Storytalking with Lakshya

U • Education

Lakshya is a storyteller, so he started a podcast where he could talk about stories some real ones, some madeup ones, some inspiring ones while also talking to different kinds of storytellers about why and how they do what they do. Produced by Launchora.

Lynn Cornelis

45 min 38 sec

In the first ever episode of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Lynn Cornelis, a 21 year old storyteller from Antwerp, Belgium. Her story To The Silent Ones was featured in the Spring 2017 issue of The Storyteller. Lakshya and Lynn talk about her inspirations and writing process, how she uses storytelling to heal.
Jessica Day

45 min 1 sec

In episode 2 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Nayanika Dey aka Jessica Day, a 19 year old storyteller from Kolkata, India. Her story Broken Pastels was featured in the Spring 2017 issue of The Storyteller. Lakshya and Nayanika discuss favorite writers, criticism, writers block, and how people are walking stories.
Brittany Zachariah

25 min 50 sec

In episode 3 of Storytalking, Lakshya catches up with Brittany Zachariah, a 32 year old storyteller residing in Kerala, India. Her story Beats Of Wings was featured in the Summer 2017 issue of The Storyteller. Brittany and Lakshya talk about why she wrote Beats Of Wings, her favorite books and writers, and how she deals with life in another country and a new culture by writing about it.
Micaella Dato

40 min 5 sec

In episode 4 of Storytalking, Lakshyas guest is Micaella Dato, a 26 year old microbiologist from Manila, Philippines. Micaella wrote a poem called Til The Internet Connection Do Us Part which was featured in the Fall 2017 issue of the storyteller, and is also available as a Listen story. Her Guide is Freeing Your Words With Free Verse Poetry. You can experience all three on Launchora.
Rio Baliling

32 min 26 sec

In episode 5 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Rio Baliling, a 20 year old poet from the Philippines, who wrote Poetry Between The Lines featured in the Fall 2017 issue of The Storyteller on Launchora. Lakshya and Rio discuss the purpose of poetry, how it helps people, and how tough it can be to put your soul into words for everyone to see.
Lucie Salgado

1 hr 27 min 18 sec

In episode 6 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Launchoras art director Lucie Salgado, a 24 year old multitalentedmultimedia artist from Brazil. They discuss the writing process, the creative force, the cosmos, and how our search for a meaning in this universe fuels our creativity.
Abigail Liagiba

51 min 48 sec

In episode 7 of Storytalking, Lakshyas guest is Abigail Liagiba, shes 16 and from the Philippines. Abigail is our youngest featured storyteller yet in LSP. Abigail talks about her poems, what its like for her to share these stories about her life and experiences, and she also asks Lakshya some personal questions about why he cant write poetry.
Walking Contradiction

46 min 23 sec

In episode 8 of Storytalking, Lakshya chats with Khen Ramos aka Walking Contradiction, a 19 year old student from Cebu, Philippines. They discuss favorite stories, how to create characters from real people and experiences, and break down how Khen puts together his stories and the messages behind them.
LC Jarrette

26 min 27 sec

In episode 9 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to LC Jarrette, a 25 year old poet from Philippines. LC tells Lakshya about how she got inspired to write poetry after seeing injustices in her country, and they also discuss how to construct a science fiction short story from just a phrase.
Fake Name

55 min 45 sec

In episode 10 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with fake name, aka Sara, an 18 year old writer from Gurgaon, India and Launchoras newest intern. They talk about what its like to work at Launchora, how Sara deals with being a writer who also happens to be going through depression, and whether its possible to wear your personality on your sleeve in todays digital society.
Armaan Kapur

1 hr 11 min 51 sec

In episode 11 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with Armaan Kapur, a 26 year old writer from Delhi, India. They talk about the allure vs illusion of the artist, how to measure ones own success as a writer, how hes putting together the novel hes currently writing, and so, so much more.
Monica James

1 hr 21 min 2 sec

In episode 12 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Monica James, a writer / poet / filmmaker from San Francisco. Monica shares her experiences with telling nonfiction stories about womens issues in India, coauthoring a novel about invisible libraries, how she uses her passion for storytelling to give a megaphone to silent voices, and the documentary shes working on right now.
Kit Nadado

