Being almost 39 is digitally witnessing a couple of the men you liked/dated 20 years ago, (who you thought were the LOVES of your life) transform into proper UNCLES with UNCLE opinions. This was the love of my life I was willing to die for?? Truly, your 30s/40s are an afterlife.
India loves to glorify suffering. This is why we are so exploitative. We think we have to 'suffer' or go through immense hardship to have basic things. No. Everyone should have more than the basics. Instead of opression Olympics, these things might work better...
You know how people talk about women who ‘divorce’ and ‘live in’ like they are some scary evil creatures ? It’s like literally me. Divorced twice. Had a live in for 7 years. BOO
My husband called to inform me that he might bring a group of people home from his German class, OR he might come back home alone. He said this casually and then hung up. Please think twice before you get married.
People who know me as a writer now dont know that my twenties was a shit show. I was a simp for patriarchy, I was married twice , in 1 abusive relationship & severe depression. I was told I was stupid for years. I lived with many awful labels & assumptions. It does get better.
Anyone who needs to hear it, especially writers. My work in general has been rejected over 200 times. My book was rejected over 40 times. My Manuscript was a cold submission everywhere. Rejection is a part of writing to publish. You got this.
Hi. Would any media house be interested in writing/taking an article from us about the Bangalore Pledge Project and how we have raised 20+ lakhs served 2k + families with rations in 4 weeks. Our model is easy to replicate and we want to educate people how to do it. Please amplify
Shaming is the first tool we reach for when we want to convince others about our ideas and ethics. No matter how subtle or well articulated, shaming is a devastatingly unimaginative method of communication.
New Year Resolutions:
1. Join the revolution
2. Sustain the revolution
3. do more yoga
4. get more people into the revolution
5. lose weight
6. Revolution.
It's really dissapointing to see places that pay INR 1 a word. Literally, anything less than 3 a word is explotitive and only allows people who have other income /careers to write. Ideally, writers with some experience need to be paid inr 5 upwards.
If you have things, no need to validate them by the amount of suffering you endured. That's like literally the point we are fighting for. Everyone should have housing, food, healthcare, money for joy, and spaces to thrive and express themselves. Suffering politics reinforces BS.
If you have basic privileges, then pay people without bargaining first before talking about fair wages. Pay domestic workers more than the 'going rate' because the going rate is BS anyway. Ask for better rates and salaries. Don't do unpaid internships.
Mentor/generously share tips, knowledge, and resources to marginalised communities to get better access than some people are born into. Contribute to mutual funds. Yes, sure share your personal stories of hardships but only to point out how this should NOT be the norm.
Special shout out to
@h_tejas
who has been a critical part of educating this embarrassment of a country when it comes to caste entitlement and hard facts that have been diluted or altogether invisiblised by mainstream media.
If you get people offering shit rates for writing, you should respond to them saying how exploitative it is. Especially if you have some privilege. People do this because no one tells them this is outrageous. Here's a ready response you can use/edit.
Hello
#india
#mentalhealth
twitter. I know a wonderful clinical psychologist /therapist who is queer affirmative + super intersectional + NOT DSM -IV obsessed. Caste aware and anti-opressive lens. Very Affordable (sliding scale 600-1500 a session). Please retweet.
A thread on part time jobs. As an American Indian in college (Colorado), I have had many part time jobs. I was a barista at Starbucks (learnt super speed and efficiency there), I worked at taco bell taking orders , cond...
It's submissions time! A novel that took 2.5 years to write. I wrote this through the 2019 anti-caa protests, the pandemic, and huge personal life changes. My amazing agent sends it out this week! I am so excited and petrified.
I am writing this to explain what freezing up means when you have unwanted sexual contact. I am writing this so people understand that most women don't know what to do. Please note this is ONE example out of at least 15 I have faced in my life.
That epic writer moment arrived. I am so thrilled to announce that I have signed with
@stacy_testa
at WRITERS HOUSE! I can't thank
#PitchWars
and my most supportive mentor who got me here
@KMLwrites
<3 <3 <3 *faints*
Let go of the need to suffer from being valid. This is what keeps exploitation alive and kicking. And ignore trolls who want to reduce to one monolithic identity and potential. Don't assume the worst in people. Assume people are aware of general systematic oppressions.
