Aspiring writers, bloggers and scriptwriters discover passion for the written word

MUMBAI: Aspiring writers, bloggers and scriptwriters on Saturday trooped in for an afternoon of learning the nitty gritty of the written word—online and offline—and what makes for a great story. Part of The Times of India’s Passion Trails initiative, it focused on getting Mumbaikars to step back from their hectic lives and get started on something they had always wanted to try.
The room was packed as filmmaker Prakash Jha took the stage and spoke about what goes into a great film.The veteran elaborated on how several memorable films had their roots in real-life stories and how filmmakers needed to absorb what was happening around them like a sponge. Jha spoke about how real-life people like police officials, for instance, had provided fodder for his films. The discussion also veered towards a discussion of the existing social and political system, and how the police force was increasingly being undermined by politicians. “The moment a criminal is arrested, his supporters will have a huge protest, calls will be made to the local politicians and eventually, he is let out of jail,” said Jha. “So, the police have lost a great deal of their power. As an official once told me, ‘Inaction is virtue, efficiency is crime’.”
Veteran journalist Bachi Karkaria conducted a session on writing—the need to keep it simple, staying away from word play just for the sake of it, and writing clear, concise sentences that are also honest. “The best, most memorable sentences are often the simplest ones,” she said, pointing to classic lines across literature.
Rajesh Kalra, chief editor, Times Internet, spoke about how to conquer the internet—“a completely different animal from print”—in a session on blogging. He spoke about how to best capitalize on the medium and what made a blog attract and retain readers. He also discussed how to popularize it on the social media.
The participants—a mix of media professionals, professors, aspiring scriptwriters and students—who thronged the NCPA for the workshops, found their day to have been a productive one.
“The internet is the future, after all,” said English professor Aruna Swami. “The sessions were helpful not only because they help you hone the craft your writing further, but also to ensure how to keep it contemporary through the newer forms of media.”