59 min 35 sec

In episode 13 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Kit Nadado, a 28 year old high school teacher from the Philippines. Kit tells Lakshya about how he got into teaching creative fiction and nonfiction, about his childhood that inspired his story Aunt Elys Duster featured in The Storyteller, how he uses Launchora in the classroom with his students, and what hes learned about himself by teaching storytelling.
Missmelancholia

1 hr 1 min 55 sec

In episode 14 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Maria Lourdes, aka Missmelancholia, a college student from Manila, Philippines and a spoken word artist. Lourdes shares stories of how she got into performing spoken word poems, how writing has helped her deal with melancholy, and gives Lakshya an insight into how millennials finds inspiration and their creative voice, while also encouraging him to bring community short films to Launchora.
Daria Golab

1 hr 13 min 23 sec

In episode 15 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Daria Golab, a 28 year old artist from Poland, and the newest artist to join the Launchora family. Daria tells Lakshya about what led her to quit architecture and become an artist, how she taught herself to draw and illustrate, how she spent an entire year practically locked in a room and practicing her craft, and what its like to be an artist in the time of social media. Darias artwork is available for everyone in the community to use as story covers.
Diksha Bijlani

49 min 54 sec

in episode 16 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with Diksha Bijlani, a 21 year old spoken word artist from New Delhi. Diksha shares stories from her childhood growing up in a closeminded small town, what influences her to write about society and equality, how she turns personal demons and challenges into words to inspire and help others, and the cost vs benefit of being vulnerable on stage.
Abhishek Shankar

1 hr 3 min 45 sec

In episode 17 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with Abihshek Shankar, a 25 year old singer / songwriter / musician based in Delhi. Abhishek shares stories of how he got started in music, how he writes and finds the inspiration to produce new sounds, the struggles and insecurities that come along with being a musician and being in a band, and how he composed his first single Like a River which you can listen to at the end of the episode.
Rameez Shaikh

53 min 48 sec

In episode 18 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Rameez Shaikh, a 24 year old writer from Mumbai whose stories talk about Indian society and culture. Rameez shares stories of how he learned how to write on the job, why he writes about sociopolitical issues, how he became a male feminist, the process of unlearning outdated customs and beliefs, how he finds positivity and hope in this broken world, and where hes going next.
Anupam Arunachalam

56 min 11 sec

In episode 19 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with Anupam Arunachalam, a 29 year old comic writer and illustrator from Delhi. Lakshya and Anupam discuss favorite comics / graphic novels, how to decide what medium to tell which story, why comics are a huge part of todays entertainment, and how Anupam wrote and illustrated his debut book: Tooth and Nail, Fur and Scale available on Amazon, a collection of short stories that explore in really creative ways monsters and creatures from Indian mythology.
Vishal Furia

1 hr 8 min 58 sec

In episode 20 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Vishal Furia, the director of Lappachappi a fantastic marathilanguage horror film. Vishal shares stories of why he loves movies, how he got started in the business, how he learned filmmaking on the job, what it was like to make his debut film, and why horror is a perfect genre for telling stories with a social message. This episode is in partnership with Flickside.com.
Just Lakshya

45 min 51 sec

In episode 21 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to himself Thats right in the first of this newlyformed but may never happen again series he calls Just Lakshya, Lakshya asks himself questions that youve sent in, and then he answers them. Questions like who are you Why do you do this How do you make stories up Come for the selfreflection, stay for the surprises.
Samia Mehraj

57 min 17 sec

In episode 22 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to a former Launchora family member Samia Mehraj, who is now a Young India Fellow at Ashoka University. They discuss what shes studying and writing about these days, what it was like to grow up in Kashmir, how she found her inner storyteller, and what she plans to do next.
Vidyun Sabhaney

46 min 43 sec

In episode 23 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Vidyun Sabhaney, a comic book writer who specializes in nonfiction comics. Vidyun talks about how she got interested in comic journalism, why is she drawn toward this form of storytelling, how she got started, how she makes nonfiction stories engaging and interesting, and how she put together her book First Hand Graphic Nonfiction from India, which you can find on Amazon.
Sudhish Kamath

