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Today, you will write.
Today’s newsletter has been generously created by the incredibly talented author Neerja Joshi (NJ).
Find her blog here, her Substack here, and her instagram here.
Today, you will write to find yourself. To learn who you are on this blank sheet of paper - the one who writes the to-do list in morning pages, or someone who is heartbroken by the sad state of affairs of the world, or are you the one drowning in the pool of your emotions and need an outlet, or maybe you are little angry and frightened by your past self, or who knows you might be guilt carrying the burden of the world on your tiny shoulders, or somehow you are just confused by everything around you. So, today, we all will write to wipe our slates clean and begin anew.
— Neerja Joshi
See you tomorrow x
— Loren @ Paperbacks & Co.
Today’s Writing Prompts
Journaling Prompt – What kind of thoughts prevail in my life? What kind of thoughts am I attached to? What kind of thoughts are attractive to me? What kind of thoughts awaken that magnetic impulse in me? Can I think about the thoughts I am thinking? What do I think about thinking? How different is knowing from thinking? What are things that I just know instead of thinking I know?
Fiction Prompt – Think about the most absurd thing you have seen recently, place yourself in that situation as one of the characters, and then let it flow.
Poetry Prompt – Create a poem based on this question: Who are we in the eyes of the cosmos?
Use the artwork at the beginning of this newsletter as a visual prompt to inspire some writing – whether a personal essay, or fictional short story, or poem…
An Interview with Author Neerja Joshi
How does reading inspire your writing process?
Everything I know of writing is the return gift I received from my reading endeavors. I have no formal degree in writing or literature, so all my writing is the byproduct of the writers I have consumed over the years and my lived experiences. One always begins by copying the genre of the writers they love until they find their voice. So now, I read certain writers when I want to write certain kinds of stories, which brings my mind to that zone. For example, I will pick up Japanese writers like Haruki Murakami or Mieko Kawakami if I want to explore weird stories full of absurdity. Similarly, in one of my recently published anthology books, my story, Mrs Susan's writing style idea, came to me while reading Julian Barnes's - Only Story a second time.
What is an “artist date” you would recommend to other writers?
Watch a movie alone, in a cineplex. It is a wonderful experience, but it also triggers one to think about the subject in a very individualistic way.
What’s a favourite writing mantra or inspirational quote you’d like to share?
There are two:
“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” - Virginia Woolf.
“A fire built on a hill will bring interested people to your campfire.” – Shannon L. Alder
🥳 Celebrating Our Wins 🎉
Did you get some writing done today? Why not share your progress in the comments?!
Link to your blog post, share your word count, or even just jump in with a little text celebration…
Know a writer who could benefit from a little extra motivation? Why not gift them £5 membership here?