Words are all you have

Writing is more than just a physical act. That's why the words that end up on a sheet of paper remind you of not just their definition but also meaning that is implicit, both indirectly pushing you into bouts of nostalgia. "A lot of us in the publishing industry are writing as a means of escape," says Naveen Valsakumar, co-founder and CEO of the self-publishing company Notion Press. Since this day and age demands a much-needed escape, Valsakumar and his Chennai-based team thought of facilitating it. They launched #writeyourheartout, a platform where people can submit short stories (upto 2,500 words) and poetry. The most inspiring ones will be featured in an anthology published in print and digitally by the end of the month.

The platform was built in 36 hours, having been conceptualised during the Prime Minister's first address to the nation on March 19. "We had our engineers in the room while planning it and so, we began coding the next day," Valsakumar informs. The shortlisting, he says, will be done by the editorial team and not with a contest since, "It isn't a great time to stress people out." Entries will be accepted in three languages: English, Hindi and Tamil. The ideal piece of prose or poetry is one with a tangible plot and excellent grammar. "If people actually take time to proofread their content it shows their emphasis on quality writing," he reckons.

Even after the lockdown, Valsakumar says they strive to make the platform a permanent feature on the website. "We never expected that people would take it up seriously.We have nearly 2,000 stories," he shares. Having minimised his interaction with the news due to the anxiety it brings, he maintains that it is not about wanting the world to love your writing - "If you are able to give people two minutes of joy, that's a superpower."

Till April 5
Log on to notionpress.com/stories/writeyourheartout

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