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Write India Stories: 36 Winning Entries
India CAN write - and how! When 11 of the nation's best-selling authors joined hands in encouraging India to write, the result was nothing short of a trailblazer! In a never-before exercise, Write India, an initiative of The Times of India, introduced a new trend in crowd-sourced writing. Top 11 Indian authors created passages to inspire short stories by aspiring writers. The result knocked our socks off - well, almost! About 25,000 stories came flying in from Caranzalem to Mokokchung, from Ichapore to Vasco da Gama, and of course all metros. Of the cream of the 25,000 entries received, in a marathon exercise, our 11 celebrity authors helped us choose the 111 best stories. From these 111 riveting tales, we present 36 of the finest in this book. From psycho-thrillers to murder mysteries, from mythologies to romances and tragedies - Write India Stories has it all!
- GenresShort Stories
312 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
29 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 17, 2018
Synopsis:
For someone who has participated in a few of the contests, it just boggles my mind as to how many shapes a story – from a single prompt – can take. It was wonderful to read such different stories, of different genres, but originating from the same source! Write India did that (and it was only Season 1 then, with Season 2 having concluded in April this year). It brought together 11 Indian authors, with their mind-blowing prompts, from which the whole of India churned out wicked stories. Now, this book contains 36 of the winning entries, and I am going to share some of which I found really interesting…
Review:
I was suffering from a reading slump – in the short stories area – so much that I don’t even remember when was the last time I had read one of those, I just remember that there were three of Jeffrey Archer's books which I had gobbled up way back during school days. That is one of the reasons it took me almost two months to finish this relatively 'short' book. But it certainly kept me hooked.
One cannot rate short stories, not really, but here are a few from this book, which gave me food for thought:
Braveheart by Sutapa Basu
The protagonist's (a girl by the name of Ilaa) valour and her wisdom is something.
(I have become a fan of her writing, and am simultaneously reading her book 'Padmavati: The Queen tells her Own Story' while looking forward to reading her other publications).
Closure by Tishampati Sen
The end was a bit amusing, not only had 'fate finally arranged a confrontation', but also took care of the consequences, it seems. (I especially loved the names and the bickering between Aliya and her 'friends'.)
Cherimoya by Kena Shree
A seemingly ordinary story with a surprising twist at the end! (The twist at the end of the tale are the ones which I love the most!)
It was not Their War by Bhaswar Mukherjee
I have only ever read newspaper articles about the Naxalite movement, their fights, etc. I can't say that I understand what humans on both sides of the 'war' are going through, but this story about Durga moved me to tears (which I never thought was possible in a short story!).
Nemesis by Tishampati Sen
The author, whose previous story I loved, had a winner in this one! Jeepers-creepers! This certainly raised the hairs on my neck. Such a terrifying horror story.
Marriage Mirage by Snigdha Mallik
What an ingenious title – like a tongue-twister. When a short story packs a punch, and you know how it is to deceive the deceiver.
Love by Scrabble by Manoj Arora
This was predictable, but the premise was refreshing, something I had never read before.
A Second Chance by Preethi Baladev
This one was totally unexpected, especially what a twist at the end.
So Easy by Aarati Shah
Literally so easy, not the story – which is a fine piece of artistry – but the way it culminated. The shortest thriller I read, but couldn't help thinking about what would have happened further, with that twist!
Sometimes, Love is not Enough by Nikhil D. Samant
This one story among all of them, I just didn't get. Well, I know short stories can take any form, but it seems the story is kind of stuck in a limbo. In fact, the entire story played out in the protagonists' heads.
Prisoners by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan
Not only a wonderful tale but also encompassing all that is relevant today.
Back to Eternity by Debasree Banerjee
Such a poignant tale.
The Mutation by Lakshmy Menon Chatterjee
Such an inventive, and twisted story.
(The above three stories are on the basis of Durjoy Datta's prompt. Though I am yet to read any of his books, I happened to love all the stories written on this author's prompt.)
Love Jihad by Shachee Desai
I loved its story within a story concept.
To Live a Little by Ramya Vivek
Bhuvana and Mohandas captured my heart like no other couple did!
