The Writing Programme - tellmeyourstory

Anuja Chandramouli (Guest Faculty)

Such a pleasure and privilege to work with Tell Me Your Story. It is a wonderful initiative and I really enjoyed being a part of it.
(excerpt from her web con)

Anuja Chandramouli (Guest Faculty - Season 1)

Testimonial by Chandna Singh Nirwan

The Writing Programme enhances the participant's writing ability in a subtle manner through classes, guest lectures, assignments and feedback. Quite a hands-on approach by the mentors. The participants are given time and space to work at their own sweet pace. The interactions and assignments open multiple ideas/views/opinions on a single topic which makes it even more interesting as we start to read our own stories from different dimensions. After attending four classes, I was able to see the gaps that could have been expressed in a better way. I learnt how to make even a basic topic appeal to an audience. Story-writing is all about the art of expression and clearly, I have learnt a few tricks on that.

Chandna Singh Nirwan

Testimonial by Akhila Mohan CJ

After attending the program I could understand how to strike a balance in between scenes, descriptions, dialogues and characterizations. After attending the program I visualize the story and the sequences in it before writing down on paper. I feel more confident. The reading materials provided were excellent and meticulous reading especially in a group helped me in improving dialogue writing, striking the settings and characterization. Above all, I felt very nurtured and respected in the entire circle. The way mentors guided us and did constructive criticism of our works, the guest faculties who boosted our confidence and shared their writing processes, the session in which the literary agent Suhail Mathur shared insights about the publishing process, everything added so much value and learning to our writing and learning journey. I loved both the mentors, Koral and Somrita, for their insights and for their kind, down to earth and easy to approach attitude.

Akhila Mohan CJ

Testimonial by Ranjit Panicker

My story is drastically better after inputs from the mentors and incorporating the changes suggested. I learnt the importance of editing, introduction of conflict in a story, how to write dialogue, involving all senses in descriptions and scenery, developing characters and how the publishing industry works.

Ranjit Panicker

Testimonial by Subha Manoj

I learnt how to make my stories speak for themselves, how to show more and tell less, how to build meaningful content and layers in my stories. I also know better techniques of characterization, understood more about different themes in storytelling, especially non-fiction storytelling. The workshop has also added more elements of women narratives in my kitty.

Subha Manoj

Testimonial by Khoobi Shah

The biggest takeaway for me was that the writer's inner voice is important and that should be reflected in one's story. Also that a writer should not shy away from adding local dialect, local references into their story. I now pay more attention to how a story progresses compared to what I did before. I also read books more critically to understand the craft of writing. I am also more confident about the kind of stories I want to write.

Khoobi Shah

Testimonial by Sunil Kumar

Being a man, it was really tough for me to write about women. I wasn't able to express with confidence, how women feel. Weekly readings and guest lectures were perfectly arranged and they contributed greatly to my storytelling. The tasks of the workshop helped in pushing my range of imagination and expression. From fictional representations to real-life examples shared by authors and mentors have molded my story in a way that now I think people would love to read it.

Sunil Kumar

Testimonial by Sanchita Moi

The workshop brought regularity to my writing. It helped in improving my observation which goes into shaping a character. I have started noticing others minutely and indulge in some self-reflection also. The Writing Programme has improved my technique of plot construction & characterization. I feel the confidence to broaden my storytelling beyond my comfort zone.

Sanchita Moi

Testimonial by Parvadavardhini Sethuraman

I learnt the technique of infusing dama at the right place in the narrative, techniques of developing a character by concentrating on different facets of the character's personality and also about the importance of a location and how to effectively use it as a part of the story. I would be worried that my language is too simple, but now I concentrate on making the narrative interesting, as I know the simplicity of the language helps communicate the viewpoint better.

Parvadavardhini Sethuraman

Testimonial by Aswini Prabhakaran

I really enjoyed the reading materials of Season 2. The workshop helped me a lot in understanding how to use the background settings including the location where the story takes place and its importance in writing, sometimes even to the extent of acting as a secondary character in the plot.

Aswini Prabhakaran

Testimonial by Kanika Khatter

It’s a complete transformation in the way I now start to write, the way I structure my thoughts with purpose, using powerful sentences. I think now I have the confidence and approach/methodology to apply it. I am glad I joined this workshop. I was never aware about so many small intricacies of writing.

Kanika Khatter

Testimonial by Neil Nagwekar - Copy - Copy

I was honestly really, really impressed by the program! I felt very privileged to listen to the advice from published authors. I was shown how to be more direct, more hard-hitting without losing the writing craft.

Neil Nagwekar

I have become a better observer and listener. From someone who likes to be alone and talk less, suddenly I have this urge to listen to what everybody has to say. I want to know all their stories to be able to tell mine. Now I try to delve deep in the psyche of my characters and feel what they are feeling and see what they are seeing.