I just accepted a brand new job, as Senior Content Manager for a brand acquisition start-up based out of Singapore and India. It's been a long run with my own agency, and it's time to start some new learning and adventure. I owe this job to Twitter, so thank you!
And that it doesn't invalidate their pain. Even if they are not away, they can learn, but it still doesn't invalidate their pain. There is a way to make us stronger as a collective of humans instead of reducing people to the same cycle of political blaming.
Been waiting for a while to announce this. So flipping thrilled to tell you that my 2nd novel, THE GIRL WHO KEPT FALLING IN LOVE, will be published by
@PenguinIndia
June 2023!
Looking to expand my content team at my new job :) Looking for writers with 2-3 years ex. It's a progressive space + very nice people. Work is fast paced.
Full time, remote for now. Bangalore/Delhi will be better. 30-40k/month DM me with info on YOU.
Srishtie is willing to delete a non abusive criticism because others are bullying the person critiqued. I don't know what to say, except, I trust people like srishtie to move the world. She's taking double opression here, this is how UC culture fucks everything. Love you srishtie
i deleted the last post about that extremely casteist reel because that person messaged me on IG and told me that they are getting threats. i am sick of it and i don’t have any patience to deal with this. sab mein hum hi log galat hai. the apology was a 26-word note btw!
I ghost write. I conceptualise. I teach writing and am widely published. I have an MFA in creative writing and a bachelors in Social Work. I have been a brand consultant, worked at domestic abuse shelters, coffee shops.I want cool new work. Retweet if you luv me.
Got my salary today. That means I clear out bills and then look at balance and think it's safe to online shop. Then I do my good citizen mutual aid donations. Then I realise I have no more money and it's September 6th.
My most aunty trait is finding bright young people, making friends with them, then saying when you are rich you will get me a business class ticket to (cool destination). They all say YES, OF COURSE. So far 0 business class trips. Lots of 20-something friends tho.
@DrParasJain15
@YashicaDutt
Sorry are you making a gloriously ridiculous attempt at justifying? Btw Indian rates are illegal in the USA and ALSO the pittance of Indian 'rates' paid to Indian workers in India is nothing short of exploitation to begin with.
Hi
#freelance
Twitter. Looking for senior content roles, creative communication/conceptualization, content/ ghostwriting gigs. I've done it all. I am looking for some new exciting + well paid work, (aren't we all :) - Retweet, please, if you think your networks might hit this
Please share widely. Offering free writing Mentorships every two months. Two spots. Especially open to women/queer folx from DBA backgrounds. Thank you ❣️
I walked 5km today taking in partly unlocked bangalore. I am just going to say that my Will To Live is my VIBE after seeing people go about their day. I never thought seeing people around me could make me so happy.
I am trying to understand urban middle class ideas about married women at work. Have your in laws ever told you not to work or are not happy about it? I also suspect a gap between north and south India. DM if you don't want to comment publically.
Yay we started the second phase of our Shivajinagar work and completed 18 kits for 18 families today, thanks to our pledgers!
#covid
#covidindia
#community
Jacinda's resignation is revolutionary because she's showing us that our abilities, bandwidth, and ethics align with our autonomy to truly understand who we are and what we can and can't do. If this is what 'women politicians' do, I want more.
After posting about how INR a word should be bare min for writers, iam seeing so many people who write for 50paisa or less a word and mind is blown. My advice ? Write articles for free at good publications till you have 5-10 strong articles. Then ask for fair rates after.
You can't help saying it because Dalit activists are calling out casteism in the U.S and making you all uncomfortable. Lol
@sanjukta
have the courage to at least keep your comments on
I am deeply suspicious of those who were born/brought up in the US, live a life far more privileged than us, talk in heavy American accent, carry iPhone and MacBook and play up identity politics on perceived civilizational victimhood. This includes so called Dalit activists.
English is a social privilege that is ripe with full-on casteism, colonial hangover, accent insecurities, and a bunch of cosmic ironies when it comes to 'correct English' Let's explore this.
I am recovering from a total stinker of a depressive episode that started about 3 months ago. New meds + side effects + absurdly dark thoughts, and crying. But I wanted to say, hold on if you catch a glimpse of hope and love. There is recovery, and ...
Used to be judgment aunty when people wanted to leave india because it sucks. Now I think all my idealism is crushed. No amount of community building can stop the rot. The state of the country is a reflection of the majority of us. If you find a chance to leave. Leave.