1 hr 26 min 22 sec

In episode 24 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with writerdirector Sudhish Kamath. Sudhish has been making movies for 18 years, and the episode covers pretty much all of it starting from his first film and everything that went into making and unmaking it, his second film called Good Night Good Morning, the collaborative film he did with 10 other directors, his latest film which will be coming out this year, the next project hes working on right now, and how he manages to keep his creativity alive through all of it. This episode is in partnership with Flickside.com.
Jai Undurti

1 hr 3 min 42 sec

In episode 25 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Jai Unudurti, a journalist and graphic novelist from Hyderabad. Jai writes about everything from comics to culture to science fiction. He talks about his childhood and inspirations, his early career in advertising, how he got into writing graphic novels, his collaborations with different kinds of artists from around the world, and what hes working on now. His books Hyderabad: A Graphic Novel and Bangalore: A Graphic Novel are available on Amazon.
Deepak Shirur

1 hr 2 min 35 sec

In episode 26 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Deepak Shirur, an Executive Chef at Taj Resorts in Madikeri, India. Deepak shares insights into how he experiments with food, why Indian culture and food are worldrenowned, how globalization is erasing old recipes, the books hes currently writing, and how cooking is just like any other art form that requires creativity with a topping of hit and trial.
Dave Pollot

1 hr 25 min 46 sec

In episode 27 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Dave Pollot, an artist and painter from New York. Lakshya and Dave talk about Daves influences Star Wars, The Simpsons, Doctor Who, Rick and Morty and how he finds a way to integrate things he loves into old thrift store paintings. They also geek out over all of those things, as Dave shares insights about how he got started, and what hes working on right now. You can check out Daves paintings at www.davepollot.com and also follow him on Instagram and Facebook DavePollotArt.
Store & Stuff

39 min 18 sec

In episode 28 of Storytalking, Lakshya takes a break from the usual schedule to tell you about whats going on with Launchora and what were working on now with some very specific spoilers about what youll see in the upcoming Launchora Store. Sign up to get a limitedtime offer by clicking on the Shop button on our website.
George Supreeth

1 hr 20 min 58 sec

In episode 29 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with George Supreeth, an illustrator and the Founder of Idea Sutra. George shares stories of his wins and lessons through his career in the creative arts, why he created an idea agency, how he put together a nationwide visual arts community, and what got him to create art interventions at preschools.
David Peterson

1 hr 16 min 8 sec

In episode 30 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to David Peterson, a conlanger, aka a language creator, who has created languages for several TV shows and movies Game Of Thrones, The 100, Netflix Bright, Thor: The Dark World to name a few. David talks about the art of language invention, how he got into it, what significance languages have in society and history, how to preserve the ones that might go extinct, and how he works with the creative team behind these tv shows and films to create fictional languages. David is the author of Living Language Dothraki and Art Of Language Invention.
Anirban Bhattacharya

1 hr 5 min 24 sec

In episode 31 of Storytalking, Lakshya chats with Anirban Bhattacharya, Founder of The Painted Sky artbased corporate training initiatives as well as Founder of UBQT Design Thinking School. They talk about how art and creativity can be used to solve realworld problems and improve business practices, how artbased methodologies can help people introspect and discover new things about themselves, how creativity is at the center of all innovation in any industry, and how the future belongs to people with empathy and emotional intelligence.
Darwin Prakash

1 hr 10 min 19 sec

In episode of 32 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Darwin Leonard Prakash, a 24 year old opera singer / performer/ music prodigy. Darwin shares stories of singing in his church choir as a kid, how he got discovered by his future singing teacher, what it was like to train and audition for the Royal Academy Of Music in London, his love for opera singing, and how he deals with stress, uncertainty, and ambition.
Abhimanyu Bhardwaj

