Writing in Cafes and Coffeehouse Cultures

Writing through all the moods: Dealing with PMS, lethargy, lack of motivation, boredom, and more

In this episode of Talk About Writing, we explore what it means to write when you’re feeling low, unmotivated, or simply uninspired. Whether it’s due to lethargy, PMS, hormonal fluctuations, or just a dip in mental energy, many writers find that their productivity and the quality of their work suffer during such times. We discuss practical approaches to keep going when you’re not at your creative peak, as well as the importance of accepting that creativity naturally ebbs and flows. Touching briefly on writers like Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton—who navigated their own struggles with depression—we reflect on how mental health can influence the writing process, without defining it. Ultimately, this episode is about the things you need to know when you're just not feeling inspired.

The Self-Starter Guide to Writing Stories, Part III: The Setting/Location

What makes a darkened street or a haunted house feel real in your story? In this episode of Talk About Writing, we dig into the craft of building settings that are not just seen, but sensed, and how spaces carry mood and meaning. Drawing on writers like Dickens and Agatha Christie, as well as ideas from philosophers like Gernot Böhme and Henri Lefebvre, we’ll explore how settings shape emotions, reflect power dynamics, impact behaviours, shape relations, and even become characters themselves. If you’ve ever wanted your reader to feel a place rather than just see it, this episode is for you. Follow these steps to understand how you should create the settings of your story in impactful and memorable way.

Writing in Cafes and Coffeehouse Cultures

There is something peaceful and stimulating about writing in cafés. In this episode, we talk about the timeless ritual of creating in coffeehouses. From the Ottoman Empire to Sigmund Freud’s Vienna, cafés represent the timeless ritual that blends solitude with crowds, which can be the perfect ground for writing. Let's dive into how working in cafes help us write better (or at least, make us 'feel' like writers). This bite-sized episode is all about coffee-fueled productivity, ambient noise psychology, and the curious joy of being alone among strangers.

The Self-Starter Guide to Writing Stories, Part II: Creating Powerful Protagonists

Today, we're diving into one of the most exciting—and perhaps most challenging—parts of writing fiction: building unforgettable and impactful characters. This is not just about the fundamentals. It is important to think about how characters can carry a narrative—how they can shape a story just as much as the plot itself. The best characters don’t just support the story—they are the story. In this episode, I’ll walk you through a framework—something I call the EIEPF model—that breaks down five essential dimensions of character-building: their Exterior, Internal world, External world, Past, and Future. Alongside that, we’ll talk about the “X and Y axes” of narrative: the relationships, contexts, and tensions that pull your character in different directions and reveal who they really are. By the end of this episode, I want you to not only understand what goes into creating a fully realized character—but to feel equipped to start crafting your own. So, whether you’re working on a novel, a screenplay, or just toying with a story idea, stay with me, because this episode is about giving your characters the depth, nuance, and humanity they deserve.

(Special Episode) “Is Translation an Impossible Art?” A Conversation with Arunava Sinha

Translation is more than transforming just words—it’s about preserving the rhythm, emotion, and the soul of a text to allow the reader to taste the essence of the original. In this episode of Talk About Writing, I sit down with renowned translator and professor of practice, Arunava Sinha, to explore the art of translation—what it means to carry a text across languages, cultures, and time. With nearly 100 translations to his name, Arunava has played a major role in bringing classic, modern, and contemporary Bengali and Hindi literature to global audiences. Whether you're a reader, an aspiring translator, or simply curious about what gets lost and found in translation, this episode is for you. Hope you enjoy this bonus episode!