An analysis of his work and the results — The Lord of the Rings, published between 1954–1955 by J. R. R. Tolkien, has sold a stunning 150 million copies yet. The prelude to this trilogy, The Hobbit, also called There and Back Again, has sold 100 million copies. …

Let’s NOT kill our darlings always — I was unsurprised when I came across various checklists of rules of writing. All worthy institutions have their laws — be it traffic, school, food, or work — so why leave it out? …

This might be the change you’re looking for — I pity those who don’t get enough outdoor activity. Seriously. I went from being the unhappy kid of the town to somebody who laughs too much, scores too well, and deals with failures better than ever. You are missing out on so many benefits of playing I can’t even tell. …

From being a grumpy nag to a cheerful girl, here’s how you can do it too — My mental health was on the rack. For those who have been there, you would know about the weight upon my shoulders and the capricious nature of my moods. I was tired of my life. Depressed and stagnated. Self-care isn’t singing yourself a lullaby and hugging unicorns. …

You will suffer if you express anger the wrong way — From childhood, you are told to repress your emotions to make others feel comfortable and nice. That’s how I (and many of you) learnt to express my anger. It hurts you in the long term. We all showcase anger in different ways. Breaking the vase and shouting cuss words. Showing…

You must not postpone tasks — for more reasons than one — We all have this bad habit that hurts us towards the end. A task comes to our mind. We put it off. The time to actually do the task never comes, and we regret the consequences. Regrets due to inaction are the most common. Here’s your wake-up call for a…

This mindset will vanquish 50% of your problems — As you progress from a bottle-sucking kid to a rickety legs eighty-something, your understanding of the universe changes. Everything is pretty and pleasant when you are ten and have a unicorn to play with. The struggle begins with the coming of the teen phase. Suddenly, a bazillion conundrums bang against…

Make, save and enjoy great relationships — I go against the popular advice here. The world tells you to think hard, make a pro and con list, and listen to advisors before taking decisions. I endorse the benefits of evaluating and taking one’s time in difficult choices. Yet, introspection isn’t always good. Especially in matters of relationships…

My learnings from a writing workshop conducted by Dr. Sutapa Basu — Dr. Sutapa Basu, a bestselling and award-winning author, is known for her nail-biting historical fiction novels like Dangle, Padmavati, and The Curse of Nader Shah. Her recent workshop for aspiring writers inspired me beyond measure and reinforced several vital lessons. Here are the top ten best takeaways you must keep…