Manisha Prakash

I understand better how to engage my readers more through elements of suspense and touch the raw nerves of emotions. I became better acquainted with the rule of 'Show, Don't Tell'. The discussions were thought-provoking. I really enjoyed the workshop and the space it provided to connect with the upcoming literary circle in India.

Aswini Prabhakaran

It is important that you understand your craft's nuances from a professional point of view and adjust to enable better storytelling. I am writing better, creating more drama, crafting interesting characters. I appreciate the different povs of the co-attendees.

Neeraj Chawla

THE WRITING PROGRAMME

Season 8

A Six Month Intense Personalised Workshop

for Manuscript Development & Publication

If you have a story to tell,

We will help you sail..

Deadline for Application: 31 December 2022

Shortlisted participants will be informed on: 7 January 2023

Programme starts on: 15 January 2023

Workshop Duration: 6 months

Workshop Fees: INR 50,000 + GST

(USD 800 for applicants outside India)

SEATS ARE LIMITED. WE ARE UNABLE TO EXTEND DEADLINES.

I. The Goal:

To turn your manuscript into a published book (ebook + paperback)
Finalizing a manuscript that publishers love
Creating a story that readers love
Having a book-marketing plan ready in advance

II. Duration of the workshop: 6 months

Interaction with the mentors: once in 14days, for the first two months, online, over the weekend, for 1 hour. Email interactions in between. One meeting third month onwards, or as per the requirements of the manuscript.

III. Flow of the Programme

a. APPLY by 31 December 2022 (application formalities mentioned in section - V.)

b. SELECTION by the mentors on the basis of the documents provided during application.

c. SHORTLISTED AUTHORS will be informed via email by 7 January 2023.

d. Shortlisted authors will PAY THE PARTICIPATION FEE by 10 January 2023.

e. PROGRAMME WILL BEGIN on 15 January 2023 (programme details in section - VII).

f. At the end of the 6 months, we will proceed towards PUBLICATION OF THE MANUSCRIPT

IV. Who can apply?

Anyone with a manuscript written in English, between 30,000-50,000 words.
The manuscript can be fiction or non-fiction – any genre – with at least one strong female character.
First-time authors are welcome.
Manuscript/s rejected by other publishers CAN be submitted for the workshop.

V. Application Formalities & Programme Fees:

For Application: INR 500/- for participants in India. USD 7 for participants outside India

Submit the following with an email to tmysacademy@gmail.com:

the first two chapters of the manuscript
a synopsis no more than 500 words, written in English. If you don’t have the synopsis ready, you can send us a voice-note on what your manuscript will cover.
a marketing plan for your manuscript, which will be used once the book is published.
an updated bionote of not more than 100 words
payment receipt against the application fee

A successful application is subject to the payment of the application fee and submission of all the necessary documents stated above.

For Participation: INR 58,500/- (INR 49,500 + GST) for participants in India. USD 793 for participants outside India. This payment is to be made only if the applicant is shortlisted. This is a one-time payment for six months of workshop.

Mode of Payment

• For participants residing in India:

Bank details:

Tell Me Your Story OPC Pvt. Ltd.
A/c no : 059685800000177, Yes Bank. Branch - Shankardhan Plaza Junction, MM Road, Mulund West, Mumbai 400080, IFS Code : YESB0000596.

pay via Paypal - interest charges extra. (You don't need a Paypal account, this allows you to swipe a card.)

• For participants residing outside India and foreign nationals:

Email us at tmysacademy@gmail.com for the Paypal link.

The charges are non-refundable.

*** The Programme Fees are non-refundable.***

VI. Workshop Participation (if the application is shortlisted):

a. verbal and email discussions for participants to improvise the manuscript: Participants should be prepared for feedback, constructive suggestions, constant rewriting and revising of the manuscript.

b. ADVICE AND EXERCISES to build the author’s profile on social media.

c. The manuscripts will be considered for paperback and ebook publication ONLY on successful completion of the workshop. If mentorship sessions are missed, manuscript is not developed appropriately, the participants are unavailable to work on the manuscript, etc. – we will not be able to proceed towards publication.

d. After successful completion of the workshop:

TMYS will take no share from the royalty of the author or from any other earning that comes to the author in lieu of the book.
The author will receive 10 author copies.
The author will be invited in various capacities, to participate in TMYS projects.
The author will be connected to relevant professionals who can add value to their book-goals.

e. Optional for participants: If the author wants to participate in the workshop but does not want to publish the book with TMYS and submit elsewhere, TMYS wouldn’t have any objection.

MENTORS

Dr. Somrita Urni Ganguly

Koral Dasgupta

QUERIES

For queries, please email us at tmysacademy@gmail.com

Kindly excuse us if we do not respond to queries that are already addressed here. We expect the applicants to read the above thoroughly.

*****

About Previous WRITING PROGRAMMEs

Participants registered from India, UAE, USA and West Indies.

The books are available via Amazon now.