Brooklyn, Bagels and Baba by Dr. Kuheli Bhattacharya
The entire story was heartfelt but what I loved the most was her comparison of the 'all in'…how funny yet beautiful the comparison was.
How Blue is my Sapphire? By Rohit Tandekar
This story also moved me to tears, how a lad, barely a teen himself, supports a two-year-old, changing the kid's as well as his own life for the better.
How Blue is my Sapphire? By Dinesh Devarajan
Such a melancholic yet sinister revenge story.
I know it’s a long list, what with me mentioning half of the book here, but it's what it is. I liked all the stories, but the above ones are those which I loved. I can't wait for the Season 2 book to release.
Which ones are your favorites?
Can you suggest some interesting short stories (books) to read?
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...
For someone who has participated in a few of the contests, it just boggles my mind as to how many shapes a story – from a single prompt – can take. It was wonderful to read such different stories, of different genres, but originating from the same source! Write India did that (and it was only Season 1 then, with Season 2 having concluded in April this year). It brought together 11 Indian authors, with their mind-blowing prompts, from which the whole of India churned out wicked stories. Now, this book contains 36 of the winning entries, and I am going to share some of which I found really interesting…
Review:
I was suffering from a reading slump – in the short stories area – so much that I don’t even remember when was the last time I had read one of those, I just remember that there were three of Jeffrey Archer's books which I had gobbled up way back during school days. That is one of the reasons it took me almost two months to finish this relatively 'short' book. But it certainly kept me hooked.
One cannot rate short stories, not really, but here are a few from this book, which gave me food for thought:
Braveheart by Sutapa Basu
The protagonist's (a girl by the name of Ilaa) valour and her wisdom is something.
'Weapons are not the only way to fight. One needs wisdom to defeat a sly enemy.'
(I have become a fan of her writing, and am simultaneously reading her book 'Padmavati: The Queen tells her Own Story' while looking forward to reading her other publications).
Closure by Tishampati Sen
The end was a bit amusing, not only had 'fate finally arranged a confrontation', but also took care of the consequences, it seems. (I especially loved the names and the bickering between Aliya and her 'friends'.)
Cherimoya by Kena Shree
A seemingly ordinary story with a surprising twist at the end! (The twist at the end of the tale are the ones which I love the most!)
It was not Their War by Bhaswar Mukherjee
I have only ever read newspaper articles about the Naxalite movement, their fights, etc. I can't say that I understand what humans on both sides of the 'war' are going through, but this story about Durga moved me to tears (which I never thought was possible in a short story!).
Nemesis by Tishampati Sen
The author, whose previous story I loved, had a winner in this one! Jeepers-creepers! This certainly raised the hairs on my neck. Such a terrifying horror story.
Marriage Mirage by Snigdha Mallik
What an ingenious title – like a tongue-twister. When a short story packs a punch, and you know how it is to deceive the deceiver.
Love by Scrabble by Manoj Arora
This was predictable, but the premise was refreshing, something I had never read before.
A Second Chance by Preethi Baladev
This one was totally unexpected, especially what a twist at the end.
So Easy by Aarati Shah
Literally so easy, not the story – which is a fine piece of artistry – but the way it culminated. The shortest thriller I read, but couldn't help thinking about what would have happened further, with that twist!
Sometimes, Love is not Enough by Nikhil D. Samant
This one story among all of them, I just didn't get. Well, I know short stories can take any form, but it seems the story is kind of stuck in a limbo. In fact, the entire story played out in the protagonists' heads.
Prisoners by Dr. Roshan Radhakrishnan
Not only a wonderful tale but also encompassing all that is relevant today.
Back to Eternity by Debasree Banerjee
Such a poignant tale.
The Mutation by Lakshmy Menon Chatterjee
Such an inventive, and twisted story.
(The above three stories are on the basis of Durjoy Datta's prompt. Though I am yet to read any of his books, I happened to love all the stories written on this author's prompt.)
Love Jihad by Shachee Desai
I loved its story within a story concept.
To Live a Little by Ramya Vivek
Bhuvana and Mohandas captured my heart like no other couple did!
