“Write to express, not to impress”, says celebrity author Chetan Bhagat in the first-ever LEAD MasterClass

As humans, we crave a hero to admire, to revere. If not in real life, we, most often, find this person in books. The fictional protagonists introduced in novels have gone on to become larger-than-life personas for readers. But, for an author to concoct a hero-worthy yet relatable image simply from imagination is a challenge. However, some writers who have a way with words accomplished this task. Among them is the one and only, Chetan Bhagat, the best-selling Indian author. Before Mr Bhagat’s works were made into the biggest Hindi feature films, his gripping stories turned numerous folks like us into avid readers.

On the debut of LEAD MasterClass, we had the honour of inviting Chetan Bhagat to the LEAD Student App. Following the Creative Writing theme of this month, the author discussed what he best does, that is, Story Telling. In India, with competitors swimming at every turn, it isn’t an easy feat to be acknowledged for writing.

A victory like this primarily demands oodles of hard work, sprinkled with a generous amount of determination. Mr. Bhagat, also a sought after motivational speaker, dissected his success mantra and secrets of monetising one’s passion via the session.

What is Chetan Bhagat’s secret to success?

Mr Bhagat began his talk with a brief introduction. The IIT and IIM alumnus was a banker by profession. It was at this time, he decided to pursue writing. He candidly spoke about the rejections that came his way and the time it took for his first book to get published. 

“Everything worth doing, we feel like giving up. Because it’s hard”, he chimes. To all the passionate budding writers, he hints at the pros and cons of monetising their passion. Taking his own choices as an example, he emphasises on writing for various mediums. This experience not only adds value but also pays the bills.

The magic of good writing 

There are many aspects to writing a successful story. One of them, Mr. Bhagat reveals, is to grasp readers’ attention with a protagonist. The main character should want something that is beyond his/ her reach. Introducing this problem in the story early on is significant. He confesses, “Bigger the problem the protagonist faces, the more interesting the story becomes”. 

To keep your readers engaged further, the arc of the story ought to be relatable. You have to make your readers root for the hero by empathising with their struggles. As Mr. Bhagat puts it, “Write big conflicts that a lot of people can relate to. It makes for an interesting story”.

Currently, minimalism or simplicity is a buzzy trend for a good reason. In storytelling too, keeping your prose uncomplicated is fundamental. The author of 5 Point Someone on which 3 Idiots was based, opines that usage of big words doesn’t guarantee success. To be read by the masses, communicating in a language that they can comprehend is necessary. An author has to “write to express, not impress”.

Creative Writing with LEAD MasterClass

Communication and an excellent grasp of the language are important skills for everyone. Hence, we have exciting sessions arranged with geniuses of this field to explain the nitty-gritty of creative writing. The upcoming masterclass are 3-part sessions being taken by Sonia Bareja and Anshul Punhani every Sunday. These expert storytellers will do a grade-wise deep dive into 3 different sessions: Poetry Recitation, Story Narration, and Character & Characterisation. If your child studies in a LEAD Powered School, they can catch these sessions on the LEAD Student App.