Important tips from the well-known Author Preeti Shenoy in Blogchatter Writfest

I always wait eagerly for Blogchatter’s Writfest throughout the year, as this is one of the important campaigns in which we interact with seasoned authors and ask our questions. Blogchatter always ensures that all the bloggers get an equal opportunity to interact with the authors and ask questions in the live or exclusive sessions. This time they started their first exclusive sessions with Preeti Shenoy in the Blogchatter Writfest season 6.

I was first introduced to Preeti Shenoy’s writing also through the Blogchatter Book review program and became a fan of her writing and how she keeps the audience completely hooked to the book. I have read most of her books, and everyone keeps the audience hooked, and the audience would love to complete the book in a single sitting if possible. As a budding author of children’s fiction, this is one trait that I am trying to acquire through my regular writing.

Just then, I got the chance to participate in the exclusive session with Preeti Shenoy, and coincidentally the topic is also “Writing Engaging Stories.” So it’s like, yes, the time has come for me to ask all my questions to Preeti Shenoy. Hence I immediately filled up the form and kept my fingers crossed until I received my ticket for this exclusive session.

It was a short session and got completed within 40 minutes. But the time just flew out of the window, with lots of tips shared by Preeti. I am just sharing a few key points here for the benefit of all.

1. Most budding authors fail at the opening statement of the story. It can be just about anything. It can be a description of the scene, the mental mindset of the protagonist, or even the protagonist’s thoughts. As long as it captures the reader’s audience and makes them feel like reading the next part, it’s OK to use any opening statement.
2. While planning the story outline, it helps the author to first plan out of all the characteristics of the protagonists. Many questionnaires about the fundamental character definitions are available online, which would greatly help budding authors.
3. Preeti also mentioned the places to use the hook statements appropriately. The hook statements are the ones that would leave the reader curious about the future happenings. So, the reader will keep reading one chapter after the other instead of putting it down.
4. The characters will decide the pace of the story or even the pace of the emotion if we follow the flow of our imagination. Her advice to this question is first to chalk out our characters in the story and give them life by defining their various traits and characteristics. Then the characters would lead the story. As writers, we need to fine-tune this pace during editing and rewriting.
5. The best point I like is to avoid writer’s block. Preeti mentioned that when we are suffering from writer’s block, we can describe the room or a situation we are into a blind person. That way, our block would be removed.

I noted These essential points from the exclusive session with Preeti Shenoy in Blogchatter Writfest. Though she talked about many more points, I thought of capturing the ones that really caught me and which I am planning to implement in my next Shrav vs Sana series.

This session is a good one that connected the readers with the authors as per this year’s theme of Blogchatter Writfest.

PS: I am honestly surprised and delighted to be the Blogchatter giveaway winner for this exclusive session with Preeti Shenoy. I would be receiving her book, which I would be reviewing here. Isn’t it wonderful???