Mandira Pattnaik

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-07 Hello readers — welcome to the November 2025 edition of A Newsletter With a View of One's Own. How are you? I hope you're absorbing the changes around you and collecting memories. Writing spontaneously about perceptions and experiences, is extremely rewarding. Imagine your responses to "How are you" and pen a story. For example, "How are you?" is a powerful starting point of "DATE MYSELF" by Tom Misuraca in…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-07

Hello readers — welcome to the November 2025 edition of A Newsletter With a View of One's Own. How are you? I hope you're absorbing the changes around you and collecting memories. Writing spontaneously about perceptions and experiences, is extremely…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-06 Hi friends! I woke up today to unseasonal rains and there's an unmistakable nip in the air. Autumn might be sooner than usual, and winter, colder. Have you noticed the season changing where you are? Let me know in the comments! It is interesting how a small change triggers a big one. Perhaps you're more intent and energetic now, perhaps you're looking to work on drafting and editing as a new season kicks in, perhaps you feel lesser so than in the summer months.

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-06

Hi friends! I woke up today to unseasonal rains and there's an unmistakable nip in the air. Autumn might be sooner than usual, and winter, colder. Have you noticed the season changing where you are? Let me know in the comments! It is interesting how a small…

Innovative Storytelling Through Letters and Emails Formats of handwritten mails (and emails) provide excellent jackets to write fiction that needs to be direct and personal. That is why — epistolary fiction. Read on to find OUT more including helpful examples. Hi friends! A warm welcome to everyone, especially those of you who are subscribers of my Substack and receiving this email. It is so because I'm pausing my tiny Substack account and streamlining you all into this 4-

Innovative Storytelling Through Letters and Emails

Formats of handwritten mails (and emails) provide excellent jackets to write fiction that needs to be direct and personal. That is why — epistolary fiction. Read on to find OUT more including helpful examples. Hi friends! A warm welcome to…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-05 Hello subscribers and readers! September is the month when a lot of journals and magazines open to submissions. I hope you've been submitting to as many as you'd like to. Most will, sadly, close before you know it because magazines these days cap submissions to a manageable limit. Anyway, if you're unsure what I'm talking about, look at this list…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-05

Hello subscribers and readers! September is the month when a lot of journals and magazines open to submissions. I hope you've been submitting to as many as you'd like to. Most will, sadly, close before you know it because magazines these days cap…

6 PROMPTS FOR A LONG WEEKEND

For this blogpost, I’ve combed through my notebooks to come up with a list of six new PROMPTS you may try during the upcoming long weekend: Take an abstract noun--here's a brief list below--and form an idea around it. Work on the idea to form a plot. Make it reflective…

If Your Are A Writer, Don’t Read!

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com If you are a writer, don’t read. That is the advice of leading writers, thinkers and eminent personalities, including Albert Einstein, Philip Roth, Cormac McCarthy and William Woodard. Sounds like literary sacrilege,…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-04 August 01, 2025 Allow me to begin this month's A Newsletter With a View of One's Own-04 with shout out to some of our subscribers who have had a great June and July. Subscriber and guest contributor Sudeepa Nair released her book The Lakeview Mystery, available on Kindle across Amazon websites. Jack Morris published And on the seventh day she rose again…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-04

August 01, 2025 Allow me to begin this month's A Newsletter With a View of One's Own-04 with shout out to some of our subscribers who have had a great June and July. Subscriber and guest contributor Sudeepa Nair released her book The Lakeview Mystery,…

Reclaiming Writing Life By Staying Off Social Media–is it doable? Past two months, I wrote and received acceptances for six pieces after making a conscious decision: I spent less time on social media. Even though engaging through my platforms have emerged to become an indispensable part of my writing life. Why and how? Read on to find out. As you may very well know, writing life is as much about writing and publishing as it is about promoting your publications.

Reclaiming Writing Life By Staying Off Social Media–is it doable?

