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Happiness is waking up in the morning and being able to do exactly what one wants. Which, in my case, is writing.

Earlier, when I had let it become something of a chore, my writing gave me no happiness. But nowadays, I’m fascinated with getting under the skin of a rather confused, fat, young male cleaner at the Singapore aquarium, or a gay woman who has lived a long married life, or a man who, as a boy, saw his best friend drown.

I’m not working to any deadlines, but there is a sense of urgency, because I want to know what happens next, and only sitting down at my writing each morning would tell me. Serial writing, heh.

I am a serious writer, and like all serious writers, would like to be published, i.e. read. A writing is never complete without its reading, but for now, I’m enjoying the writing process too much to wonder about what happens to it later.

I’m not sure that is necessarily a bad thing?

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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5 Comments

  • jaymiethorne says:

    I discovered more than joy in writing. I've spent years battling insomnia, visited several doctors, tried meds, homeopathic approaches – writing has the ability to bring me a peace which leads to sleep. Doesn't get much better. Glad to hear about the joy!

  • The main reason I write my imaginary tales down is so I can read them myself; I also want to know what happens to the characters. If there's no love of stories, of words and make-believe, why are any of us writing? So writing to find out what happens next is the best reason to write. It's the only truly noble reason.

  • Damyanti says:

    Payton, thankyou…that's a cherished blessing you've given me 🙂

    foxandmaus, I'm glad you're outlining something. Having read your blog, I know you could go places in the writing world if you wanted to!

  • foxandmaus says:

    No! Not a bad thing at all! Personally, I think it's the purist form of any art.

    Some time ago, I started writing a little something before heading into work one morning. I ended up playing hooky for the entire day and writing out a complete outline. Isn't it wonderful when it just flows?

  • And may your source of happiness ever grow Damyanti!

    Keep diving in daily to the aeriform realms of intellectual reality, and weave your literary magic with the enchanting powers and mysterious principalities inhabiting those landscapes, nudging you here, drawing you there, challenging and inspiring you always.