Published inAbout Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Manali DesaiFoodie, Moodie, Broodie. — The statement, “Tell me something about yourself” always freezes me. Like how do I define myself in a few sentences strung together? It especially makes me nervous too, because it takes me back to my job hunting days and the countless interviews I gave. After three decades of life experience…About Me6 min readAbout Me6 min read
Published inThe Haven·PinnedMember-onlyWhen my socials became antisocialAll my online accounts having a conversation about yours truly — Instagram: Manali loves me the most! Why are we even having this conversation? It’s a clear waste of time. Facebook: *rolls eyes* oh, please! I came to her solace when she was mourning over her first love Orkut. She would never love anyone more than me. …Social Media3 min readSocial Media3 min read
PinnedMember-onlyMy NameWho are you? — Making money by following my passion for reading and writing. Always curious to know more, learn and grow. Never shying away from helping someone who asks for it. An admirer of nature and all that it has to offer. Language and literature lover. In this world to try and make…Poetry1 min readPoetry1 min read
Published inThank You Notes·PinnedMember-onlyThank You Dear ReadersI’m nothing without you all — In a Creative Writing Symposium, where I was a speaker recently, one of the participant students asked me, “How do I get over the hesitation of being judged for my writing?” It’s an age-old question for any creative person and I answered them by saying, “You never get over it…Grateful2 min readGrateful2 min read
Published inWrite Like a Girl·PinnedMember-onlyTo the Men Who Fear Feminists and FeminismBecause feminism has become so synonymous with man-hating — Dear men, Yes, I’m a feminist. And the first thought that probably came to your mind was, “Oh! she must hate all men.” So, let me begin by saying, no I don’t. And yes, I do. No, because I was raised by a man, grew up with another, and am…Feminsim2 min readFeminsim2 min read
Published inWeeds & Wildflowers·Mar 29Member-onlyCome Again Another DayLittle M wants to play — Dear favorite season, Would you come when I call? What will it take to have you by my side, whenever I want? Because with you, Amidst the showers, the clock stops ticking by Dear monsoon, Can you stay longer? Could you last more than a few months? …Poem2 min readPoem2 min read
Published inWrite Under the Moon·Mar 27Member-onlyNature, NurtureOne day I felt lonely There was nobody at home and nothing made me feel good Neither reading my favorite book nor listening to my favorite songs, or watching my favorite show What helped alleviate my mood? Sitting by the window sill, looking at the sky and the clouds Seeing them change colors, turning light…Poem3 min readPoem3 min read
Published inKnow Thyself, Heal Thyself·Mar 14Member-only7 Things I Do to Nurture My Creative SelfBecause keeping oneself motivated as a creator is a challenging task — “To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” …Creativity4 min readCreativity4 min read
Published inThe Haven·Mar 8Member-onlyShe RoseThe everyday sheroes — To the grandmother Who thought “So what if I don’t have a grandson?” Instead of, “We need a boy child to carry forward the family lineage” And then made it possible for the women in the family To feel loved and accepted. To the mother Who thought, “I’ll follow the same…Poetry3 min readPoetry3 min read
Published inThe Lark·Feb 28Member-onlyBooknappedWill it start a chapter worthy of a story? — A lone traveler A long journey She was looking forward to it for days Smiling, she settled in her seat Awaiting, with mounting excitement Even before the wheels started churning, Her plan for the ride to her destination was set in motion As the train puffed its onset and chugged on, The music…Poetry3 min readPoetry3 min read