Past two months, I wrote and received acceptances for six pieces after making a conscious decision: I spent less time on social media. Even though engaging through my platforms have emerged to become an indispensable part of my…

Four Years of Words, Wonder, and Growth Dear Friends, Today marks four years since I launched this little corner of the internet—my author website! It is a space I carved out to share my writing, connect with readers, and give voice to others wanting to share theirs. I run my author site as a payback medium to Writing Community. It's a craft posts library, a display window for writing, author interviews, guest posts, besides being a home for many general/community interest blogposts.

Four Years of Words, Wonder, and Growth

Dear Friends, Today marks four years since I launched this little corner of the internet—my author website! It is a space I carved out to share my writing, connect with readers, and give voice to others wanting to share theirs. I run my author site as a…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-03 July 02, 2025 Hey friends! How about starting this month's newsletter by sharing some submission calls I'm really excited about and believe you will be too. Hudson Review is open all month to a no-fee #poetrycontest 1st prize: $1000 + publication, 2nd & 3rd: $500 + publication. Submit up to 5 poems; manuscripts accepted electronically. Stone’s Throw (Rock and a Hard Place Magazin…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-03

July 02, 2025 Hey friends! How about starting this month's newsletter by sharing some submission calls I'm really excited about and believe you will be too. Hudson Review is open all month to a no-fee #poetrycontest 1st prize: $1000 + publication, 2nd &…

Unlocking Creativity: Writing to Themes Tips and Techniques CRAFT ESSAY BY MANDIRA PATTNAIK Earlier this week, I was looking at the themes that literary magazines are currently open for. Some of them are "Science" (inScribe), "Memories in Shape" (The Literary Times), "Fairytale, Myths, Legends" (Livina Press), "Letter to the Editor" (The New York Times Magazine) and "I Wish I'd Said That" (THEMA). One or two of these immediately spurred my thoughts.

Unlocking Creativity: Writing to Themes Tips and Techniques

CRAFT ESSAY BY MANDIRA PATTNAIK Earlier this week, I was looking at the themes that literary magazines are currently open for. Some of them are "Science" (inScribe), "Memories in Shape" (The Literary Times), "Fairytale, Myths, Legends"…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-02 June 01, 2025 Hey friends! Welcome back! First up. Mysterious are the ways of the heart. My heart is full as both Glass/Fire and Where We Set Our Easel turned-in anniversaries--six months/4.25 Goodreads rating and two years/4.9 Goodreads rating respectively, but my collection of short stories is still looking for a publisher, even as the manuscript gathered one more personal decline.

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own-02

June 01, 2025 Hey friends! Welcome back! First up. Mysterious are the ways of the heart. My heart is full as both Glass/Fire and Where We Set Our Easel turned-in anniversaries--six months/4.25 Goodreads rating and two years/4.9 Goodreads rating…

GUEST POST: MYTHS OF BEING A WRITER GUEST BLOGPOST BY HARSHITA NANDA, AUTHOR OF Love Awaits, A Tale of Unbroken Promises MAY 18 2025 Most people have no idea what being a writer truly entails. Thus, I decided to pen down a few words and dispel some of the myths about being a writer and their writing process. Have you seen movies where a well-dressed writer is sitting in a cafe, and the moment their fingers touch the keyboard, the words flow?

GUEST POST: MYTHS OF BEING A WRITER

GUEST BLOGPOST BY HARSHITA NANDA, AUTHOR OF Love Awaits, A Tale of Unbroken Promises MAY 18 2025 Most people have no idea what being a writer truly entails. Thus, I decided to pen down a few words and dispel some of the myths about being a writer and their…

WINNER OF 2025 O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction BUSTS SOME WRITING MYTHS in spite of bending and breaking quite a few rules of literary fiction writing, “The Stackpole Legend” manages to be a hugely satisfying read “The Stackpole Legend” (Wendell Berry, The Threepenny Review) is not your conventional short story. Reading it can be revealing, especially to new and emerging writers. I say this because it busts so many myths early writers accept as gospel truth.