39 min 5 sec

In episode 33 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Abhimanyu Bhardwaj, who just completed his masters degree in Strategic Design from Politecnico Di Milano, and is now working at Ernst Young in Milan. He talks about how he started his career with Mathematics, how he was drawn to creative and design thinking, how companies can leverage creativity, why hes inspired by real people like Warren Buffett and fictional people like Don Draper, and what hes learned about himself along the way.
Narendra Goidani

55 min 30 sec

In episode 34 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to Narendra Goidani, motivationalspeakerextraordinaire, and founder of Life School, Keep Moving Movement, WOW Parenting. Naren shares inspiring stories about his life, how he translated his energy and positivity to become an agent for creativity, how he puts together KMM sessions across 60 cities which trains 25,000 students per year, and how he uses storytelling to teach problem solving.
Iska Mayu

49 min 44 sec

In episode 35 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Iska Mayu, one of our very own featured storytellers Iska talks to Lakshya about her childhood, what it was like to grow up in two different cultures, how she got into writing, why she writes about her personal life and experiences, and where she finds inspiration. You can find Iskas audio story called Im Still Alive on Listen, her Guide is called Giving Your Thoughts Justice, and you can also read her story To Miss You more in the Spring 2018 issue of The Storyteller.
Francis Laleman

1 hr 17 min 56 sec

In episode 36 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Francis Laleman, who Lakshya describes as the agent of and for curiosity. Francis is a university of knowledge, and he shares several stories about his life and career. From growing up in Belgium and studying Indian culture and languages, to moving to India and becoming a teacher and trainer, how he got into instructional design and the agile movement, how he learned a lot by just walking behind curious children, and why he considers himself to be less of an educator and more of a potter.
Interactive Stories

49 min 32 sec

In episode 37 of Storytalking, Lakshya does a solo talk about one of his most favorite things ever: interactive storytelling in video games. Things youll hear him talk about: his first ever experience with immersive storytelling back in 2000 with Metal Gear Solid on the Sony Playstation, his lifelong obsession with Playstations, his favorite game series Grand Theft Auto, God of War, Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption, decisionmaking in interactive games and consequences, the new game Detroit: Become Human that hes playing, and why and how he wrote his own interactive story called She v/s Him which you can play on the Playground.
Amar S.

55 min 21 sec

In episode 38 of Storytalking, Lakshya chats with Amar S, aka Comedy Wala Amar, a stand up comedian from Gurgaon, India. Amar tells Lakshya about his upbringing and education and corporate life, how he found stand up comedy, what it was like to get on stage for the first time, how he writes his material, the books hes writing, and how hes found own happiness in making people laugh. Check out Amars work at amarvani.in
George Simons

54 min 33 sec

In episode 39 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with George Simons, an American in France, an intercultural expert, and the creator of Diversophy which aims to help people and organizations work with others from different backgrounds and cultures via games and workshops. George tells Lakshya about how history, culture, religion are just stories, and how a story is like a vehicle, it can be used for both good or evil. George is a teacher and a masterstoryteller with over 5 decades of experience, so there is something to learn for everyone in this episode Check out Georges games at www.diversophy.com.
Amyth Banerjee

1 hr 9 min 43 sec

In episode 40, Lakshya talks to Amyth Banerjee from Mumbai, India, who is currently working as an AI Evangelist. Amyth tells Lakshya about his interests and fascinations with technology and science growing up, how he tried and quit engineering, why he got into digital storytelling via marketing and filmmaking, how he discovered his mission of reimagining a better tomorrow, the demystifying theory that defines his career, and how he became an evangelist for artificial intelligence.
Arka Mukhopadhyay

1 hr 5 min 10 sec

In episode 41 of Storytalking, Lakshyas guest is Arka Mukhopadhyay a theater teacher / performer / director based in Kerala, India. Arka shares stories about growing up in Kolkata, his early exposure to theatre and performance art, acting in school, engineering and dropping out, performing and directing theatre, training and workshops, where his creativity comes from, why his practice is about the human body, a dance/workshop he created named after Hamlet, and how he helps his students find truth in their own creative work.
Sidhanta Mathur

