Bethany
asked
Sandhya Menon:
I just finished "When Dimple Met Rishi" and have started reading "From Twinkle, with Love"! I looooooooove your books! Do you have any tips for writing stories? I've been a "story writer" since I was 6 or 7. And do you have any tips for making characters? Thank you very much!
Sandhya Menon
Thank you so much for your kind words, Bethany! :)
Here are my main writing tips:
1. Learn how to finish what you start. Whether you're writing a short story or a novella or a play or a full-length novel, see it through from beginning to end. That's a practice; it won't come naturally. All published writers--me included--had to struggle through this!
2. Learn when to give up and when to keep going. Some writers spend ten years polishing away at the same manuscript, and if that makes you happy, go for it! If you find that you're doing that as a way to procrastinate working on something new, unfamiliar, and therefore scary, set that old project aside. I truly believe great art happens when we're scared/intimidated and push through it anyway.
3. Find your tribe! It's so important to find people who are on the same journey as you and at the same stage in that journey. Are you at the stage where you want to complete your first manuscript? Find writers who are there, too. Want to find an agent or a publisher or even self-publish? There will always be others in the same boat as you, and connecting with these people will make your journey seem a lot more fun and a lot less lonely!
I hope all of that helps! :) Good luck and keep writing!
xoxo,
Sandhya
Here are my main writing tips:
1. Learn how to finish what you start. Whether you're writing a short story or a novella or a play or a full-length novel, see it through from beginning to end. That's a practice; it won't come naturally. All published writers--me included--had to struggle through this!
2. Learn when to give up and when to keep going. Some writers spend ten years polishing away at the same manuscript, and if that makes you happy, go for it! If you find that you're doing that as a way to procrastinate working on something new, unfamiliar, and therefore scary, set that old project aside. I truly believe great art happens when we're scared/intimidated and push through it anyway.
3. Find your tribe! It's so important to find people who are on the same journey as you and at the same stage in that journey. Are you at the stage where you want to complete your first manuscript? Find writers who are there, too. Want to find an agent or a publisher or even self-publish? There will always be others in the same boat as you, and connecting with these people will make your journey seem a lot more fun and a lot less lonely!
I hope all of that helps! :) Good luck and keep writing!
xoxo,
Sandhya
More Answered Questions
Alyssa
asked
Sandhya Menon:
the first time I ever read When Dimple Met Rishi was when one of my friends told me that it was the best ya romance novel she had read, and now I understand why she said that! I love the humor in the books, and I love how unique each character is. I was just wondering what age you think Dimple would be when she feels she is ready to marry Rishi, if she does at all? and did Dimple's love of iced coffee come from you?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more