WINNER OF 2025 O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction BUSTS SOME WRITING MYTHS

in spite of bending and breaking quite a few rules of literary fiction writing, “The Stackpole Legend” manages to be a hugely satisfying read “The Stackpole Legend” (Wendell Berry, The Threepenny Review) is not your…

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own May 06, 2025 Hey friends! Welcome back! Starting this month, this blog is set to become more regular and you'll receive a monthly newsletter on the first week that is truly a newsletter--meaning it'll have updates about the literary world we all 'submit' to (pardon the double meaning--we're quite literally here!), some news of open windows (though open and fee-free submission windows are becoming more and more rare, more and more expensive!), a few personal updates (nothing much to bore you!), some tips (I promise those will be helpful) and a round-up of a 2-3 stories I truly recommend.

A Newsletter With a View of One’s Own

May 06, 2025 Hey friends! Welcome back! Starting this month, this blog is set to become more regular and you'll receive a monthly newsletter on the first week that is truly a newsletter--meaning it'll have updates about the literary world we all 'submit' to…

What's Wrong With Most Story Openings & Why They Get Rejected? | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

NEW MONTH-END CRAFT ESSAY! #writingcommunity
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YouTube video by Mandira Pattnaik 3 QUICK HACKS to TITLE your SHORT #STORY! #writing #writerscommunity

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#writers

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"In the time it takes for the phone to ring, I have muttered: Brother, are you fine? a dozen times and prayed for your safety. But the phone keeps ringing. We almost dread a call back, what if it is a stranger's voice?" -"Rains in Dubai" by Mandira Pattnaik

Check out our new flash from @mandirapattnaik.bsky.social!

www.funicularmagazine.com/read/dubai-z...

Has the World Stopped Producing Literary Icons? | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

Post about @thebookerprizes longlist (just announced), a curious response to my #amquerying adventure (and how I inferred it!) and also the question: Has the World Stopped Producing Literary Icons? like Munro and Garcia?

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Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon creating worlds apart with imagination

7 DAYS FREE TRIAL OF ALL PAY-LOCKED TIERS STARTING TODAY! AND YES, MEMBERSHIP IS ALWAYS FREE!
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EXPLAINED–THE ALICE MUNRO-JOYCE CAROL OATES-ET AL CONTROVERSY | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

I've been following the #AliceMunro #AndreaSkinner et al controversy & curiously, so has been international media Thought maybe put everything in perspective for #emerging #writers bc the matter blurs personal & #WriterLife Throws imp ques for #writingcommunity
Link👇

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I Used This Submission Strategy to Considerably Increase Chances of Acceptance at Higher Tier Journals! | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

New post about Submission strategies that hugely benefitted me!
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This Writer Converted Twitter Addiction Into a Literary Magazine | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

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I published 26 pieces between Jan-June 2024 | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

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20+ Rejections Mean Nothing. It can still be on Wigleaf Top 50 | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

A new post! Open accessibility. Hope #WritingCommunity enjoys it!
#flashfiction #writer #DarkMatter #WigleafTop50 #WritingTips #Craft #Essay
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What BFFA June 2024 Winning Flash Had That Other 983 entries From 35 countries Didn't | Mandira Pattnaik Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon

NEW POST! #BFFA June 2024 #flashfiction #writingcommunity #writers #writing #storycraft

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Get more from Mandira Pattnaik on Patreon creating worlds apart with imagination

I just launched my Patreon patreon.com/MandiraPattnaik
Offering FREE posts AND paid subscription options that include craft essays, fiction analysis and top tier benefits (all these PLUS "Insights" into aspects of the publishing ecosystem no one talks abt, goof-ups/gossips/scams & exp with mags.

What you can learn about #writing styles and themes from the masters of #flashfiction-- a #craft #essay
FREE to read! In-depth analysis and many examples!
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Our latest Flash in Five post is from @mandirapattnaik.bsky.social. Great insights into the development of one of her stories. www.retreatwest.co.uk/flash-in-fiv...