Brooklyn, Bagels and Baba by Dr. Kuheli Bhattacharya
The entire story was heartfelt but what I loved the most was her comparison of the 'all in'…how funny yet beautiful the comparison was.
How Blue is my Sapphire? By Rohit Tandekar
This story also moved me to tears, how a lad, barely a teen himself, supports a two-year-old, changing the kid's as well as his own life for the better.
How Blue is my Sapphire? By Dinesh Devarajan
Such a melancholic yet sinister revenge story.
I know it’s a long list, what with me mentioning half of the book here, but it's what it is. I liked all the stories, but the above ones are those which I loved. I can't wait for the Season 2 book to release.
Which ones are your favorites?
Can you suggest some interesting short stories (books) to read?
Originally posted on:
https://sassyshaina.wordpress.com/201...
Read
November 27, 2016I am going to neither rate nor review this book because I am the author of one of the short stories inside (Palwasha's Revenge).
But I can surely say that the other 35 stories were definitely an enjoyable read for me.
But I can surely say that the other 35 stories were definitely an enjoyable read for me.
May 31, 2018
I purchased the book while participating in Season 2. The very first story I read mesmerized me. Continuing the book, I found that there was ingenuity aplenty. The book is replete with variegated stories having an eclectic mix of ideas and oodles of ebullience.
At the time when I was hankering for motivation to write, the book came as a godsend. I thank vinita dawra nangia for stoutly executing this pious project of crowd-sourced writing. Similarly, the whole team of Times of India deserves adulation for working with an indomitable spirit. The arduous task of appraising reams of stories and shortlisting the winners done by nation's best-selling authors is equally praiseworthy.
It can be said with certitude that the book is a must-read for those who crave for becoming a writer.
At the time when I was hankering for motivation to write, the book came as a godsend. I thank vinita dawra nangia for stoutly executing this pious project of crowd-sourced writing. Similarly, the whole team of Times of India deserves adulation for working with an indomitable spirit. The arduous task of appraising reams of stories and shortlisting the winners done by nation's best-selling authors is equally praiseworthy.
It can be said with certitude that the book is a must-read for those who crave for becoming a writer.
November 29, 2017
This is a fabulous book in the short story genre. Each story is well written and piques the interest. It just shows how much talent the aspiring writers have. The first half of the book is very interesting but then it dies down in the second half.
Some stories deserve a rating of more than 5 stars. They are so good that they leave an impression even when you move to the next one. A few stories are okayish but I guess that happens with any anthology. Overall, this book is worth reading.
Some stories deserve a rating of more than 5 stars. They are so good that they leave an impression even when you move to the next one. A few stories are okayish but I guess that happens with any anthology. Overall, this book is worth reading.
June 14, 2017
Some of the stories in the book were exceptional, with regards to plot, narration and language. Few, I thought showed promise in the plot/storyline but language needed improvement. I will say, though, I really enjoyed reading these stories.
August 20, 2017
Great stories by promising writers.
October 3, 2019
What a delightful collection of stories. India has so much of talent! Aspiring writers from all over the nation expand into short stories their individual versions of passages suggested by recognised authors, leaving one with a sometimes funny, sometimes insightful, sometimes sad but overall, with a very satisfying experience. For me, it was first time experience to read different interpretations of the same passage. The shorter the suggested passage, the more intriguing the end. Looking forward to the next edition.
June 19, 2019
I was curious about how people who aren’t professionals or even amateurs write when I read about the Write India contest. It took me a long time to finish this book. That in itself shows this was a bit tedious. I did like a few stories and it is for their sake that I give this 3 stars instead of 2.
November 11, 2019
36 winning short stories from Season 1. A great initiative inviting writers to write short stories using the prompt given by the Author of the Month. The stories cover entire range of human emotions. Can't be described in words.
April 2, 2017
It is never easy to write a book review. But in this case it's more difficult, coz it's not a single author or genre.
It's not just a book- it's a platform that I intend to review about.
I'm talking of Write India Stories!
The journey began with 'Write India Initiative' announced by TOI, which became a huge platform for budding authors. Let me try to put my review in words ( words are not just enough)
The Concept : 11 mentors were roped in. These being the famous ones in book circle. Each of them had written a passage of a story, which needed to be used by the author as it is.
