Ajay Patri: Stories allow us to temporarily see the world from the eyes of people unlike ourselves. In an increasingly divisive world, any tool that fosters more empathy is desirable. On a lighter note, a well told story is an escapist romp that delights and entertains. These baser benefits of creative writing need to be embraced as well. Read Ajay’s story here.
Anupama Krishnakumar: Creative writing is a wonderful tool that we have in our hands to demystify what life is all about and to celebrate the ordinary things that define it. I sincerely believe that through beautifully crafted stories, essays and poetry, we can aspire to achieve an emotionally better-connected world because creative writing is a powerful way to capture our fears, hopes, strengths and weaknesses. Creative writing can help us understand why we are the way we are and that we are not alone in dealing with challenging situations in the journey called life. Read Anupama’s story here.
Preeti Madhusudhan: In these times of global cultural exchange, creative writing is like a window to another culture, another school of thought, a glimpse into issues and problems that one may have no idea of till then. Gail Tsukiyama’s “Samurai Garden” or Muriel Barbery’s “The Elegance of the hedgehog” offer rare views into the lives of small segments of the world, otherwise inaccessible to many. Creative writing gives a voice to the unrepresented, the underdogs, educating the reader who may someday contribute towards change for the better. Or like Andy Weir’s “The Martian” offer a perspective of a very palpable tomorrow. Read Preeti’s story here.
Ram Govardhan: Creative writing captures the true fibre of human nature better by sharing love, despair and other perceptions. Fiction reflects the reality like no other endeavour and, unlike its effect all through the ages, given the profusion of literary platforms, it can mirror the harsher realities of today’s world on an unimaginable scale, something AI can never dream of achieving. Read Ram’s story here.
Shreya Ramachandran: Writing, I think, is an intensely personal experience. It’s also inseparable from your life because it becomes a framework with which you look at the world. So everything you go through, all your experiences, are processed through what you write and what you want to say about them. In that way you experience your entire life through the framework of your writing. I also think in today’s world, writing just gives you space. Space to think and have a place where only your thoughts matter and space to define who you are and what matters to you. Read Shreya’s story here.
Shruthi Rao: Creative writing can spark revolutions and topple rulers! But at the most basic level, and speaking for myself, I make sense of the world through creative fiction written by others. Reading about different kinds of people, living their lives vicariously, makes one more empathetic. And in this strife-filled world, we need more of that. Read Shruthi’s story here.
Sudha Nair: Creative writing is the greatest form of self-expression, according to me. The biggest role of creative writing is building empathy which is sorely lacking in today’s world. Writing is a source of joy that puts me in touch with the deepest parts of my soul and helps me grow into a compassionate human being. Read Sudha’s story here.
