NeoBluePanther

Writing, Among Other Things

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10 Great Opening Lines from Novels

October 6, 2013 / / 5 Comments

archivum--old-library-1170825-mThe opening line is an important part of the novel. Though a novel is much more than the opening line – just like a house is much more than the gate – yet it can be a crucial factor in making the reader decide to go ahead and read the book. Stephen King says, “an opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.“

Here, I have compiled a list of 10 great opening lines from novels, in no particular order, along with my reasons for liking them.

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The Right Age to Write

September 28, 2013 / / 3 Comments

old-typewriter-wanderer-continental-2-871392-mHave you ever wondered what is the best age to write that book which will make you famous all over the world. Should you write it when you are young and reckless, or should you wait till time has got a chance to work its magic upon you and you have learnt your lessons from the hard task master that time is.

G. B. Shaw famously said  that we learn from history that we learn nothing from history. Yet, history is an important tool to learn some lessons which otherwise we may never learn. So, I decided to have a look at the past to find out how old some famous writers were when they wrote one of their most acclaimed works.

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Do You Have Something Better To Do?

September 17, 2013 / / 2 Comments

Do You Have Something Better To Do?Most of us have that one thing that we have wanted to do all our life, but, for one reason or another, have never got around to doing it. My thing is learning to play the guitar. Since I was in school, I have wanted to learn to play the guitar. In fact, once I went ahead and bought a guitar, which is now lying in some corner of the house, warped with years of neglect and dampness.

Even today I want to learn to play the guitar, but I am not sure if I will ever get around to that.

So, recently, sitting at a friend’s cafe I was feeling impressed with the wonderful music being played by the guys on the next table. The lifelong yearning to play the guitar, stirred within me a desire to talk to these young men.

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When Passion Gets Boring

July 19, 2013 / / 2 Comments

passgetborSome time ago, I attended a meditation camp. Now, before I continue, I must make it clear  that I am not someone who meditates on a regular basis. It was just by chance that I attended the camp. The teacher there, a sanyasi, said something very interesting.

He told us that even after years of practice, he himself sometimes found meditating difficult, and felt like giving it all up. This confession seemed strange to me, because I had always assumed that such feelings belonged to the amateurs, not the experts.

When we meet experts, it is only natural to assume that they thoroughly enjoy what they do, and that they never get bored of it. But, more often than not, that is not true. It is only human to get bored of things. The trick is to find ways and means to stay passionate about things you love even through the periods of ennui.

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Can Teams be Creative?

June 19, 2013 / / 0 Comments

2012-06-08 19.46.45For a while now, I have been trying to start work on a project with a couple of my friends. Unfortunately, the project has failed to take-off till now, even though we have had many discussions about how to start and when to start.

So, naturally, the topic that came up for discussion when we met recently was:

Is it possible to be just as creative as a team, as you are as an individual?

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