The Mentors : Interesting group of mentors and more crazy and imaginative were the passages shared. I just can't stop myself from naming the mentors who were/are an integral part of this TOI initiative.
Amish, Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Ravi Subramanian, Preeti Shenoy, Tuhin A Sinha, Ravinder Singh, Durjoy Dutta, Madhuri Banerjee, Jaishree Misra and Anita Nair. Most of us know the genre these authors write in, but the challenge thrown was not restricted to that genre, which is admirable!
Vinita Nangia and TOI effect: Before actually getting on the book itself, I'm going ahead with some credits. So Vinita Nangia and TOI are the 2 names which come on top! Be it the patience with which the whole activity was conducted or the pace at which all the queries were answered, it's truly appreciable! As Ms.Nangia herself had said that there were more than 25000 entries, one can imagine the effort put by the entire team to keep things in action, right from scrutinizing to editing and finally selecting the winners.
Author Chat : Each month had an author and the Twitter community had an opportunity to chat with an author and get suggestions/opinions and also to get to know them. Yet again thanks to TOI, Ms. Nangia and of course the authors for their patience.
Now comes the actual book review!
Book Cover : A simple mustard colored cover, with a Peepal tree leaf. Interesting way of connecting writing with our roots. There was an age when Peepal leaves were used in India for painting and writing.
It gives the name of the eminent mentors and has TOI logo. Editor being everyone's favorite- Vinita Dawra Nangia.
Content : It has 36 winning entries. Each section starts with the author's comment, his Paragraph followed by the winning entries. At the end of each story, it gives us a brief about the writer. It would be injustice to write about a single author, all the stories are fascinating and keep you glued.
Genre : Congratulations to each and every writer! It's interesting to see the genre change for the same passage! For example, for Ravi Subramanian's passage, 3 winners had 3 different genres!
One was para-normal, other was a thriller and the third was with Abbas Mastan kind of twist in the tale.
Age group of the new set of authors varies from 14- youngest one to win to 60s!
The Learning : It's not necessary that every book you read has a message for you, but this book is an eye opener! It shows the creativity and writing prowess. It also tells you that writing is not simply putting down words or thoughts, but it involves a huge amount of research, patience, writing-re-writing. It teaches perseverance!
I was there at the Delhi Lit Fest, where Ravindra Singh, Ashwin Sanghi and Ravi Subramanian were on the hot seat and Vinita Nangia was discussing with them about their experience. ( Yes indeed it is an ' Experience'!).
Some common observations which the authors shared, that it is indeed a daunting task to pull off imagination in short stories. Unlike novels, the number of words is restricted.
Next was the tough part of choosing winners.
As the book Synopsis rightly says ' From psycho- thrillers to murder mysteries, from mythologies to romances and tragedies- Write India Stories has it all!'.
Kudos to the entire Write India family! Proud to be a part of it.
Suggestion to rest of the world- go and grab a copy! It's a must read and must own.
Lastly, waiting for the next season. TOI... This one was for you:)
It's not just a book- it's a platform that I intend to review about.
I'm talking of Write India Stories!
The journey began with 'Write India Initiative' announced by TOI, which became a huge platform for budding authors. Let me try to put my review in words ( words are not just enough)
The Concept : 11 mentors were roped in. These being the famous ones in book circle. Each of them had written a passage of a story, which needed to be used by the author as it is.
The Mentors : Interesting group of mentors and more crazy and imaginative were the passages shared. I just can't stop myself from naming the mentors who were/are an integral part of this TOI initiative.
Amish, Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Ravi Subramanian, Preeti Shenoy, Tuhin A Sinha, Ravinder Singh, Durjoy Dutta, Madhuri Banerjee, Jaishree Misra and Anita Nair. Most of us know the genre these authors write in, but the challenge thrown was not restricted to that genre, which is admirable!