If you aren't dependent on writing for money please don't accept projects and rates this low ever, we make it acceptable for places to be this explotitive and other writers have no other choice but to accept it.
The freezing up happens for 2 reasons:
1. You are trying to convince yourself this is not real. Would another human being put you in such a terrible position?
2. Shame. This is your fault. You talked to him. Too casually. You drank your wine. Now he thinks this is ok.
38. 38 is when you really notice signs of your face ageing. Like that youthful plump is dulled, and some camera angles can trick you into thinking you look the same. I am rolling jade on my face for the rest of the day. What's your age? (20 somethings STFU)
International twitter. India is devastated and our government is non existent. Citizens are taking over to fill gigantic gaps in the system. We need more help. Please amplify, talk about
#IndiaCovidCrisis
#IndiaNeedsOxygen
#india
This may sound harsh, but from the urban Indian middle class + lens, a lot of people who unironically
still love being in their school WhatsApp groups, meet up/chat/network with their ex-classmates from school are the ones who haven't reimagined their worldview in any real way.
Hello, I understand you might be a small set-up, but if you are confidently telling people you pay (insert shitty pay here) paisa a word, it's not only exploitative, it's embarrassing. You should not be messaging any writers for rates like this. 1/4
You should know that an experienced writer takes INR 5-7 A WORD. In the industry, anything below INR 3 is exploitative. I really wish you would not have wasted my time with a request like this. Please do better. Writers work at such horrible rates because of desperation. 2/4
On another note I'll be done with the the first draft of my second novel today. Send prayers to my agent who will receive an editor- hell draft in a week.
Paradoxically it's an essential tool in keeping most people regulated to toxic societal norms. Regulation means repression. And repression means we project our insecurities of who we are/want to be.
Nothing says you are going to bleed in the next 24 hours like the crushing depression, helplessness, and zero desire to exist while simultaneously needing to eat a tub of sugar while crying about how terrible you look because you're so bloated.
Just a community love note and shout out to
@SrishtyRanjan
and
@gaachburi
, two humans I see relentlessly working pan India coordination. Rise with them. + So many more people out there just helping, all my love.
I can tell you that I am finally legit writing my second novel. I can't tell you anything about it except for the fact that It is and will be strange AF.
They depended on this job and it's scope for growth to out their kids through school, make rent, and have some basic comforts. For me, it was a cute phase, one where many UC students who went to America to study can say -what's caste ? I cleaned bathrooms too'
The best trick yet will be privileged folx thinking their is no caste opression because they happened to serve you a caramel latte once when they were in their third year of college.
A dentist ( also a woman ) in response to my concerns about pain after an extraction said “ women have a higher tolerance to pain plus you have piercings doesn’t look like you worry about pain.” I was so taken aback by this response I couldn’t curse her out in the moment 😭
What an amazing day at the VISIT MY MOSQUE Day at Modi Masjid in Bangalore. If you follow me on FB please take a minute to read about this very loving experience. <3
And that is the fact it is temporary and a phase of college life/making ends meet when you already have a stabilised family unit that will back you. In fact most of my peers in taco bell and Starbucks were older than me , and their ambition was to make store manager
I hope you'll be able to rethink how you look at a business plan that holds writing at its core & yet have the entitlement to devalue writers. I will be sharing this with my writer friends as a warning. This is uncool and you definitely should know this. Good luck. 4/4
All of those experiences gave me a lot of life and reality checks. But UC privilege doesn't go away just because American culture allows you to step into working class boots. There is a common sign that unifies upper class (and caste for Indians) that work food/service jobs.
Meet THE BODY MYTH by Rheea Mukherjee, our first book of 2019. In the bustling fictional city Suryam in modern-day India, Mira sees a woman having a seizure in the park. What happens next is a stunning meditation on the interweaving of love with fantasy, and desire with reality.
For me, it's now a twitter story where I can tell people I have 'seen' the other side. And this is why it's important to see how caste and class operates as the world becomes more capatilistic under the guise of 'respecting all work'
Being from a non structural work environment most of my life, it very hard to take it seriously when asked about my career growth plans. Like I don't understand ladders mam. I am just figuring out how best to get paid so I can write books and watch Netflix.