander.
Now, indi did not like regular shows on TV and aarwen pretty much liked a lot of different things. Both, fell for a certain good looking deadly actor in an arresting love story, and ended up on an online forum (IF – as it is called in the online world).
indi was busy writing tomes, thesis and fanfics on the show. aarwen hadn’t written a single word before. indi’s words were doused in romance, but other stories were fighting for a chance. Unknown to aarwen, all her life, aarwen had been wanting to freelance.
As such stories unfold, with much needed serendipity and copious amounts of audacity, the dormant writer and the new writer created an online world where they would rather stay.
Luckily, durga joined them. She brought enthusiasm, regularity and the idea of celebrating an anniversary. And Aarwen talked niyati into joining in. Niyati was worried she was a ‘non-writer’, but this place wasn’t meant only for writers.
The brew was for anyone wanting to share a thought or two, tell a tale or few and take others on intrepid adventures. This place was to hang around and give the moment a chance to wield its magic and suck you in. Take you along winding lanes of memories or a plethora of possibilities.
A guy wanting to impress aarwen joined as well, but he needs to watch Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge again, to get that wooing right. And nandini crossed over from that world of readers. All along, strangers transitioned to readers and firmly into friends.
This journey, that we at Writersbrew immensely enjoy every single day, started with the following whatsapp message between a girl in her twenties and a woman much older, living in different parts of the world, never having met and now sharing credit card details. It does thrill us, this friendship; that no one could foresee, I bet.
New writer: “I have been giving writing a serious thought and was wondering if you would like to start a website with me? I don’t want to limit it to IPK. We could publish columns about everything.
So, what do you think?“
Dormant Writer: “Hmm nice idea.. yes talk about different things. How does one set up such a thing?
I guess the main question is what are we going to write about?“
Hi new writer. I must have said this before but writing comes naturally to you, so calling you a new writer is a little weird. Enjoyed reading this. Very well written. And nice flow chart up there.
Will be waiting for P G Wodehouse reviews. I have read very few books, but most of them have been Wodehouse’s. So looking forward to read the laughs again. ☺
The flow chart is missing a few lines.. but am too lazy now to fix it! hehe.. and the idea came from your little girl drawing.. that I can make my own image.
You like P G Wodehouse too? See so much more reasons we are online friends. I have always wanted to know more people who have read those books. Little did I know I would find one on an online forum where we discuss a TV show.
Thank you di.. you welcomed and encouraged my writings on IF since day 1. Even made me make an index. Gave new writer a lot of push to reach this place. And its been so much fun with you all.. I hope we can keep doing this.
Yes Rhea. I hope so to. So the little girl made you attempt the flow chart? Happy to hear that. 🙂
Hi guys ,congrats on your first year as cowrites and friends ,it a goo d blend I enjoy the knowledge you share and information ,you bring out in your stories ,I used to write ,but haven’t for a long time ,I never watched soaps as we do not have cable at home ,it’s pure choices as I love to read ,and watch public tv the most over here as it brings a global perspectives do better worldview ,the world has always been my oyster,I love to learn and read about diff cultures and traditions ,and you guys give us that ,more from you ,in the nxt update
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback Archana. We are thrilled every time a reader leaves a comment and yours are specially fun. By the way, I just started Coulter’s book. Will hopefully write a review soon so we can talk about it.
That is so nice that you find things on wb that you like to read.. Do let us know any time that you would like to write a piece here. We were actually thinking of introducing a guest writer section. And you have already become part of our “friends” family.
thanks, archana… it’s so good to see you and the others. every reader is precious to us and i can never stop being grateful that you come and give us your time. if writersbrew is celebrating, its also hugely thanks to all who come here, and you are always one of the firsts to leave a note. so appreciate that. see you soon.
Don’t I love this story!
Hi ladki kijhy aap eej bhery bhery much part aph isstory.. I have loved our earlier chats on books and I still smile thinking I have a friend who is the closest to knowing all about libraries and even more. Do keep coming. It’s a lot of fun sharing this space. And thank you so much for being one of our first regular readers.
haw, you still have that wa message. new writer, that’s a verra pretty piece up there. and yeah credit card details… this is become quite a relationship. dormant writer, hmm, giggle attack.
saw a pithy phrase there… think it should be ours forever. “give the moment a chance.”
thank you, aarwen…. you and a very handsome young man will never know what and how much you did for me.
ha ha happy singh loves anniversaries.
ooh am happy you liked this Indi di. It’s probably going to be one of my favourite posts. And I took a lot of artistic liberty in trying to be the voice for all of us. Though each one of us has a different version of this same journey.
For me your Holi takes were compelling enough to make me join if. And then I have done victory dances every time that dazzler writer actually commented on anything I wrote and sweetly even shared my fanfic on her link. Now sharing credit cards with you and explaining hashtags.. uff ye irony and enormity of the moment.. yes hope this happy place remains ours forever. I love sharing it with you.. ha ha happy.. what the..
so do you know who came up with the hashtag in its current usage? and do you know i follow him on twitter? 🙂 🙂 pagal is our duniya. i am so glad the green girl dropped in with her fine takes written in smooth unpretentious language, and of course that she had this er ahem thing for youknowwho.in the normal world, as it is presented to us, people don’t get involved with hindi soaps. they certainly don’t write about it. thank g none of us is very keen on normal.
loved your piece. write more. i enjoy your way of looking at things. and hahhah yeh dazzler writer is who, my dear?