Vinita Nangia and TOI effect: Before actually getting on the book itself, I'm going ahead with some credits. So Vinita Nangia and TOI are the 2 names which come on top! Be it the patience with which the whole activity was conducted or the pace at which all the queries were answered, it's truly appreciable! As Ms.Nangia herself had said that there were more than 25000 entries, one can imagine the effort put by the entire team to keep things in action, right from scrutinizing to editing and finally selecting the winners.
Author Chat : Each month had an author and the Twitter community had an opportunity to chat with an author and get suggestions/opinions and also to get to know them. Yet again thanks to TOI, Ms. Nangia and of course the authors for their patience.
Now comes the actual book review!
Book Cover : A simple mustard colored cover, with a Peepal tree leaf. Interesting way of connecting writing with our roots. There was an age when Peepal leaves were used in India for painting and writing.
It gives the name of the eminent mentors and has TOI logo. Editor being everyone's favorite- Vinita Dawra Nangia.
Content : It has 36 winning entries. Each section starts with the author's comment, his Paragraph followed by the winning entries. At the end of each story, it gives us a brief about the writer. It would be injustice to write about a single author, all the stories are fascinating and keep you glued.
Genre : Congratulations to each and every writer! It's interesting to see the genre change for the same passage! For example, for Ravi Subramanian's passage, 3 winners had 3 different genres!
One was para-normal, other was a thriller and the third was with Abbas Mastan kind of twist in the tale.
Age group of the new set of authors varies from 14- youngest one to win to 60s!
The Learning : It's not necessary that every book you read has a message for you, but this book is an eye opener! It shows the creativity and writing prowess. It also tells you that writing is not simply putting down words or thoughts, but it involves a huge amount of research, patience, writing-re-writing. It teaches perseverance!
I was there at the Delhi Lit Fest, where Ravindra Singh, Ashwin Sanghi and Ravi Subramanian were on the hot seat and Vinita Nangia was discussing with them about their experience. ( Yes indeed it is an ' Experience'!).
Some common observations which the authors shared, that it is indeed a daunting task to pull off imagination in short stories. Unlike novels, the number of words is restricted.
Next was the tough part of choosing winners.
As the book Synopsis rightly says ' From psycho- thrillers to murder mysteries, from mythologies to romances and tragedies- Write India Stories has it all!'.
Kudos to the entire Write India family! Proud to be a part of it.
Suggestion to rest of the world- go and grab a copy! It's a must read and must own.
Lastly, waiting for the next season. TOI... This one was for you:)
February 13, 2018
Write India Stories - 36 winning entries is a collection of short stories. It is a fabulous initiative of Times of India Group, where the best-selling authors give away a passage which the aspiring writers use in their creative stories. The book reflects the amount of talent and passion possessed by the budding and ambitious writers. There are many stories that I liked, but I loved reading the stories selected by Anita Nair the most, “How Blue is my Sapphire”. They were very heart-warming and intriguing stories. Each one of the stories is very well-written, this book deserves a read atleast once.
February 21, 2019
Encouraging initiative by the TOI group, Write India is a compilation of 36 winning stories written by budding authors young and old from nationwide. I have only yet read the first 2- Awesome Amish and Blockbuster Chetan Bhagat. Top authors provide a short para and our guests weave the stories ahead. Creative concept and presenting different versions offers choices to pick my favorites out of the entries. Accolades to all authors! Full review upon completion.
July 12, 2017
Excellent quality of writing by thr aspiring authors of India.
Really loved reading every single story and they deserve the win and the glory. Congratulations to all the authors and their mentors.
Really loved reading every single story and they deserve the win and the glory. Congratulations to all the authors and their mentors.
January 5, 2017
A wide array of stories...most of them very well written....makes one want to write too
July 9, 2017
A beautiful collection...
A variety a reading. How the same passage could give rise to so many ideas and thoughts ?... Truly amazing !
A variety a reading. How the same passage could give rise to so many ideas and thoughts ?... Truly amazing !
June 11, 2018
Absolutely amazing collection of short stories that remain etched in your mind long after you have read them. Amazed at the new talent. At times they appear to surpass established writers.
May 23, 2020
A good collection of short stories from budding writers across India. Selections included and mentored by some of India's best authors. This initiative by the Times group is really appreciable.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews