How’s your novel coming along? If you’re writing one, did you outline it first? Or is it evolving?
“I have spent many days stringing and unstringing my instrument while the song I came to sing remains unsung.” Rabindranath Tagore
In the case of the two books I’m working on, “Flamenco & the Sitting Cat” and “Tango & the Sitting Cat,” I outlined it, wrote a bunch, thought I was about done — and then a new character introduced himself!
“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in you. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” Tagore
Blogging has brought me the unexpected joy of meeting many new online friends from India, thereby stoking my curiosity about the country. It was only natural that my books include someone at least partly from there.
“Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance.” Tagore
Niks is a minor player. It’s the year of 2002. He lives in Southern California, the best place to surf and earn a living as a model and actor. He’s a gay man in his 40s. His parents were studying business when they met at UC Berkeley’s International House, a social club intended to help foreign students feel less alone. Pasta is the dish he makes best because his Italian mom taught him how to cook. His love of great Indian literature is thanks to his dad, who grew up in Kolkata.
“A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.” Tagore
Are you from India? If so, feel free to correct me and/or add to what’s here…
“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” Tagore
Kolkata has been called the “City of Furious, Creative Energy” as well as the “cultural [or literary] capital of India.”
“If I can’t make it through one door, I’ll go through another door — or I’ll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.” Tagore
Did you know that the world’s largest non-trade annual book fair takes place in Kolkata?
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” Tagore
The region is home to India’s major publishers. So are many great thinkers, such as Rabindranath Tagore (May 7, 1861 – August 7, 1941), India’s equivalent to Shakespeare.
“The most important lesson that man can learn from life, is not that there is pain in this world, but that it is possible for him to transmute it into joy.” Rabindranath Tagore
To my mind, Tagore as much a sort of Leonardo da Vinci. He was a revolutionary politically and artistically. At eight years old, he was already a poet and went on to be a musician, artist, Ayurveda researcher, actor, playwright, and more.
“Love’s gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted.” Tagore
Quite the globe-trotter, he introduced the world to India’s creative treasures.
“Love is an endless mystery, because there is no reasonable cause that could explain it.” Tagore
In 1913, he became the first non-European Nobel-prize laureate.
More quotes by Tagore…
“If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.”
“A lamp can only light another lamp when it continues to burn in its own flame.”
“Love gives beauty to everything it touches.”
“Dark clouds become heaven’s flowers when kissed by light.
“Music fills the infinite between two souls.”
What’s your creative writing style?
Regarding outlining, it’s interesting to see how writers differ, especially super-successful writers. I took an online course with James Patterson, and he demonstrated how he outlines each chapter in detail. His outlines average sixty pages. Steven King gets an idea and starts writing. Then he’ll edit it once and publish. That’s because he’s Stephen King. I find outlining to be helpful. But sixty pages?
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60 pages indeed – a novella in itself, no? as for Stephen King & his crazy-prolific ilk, am forever envious…
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A great man I must admit I did not know …I love the quotes you chose especially
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.”
“The most important lesson that man can learn from life, is not that there is pain in this world, but that it is possible for him to transmute it into joy.”
Thank you da-AL!!
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always lovely to have you here, Roijoyeux – tx for stopping by 🙂
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thank YOU !! 😉 … I made a post about Eleanor Roosevelt https://roijoyeux.wordpress.com/2020/07/25/joyeux-eleanor-roosevelt/
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I have read two biographies of him, and keep writings from him in two different languages.
Aware of him since Junior High, when I first read his Gitanjali.. 🙂
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You are an amazing blogger.
I nominated you for the Mystery Blogger Award.
Find details in
http://www.goodcause6.wordpress.com
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thank you so much, Debananda ❤
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It’s wonderful that you have maintained your curiosity. Some people seem to think that they already know all that there is to know! Thank you for giving me all of these wonderful quotes to post around my desk 🙂
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thank you, Susan – curiosity is vital for vitality, no? lol
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Agreed!
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Thanks for liking my comment on another blog! 😀🙏💛👊🎉
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Many many thanks for your content. It really gave pleasure reading this. Loved it very much.
Thanks for your sharing.
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My pleasure, Debananda 🙂
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Great article!
Thank you
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you’re very welcome, Luisa 🙂
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🙏🏻😘🙏🏻😘 🙏
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I think it’s great to be open and allow in new thoughts and ideas and characters, even when you thought you were nearly finished. It must be a sign that there’s a little more goodness yet to go into that piece of writing. A fascinating post with some amazing quotes from Tagore. I love this about the butterflies: ““The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.” Beautiful.xx
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I love the titles of your two books, very intriguing. So is Niks, he sounds like he has the potential to become more than a minor character.
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