1 hr 4 min 47 sec

In episode 42 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Sidhanta Mathur, creative producer at Pocket Aces Dice Media, who is behind TV shows such as What The Folks and 2 by 3. Sidhanta shares stories of how he went from studying Genetics to an internship at MTV, what goes into conceptualizing and producing a web series, what exactly does a creative producer do, and where he thinks this overthetop online media industry is headed. To watch all the shows mentioned in this episode, find the Dice Media channel on Youtube.
Creative Hub

29 min

In episode 43 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks directly to you in another solo session. The episode is called Creative Hub, but it could also be called the Launchora Birthday Special. Listen in to hear about Launchers Fest, why were starting the Creative Hub, what it hopes and goals are for it, and where Launchora is going from here
Venkat Ramachandran

55 min 21 sec

In episode 44 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Venkat Ramachandran, a multistoryteller, who does a lot of things related to storytelling, such as running Mandram an organization to promote Tamil language and literature, and teaching workshops about the possible futures of storytelling. Venkat shares stories of how he got into studying storytelling, why he uses the Mahabharata to talk about it, why he considers himself to be a bad storyteller, and what he believes makes us humans storytellers and information architects. You can read Venkats articles on Linkedin.
Learning Together

35 min 8 sec

In episode 46 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks to you about his experience with education and learning, why he got into teaching, how he imagines an ideal studentteacher relationship to be, and how the concept of learning together can be applied in every day life.
Ruchir Arun

52 min 29 sec

In episode 47 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Ruchir Arun, a National Award winning director and screenwriter, who is currently working on the shows What The Folks, and Little Things season 2 of which was just picked up by Netflix. Ruchir shares stories of his first experiences with a camera, making short films with his friends in school, what it was like to study at FTII Pune, how he put together his final thesis film Mandrake Mandrake which won him the National Award for best short fiction, what it is like to be a director in Bollywood in the digital landscape, and how he collaborates with writers and actors on his TV shows.
Sanjoy Roy

33 min

In episode 48 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Sanjoy Roy, a National Award winner and Managing Director of Teamwork Arts the company behind over 25 art and culture festivals including the Jaipur Literature Festival. Sanjoy tells Lakshya about how he got involved in the theatre community in India, what lead to the creation of Teamwork Films and Arts in 1989, what contribution technology has to the arts, how cultures feed the creativity of a country, and how he and his team brought Indian arts and films to the world stage.
Ruchika Nambiar

1 hr 7 min

In episode 49 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Ruchika Nambiar, an almost26 year old artist / writer / designer / illustrator from Bangalore, India. Ruchika tells Lakshya about how she got into writing, how she found her creative voice, what it was like to be in Art school she went to the Srishti School for Art Design in Bangalore, how she finds the workartist balance now that shes an Interaction Designer, and how she conceptualized and wrote her graphic novel memoir: The Breadcrumb which you can read for free on her website www.ruchikanambiar.com.
Brooke Shaden

49 min 11 sec

In the 50th episode of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Brooke Shaden a person who fulfills every possible definition of an artist shes a USbased photographer, a writer, an educator, a speaker she does it all. She talks about her creative process, how she finds inspiration and motivation to create something new every day, why she shares the behindthescenes of her work, how she uses social media to connect with her audience, how perfectionism isnt a goal for her as a storyteller, why she mentors aspiring artists, and how she came about creating a nonprofit movement called The Light Space in India.
Neel Adhikari

1 hr 7 min 19 sec

In episode 51 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Neel Adhikari a musician with all the talents he sings, he writes, he plays guitar and ukulele, he composes films and TV series. Neel has been making music for over two decades now, and Lakshya and Neel discuss all his greatest and almostgreat hits his first song, the bands he was in, the gigs they did around the country and the world, how he got into composing films, how he collaborates with different kinds of storytellers, and all the shows and films hes working on right now.
Rashmi Datt

31 min 39 sec

In episode 52 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Rashmi Datt, who is is one of Indias top Emotional Intelligence facilitators and coaches who accompanies people on their souls journey to fully harness their purpose and passion. Rashmi shares her experiences with how she got started on this journey, what role creativity and storytelling have to play in helping people realize their full potential, what makes Millennials and Gen Z better equipped to adapt to these methodologies, and how psychodrama works along with examples of it in action. You can learn more about Rashmis work at www.rashmidatt.com
Sana Sabah

29 min 38 sec

In episode 53 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Sana Sabah, cofounder and CEO of Shuruart a wonderful platform for student artists in Banaras to showcase and sell their work. Sana and Lakshya talk about Sanas introduction to the world of storytelling through short films, how she went from an intern at Shuruart to their CEO within a span of months, why they started Lets Start Art an art program for primary school students, and what shes learned about being a social entrepreneur along the way.
Being Spiderman

20 min 49 sec

In episode 54 of Storytalking, Lakshya does a solo episode to talk about a lot of things whats new with Launchora, turning 29 which led to this weeks Listen, why he wrote about growing as a storyteller in this weeks guide, and of course being Spiderman.
Sabika Muzaffar

33 min 39 sec

In episode 55 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Sabika Muzaffar, a former RJ and producer at Radio Mirchi and now the cofounder of Sense Of Self an organization aiming to be your partner on your emotional health journey. They talk about Sabikas early escapades with creative expression and performing, why she believes that writing is a beautiful way to deal with depression, how practice doesnt really make an artist perfect, her writing and editing process, where did the Sense Of Self come from, and what shell be teaching at the Become Your Superhero workshop at Launchoras Creative Hub this Sunday, Sept 30.
Story-Cooking

18 min 28 sec

In episode 56 of Storytalking, Lakshya does another solotalk about how to open up and like your own voice, how to define who you are with storytelling, and how hes cooking up a story about a Chef.
Kriti Vij

33 min 52 sec

In episode 57 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Kriti Vij, a Mumbaibased actress who has appeared in shows such as Baked, 2 by 3, The Good Vibes, and the upcoming What The Folks Season 2. Lakshya and Kriti talk about how they went to the same school, how she used to express her creativity in school in debates and dramatics, how she stumbled upon theatre acting, the journey from theatre to the screen, and what its like to be an actress during TVs digital revolution.
Radhika Mittal

50 min 24 sec

In episode 58 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with Radhika Mittal, the founder of Super School India, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to providing english learning skills and sexual education to underprivileged youth in India. Radhika shares stories about her upbringing, moving to another country and learning a new culture, how she got involved in social entrepreneurship, how she uses creativity to teach, and where she wants to take Super School India.
Sandeep Dutt

48 min 56 sec

In episode 59 of Storytalking, Lakshya sits down with Sandeep Dutt, a serial entrepreneur, school coach, founder of Learning Forward India, and Chairman of the trust behind The Fabindia School. Sandeep shares stories about his school years, how the Duke of Edinburghs International Award program changed his life, how he stumbled into becoming an educator, why he joined the Fabindia School, and what he believes is the future of learning.
Open-World

22 min 50 sec

In episode 60 of Storytalking, Lakshya does another solosesh as he literally talks about a story he is experiencing while hes recording the podcast... riding on his horse into the wilderness of the Old West in 1899 in Red Dead Redemption II.
Aditya Gautam

32 min 35 sec

In episode 61 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Aditya Gautam, author of Pornistan: How to Survive the Porn Epidemic in India. Aditya shares stories of how he was drawn to stories as a kid, how he found himself volunteering for the Aam Aadmi Party as the assistant editor of their newspaper Aap Ki Kranti, and why he decided to write and publish a book about sexuality in India.
Karuna Ezara Parikh

51 min 22 sec

Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness. That quote by Samuel Beckett just about sums up Lakshyas conversation with Karuna Ezara Parikh on this weeks episode of Storytelling 62. Listen in for some writertowriter discussions about where our words come from, and why we choose to put pen to paper. You can check out Karunas poems and other works by following her on Instagram karunaezara or visit her website at www.ezarawrites.com.
Faizi Khan

21 min 50 sec

What happens to a person when their entire childhood, their bachpan, is storytelling Tales of kings, martyrs, heroes, a lantern, a storyteller, and a child... that was Faizis upbringing. Listen in as she talks to Lakshya about how that childhood shaped her, and how and why she started creating her own stories as an adult.
Mehek Malhotra

