The Diary— June 13

“We should all look for a little bit of magic these days,” Champaign author Ekta R. Garg told those in attendance for her Author Talk Saturday in the Reading Room. Ekta’s latest book, The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories, is a clever imagining of possible origin stories and prologues for well-known fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Ekta has been captivated by the world of fantasy since her second-grade class read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Ekta observed that we all can be writers.  If we want to be published authors, however, we need to approach writing with some discipline. She gave three recommendations.

First, have a dedicated place to write.  This can be a special desk, a room in your house, or even a third place like a coffee shop. Ekta writes in an in-house “studio.” She intentionally chose this word over the more common “office.” A studio is where creation occurs. The important thing is that your writing place establishes a sense of separation from your daily life and non-writerly activities.

Second, set a measurable goal for your writing. Ekta strives to write 500 words a day, five days a week. This might not seem like a lot, she noted, but it equals 10,000 words a month.  In nine month, it works out to 90,000 words, the length of many contemporary novels.

Third, fit writing into your life. We all have many identities.  We hold jobs.  We are parents, children, siblings, friends, and caretakers.  Be realistic as to how much time you can set aside for writing given your other responsibilities.  If it is only one hour a week on a Wednesday, lean into that time.

The best conversations are multifaced.  They mix ideas, voices, and opinions.  On Saturday, a little bit of magic and a dose of practical advice from Ekta were the recipe for a lively, informative afternoon.