Join me as I celebrate my peer’s milestone: A published novel!
Cheer for my peer, Aravind Jayan!
Last year this time, my debut poetry chapbook Gulf had come out. I can’t believe it’s a year already! It has received a lot of love from readers and critics. Here’s some press that might make you want to read it (if you haven’t yet)- The Wire, Mid-Day
It goes without saying that 7th August 2021, was one of the happiest days of my life. Not because of how difficult it was to get poetry published but because I’ve always dreamt of authoring a book.
As I was looking back at my journey, and the various milestones I’ve crossed, I couldn’t help but think how important it is to have a support system that will celebrate these milestones. I’m grateful for those who have supported me.
Milestones can come in all shapes and sizes like-
-buying a writing desk
-finding a comfy spot to write
-finding your muse
-writing a first draft
-completing a final draft
-getting a beta reader’s feedback
-signing with an agent
-receiving edits from an editor
-getting the book published
-participating in a contest
-winning a spot in a writers’ retreat
-writing 10,000 words
-writing 1000 words
-writing a sentence and so on…
There are a lot of people writing nowadays, it’s easy to spot your peer, and easier to feel jealous of their success. This is natural because most people tend to only share their success stories on social media. I try my best to share my rejections as well because it keeps things real.
I recently read this article Help! My Jealousy Over Other Writers’ Success is Destroying Me in Catapult that you might find interesting too.
Let opposing parts of your nature coexist. You can be a supportive friend to other writers and you can also be an ambitious soul who feels the sting when you don’t get what you want.
Today, I’m here to celebrate a year of my poetry chapbook’s publication but I also wanted to cheer for my peer, Aravind Jayan, a writer friend, who recently had his debut novel Teen Couple Have Fun Outdoors published by Serpent’s Tail. Here’s an excerpt in Scroll.in.
Serpent’s Tail has published books by some of the most intriguing contemporary writers like Carmen Maria Machado, Lionel Shriver, and others. I can’t wait to see what more is in store for Aravind! If I can describe his book in one sentence: It’s about how much control the internet has over us vs the control we have over it!
And if this theme intrigues you, you might like the film, Hatching (2022):
I recently watched this Finnish film that I think is one of the most influential films I’ve seen in a while. The story unpacks the influence of the internet/social media on families, but be warned, this is horror. While Jayan’s work is witty and will make you laugh out loud, this film can leave you sleepless for days.
This interview with the cast was quite insightful. The director talks about how they had to wait for the film’s release despite everything being ready. It makes you think about milestones, and how some of them might get delayed because of things beyond your control. Patience is key, sometimes.
If you have been working hard, and hoping to reach a milestone, I’m wishing you patience, and luck! Writing is full of setbacks. Take care of yourself! Do other things that make you happy. It helps :) And if you have reached a milestone, however small or insignificant it may seem, please take a moment to celebrate it!