35 min 35 sec

Mehek gigglingmonkey is a visual artist, spreading joy, positivity, and truth with her work with a dash of giggles. In episode 64 of Storytalking, she tells Lakshya about her creativityfueled childhood, how she found art and her distinctive voice, what her creation process is like, and what advice she has for budding artists.
Aditi Agrawal

34 min 39 sec

Aditi Agrawal wants to make our students the future leaders of business, arts, social service futureproof. And she has a plan in the form of School Of Future that will surely get us there. In episode 65 of Storytalking, Lakshya speaks with Aditi about what drew her to the education sector, why she wanted to start School Of Future, and she hopes to give students the skills of the future.
Charu Madan

36 min 38 sec

Charu Madan ecstaticbeing wants you to find comfort and confidence in your own words. In episode 66 of Storytalking, Charu tells Lakshya about how she got into writing poetry, what got her on the stage, why she finds herself writing poetry about women empowerment and social issues, and what advice she has for young girls who want to express themselves creatively.
Sarita Shukla

30 min 47 sec

Sarita wants to help create and nurture more storytellers. In episode 67 of Storytalking, Lakshya chats with Sarita Shukla, cofounder of Kalamanthan, about what drew her to writing poetry, how she started Kalamanthan, and why she thinks stories help people.
What Kind Of Year Has It Been?

41 min 15 sec

How would you describe your 2018 a year of happiness, or a year of learning, or something else entirely In episode 68 of Storytalking, Lakshya talks about the many, many things that happened in 2018 with Launchora, how he had a creative epiphany the other night, and where he hopes to take the platform and this podcast in 2019. Theres also a major surprise announcement near the end of the episode that you wouldnt want to miss hint: it involves a city famous for its color and one giant festival every January.

"This is a Tale of Partition, Love, and Aloo Paranthas"

40 min 31 sec

Im starting off 2020 with a very eventful January, so this is a jampacked episode 108 of Storytalking With Lakshya, where I first give you updates on all our shows Jaipur Bytes, Poetry Darbaar, Play Me Life, AND then I have a chat with two super talented storytellers: Varud Gupta and Ayushi Rastogi, who have created a truly unique graphic novel titled Chhotu: A Tale of Partition and Love. You can find it on Amazon, its worth it. Also, Play Me Lifes first audioplay is coming out on January 17 The trailer for One More Night With Meera is out now, listen here.
"I think I'm going to write a book"

23 min 57 sec

Play Me Life launch. One More Night With Meera hits 10,000 listens. Jaipur Literature Festival 2020 memories. Oh and by the way, I think Im going to write a book. Listen in.
"I'm creating a marriage using google sheets"

24 min 25 sec

Im in the first phase of working on my book which basically involves a lot of rulemaking and structure. So following some great advice I received from bestselling author Ashwin Sanghi Im using an excel sheet to create the groundwork for my book. And since the story is about a marriage told over six scenes over 20ish years, Im basically creating a marriage using numbers. Its really fun. Tune in to listen to the process, as well as some updates on my other shows Play Me Life, and the newly announced Natakshala
"You, my love, stopped improvising"

21 min 40 sec

Creativity in the time of quarantine. Were living through uncertain times, and being creative during this time requires focus and patience. So in this episode of Storytalking With Lakshya 111 btw I talk you through my quarantineschedule to stay creative while still being on the right side of sane. The episode title, btw, is from a line I wrote for my WIP novel which I talk about in the episode
"Love is a long story"

31 min 45 sec

Back after 8 weeks to give you episode 112 of Storytalking With Lakshya This one is all about how my new show Tumne Kisi Se Kabhi Pyaar Kiya Hai now streaming exclusively on JioSaavn came to be during this global lockdown. I also break down the writing process behind first six episodes of the show parts 1 to 6. Spoiler Alert: listen to this AFTER youve heard those episodes, obviously.
"Love is an illusion"

26 min 59 sec

Hearye hearye, in this episode of Storytalking With Lakshya 113, I continue to break down the plot and process behind select episodes of my ongoing audioseries Tumne Kisi Se Kabhi Pyaar Kiya Hai which is currently playing exclusively on JioSaavn. This episode covers parts 7 to 12 of the show. Do not listen to this if you havent heard them yet
"Love is unnecessary"

