Community Writing Project: Aatman – Philyra Training & Consultancy

It is not necessary to be a writer by profession or inclination, to experience the emotional release provided by writing a creative piece.

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
Anne Frank

Creative writing has proved to be cathartic for many a writer, if not all. It is not necessary to be a writer by profession or inclination, to experience the emotional release provided by writing a creative piece. In fact, Dr Gillie Bolton has been working in the field of therapy through reflective writing, in the UK for many years now. Expressive writing as a medium to improve health has been practiced by Dr James W Pennbaker in USA for many years. Hence, writing provides a constructive outlet to pent-up emotions. Creative writing specifically, allows a person to channel her/his internalised pain or trauma into a productive exercise leading to a tangible outcome like a book, story, or novel. A creative writer has the choice to address the difficult issue through the indirect means of the narrative of a third person protagonist: this makes the process more acceptable and uplifting for each individual.

The stories of people who have overcome a profound trauma that can happen to anyone, need to be brought to the arena of public attention and discourse, especially in today’s times when unrest, anxiety, and lack are circulated through various means and channels of communication. Thus, the writing of stories by such people will not only provide them with a means to express, address, and heal the pain from a circumstance beyond their control, but also, their work will serve as a source of inspiration for many others who suffer in silence. Furthermore, the exemplary stories of triumph of these special persons will be eye-opening for many others. The transformation of general perception towards trauma, negative emotions, and depression will also undergo a gradual change when they are presented not as a stigma, but as deviant behaviour that can be easily corrected. Hence, a collection of short stories by such brave-hearts will give a voice to them in the ‘language’ created by them.

The programme is divided into two broad stages: Writing and Getting Published.
The writing stage comprises essentially two processes: workshop on basics of creative writing and editing of the compositions.

Philyra Training and Consultancy begins pitching the book to all publishing houses once they are ready to be considered for publishing, during the ‘getting published stage’. A decision on the publisher, publishing costs (if any), and other related matters is taken jointly by the participants and Philyra.

If by the end of 6 months from the initiation of the Stage – I of ‘writing’ of the first edition of the programme, no publisher shows interest in publishing the book, the option of self-publishing is considered. After a review of all the costs involved, a decision is taken on the matter at that time.
The foreword of the book of short stories mentions the services rendered by Philyra Training and Consultancy in the writing of the book.