35 min 45 sec

Pyaar bekaar hai. In this episode of Storytalking With Lakshya 114, I continue to break down the plot and process behind select episodes of my ongoing audioseries Tumne Kisi Se Kabhi Pyaar Kiya Hai all episodes of season 1 now streaming on JioSaavn. This episode covers parts 13 to 18 of the show. I also use sports analogies and talk about time travel and multiple choice questions.
"Love is understanding"

32 min 8 sec

Kisi ko poora samajhna hai, shayad yahi pyaar hai. This episode of Storytalking with Lakshya 115 is the end of this miniBTSseries about Tumne Kisi Se Kabhi Pyaar KIya Hai and in this one I tell you all about the process behind the last 3 episodes the show, and I also reflect back on what this journey has been like. Plus, some teasers about season 2
"We're hoping for fiction"

34 min

How do you go from hopeless to hopeful 2020 has been unexpected. The unexpected, by nature, comes unannounced. Isnt that hopes shtick too In the season 3 finale of Storytalking with Lakshya 116, I recap some of the planned vs unexpected things that happened this year, along with some behindthemic stories from writing and recording my lockdown audioseries Tumne Kisi Se Kabhi Pyaar Kiya Hai and Pal Bhar Ke Liye Koi Humhe Pyaar Karle. Happy new year listeners, and I wish you hope for 2021

Dual Stories

49 min 5 sec

Im not going to lie because Im bad at it this is a weird one. Weird, but 99 fun. In this firsttimeforme episode 69, I Lakshya talk to you, my listener, about not one, but two stories that Im going to write together. But just like my stories, the entire episode is made up on the go, as I think through story and writing decisions pretty much live and in the moment. I talk about what exactly are dual stories, how the two stories will be connected, character traits choices, worldbuilding, character back stories, where to start a story while also exploring several tangents because thats where the best ideas come from. If you want to hear the controlled madness that consumes a storyteller, this episode is for you.
Parth Shah

45 min 47 sec

Motion capture technology has given us movies such as Wonder Woman and Beauty and the Beast, television shows such as Game Of Thrones, and realistic video games such as Assassins Creed and FIFA. In episode 70 of Storytalking, Lakshya sat down with Parth Shah, director of Centroid Motion Capture who are responsible for the tech used on all the titles mentioned above at their Mumbai studio to talk about how his company has been pioneering motion capture and performance capture technology for the last two decades to give consumers seamless experiences.
Bhagwaan Ke Pakwaan: Food Of The Gods

45 min 35 sec

This book is an homage to our countrys rich culinary heritage and diversity. Shashi Tharoor said that about Bhagwaan Ke Pakwaan: Food Of The Gods. In episode 71 of Storytalking, Lakshya sat down with the authors of the book, Varud Gupta and Devang Singh. The authors talk about their individual journeys that led to this milestone in their lives, how they pitched the book to Penguin their publisher, what led to their multicity, multiculture, multicuisine tour of India to create the book, how they created the unique recipes and photography featured in the book, and what they hope to make their readers feel when they experience this book. Bhagwaan Ke Pakwaan is now available for preorder on Amazon, and will be in bookstores at the end of January 2019.
Dual Stories II: The Vulnerability of Immortality

50 min 53 sec

Is vulnerability a strength or a weakness Is love a problem or a solution Is immortality a gift or a curse Those are just some of the things I talk about in this episode 72 as I take my Dual Stories concept to the next level and work on my characters, their backstories, and why their journeys are worth following. I also share some of the first draft of dialogue I wrote. Come for the writing process, stay for the fun of thinking about what it would be like if you were immortal.
'Killing Time In Delhi' with Ravi Shankar Etteth

58 min 6 sec

Good journalism is about bringing down people in power who have done wrong things. But ironically, good journalism makes you very powerful. My guest this week, Ravi Shankar Etteth who said the above quote is a seasoned journalist and author. I sat down with Ravi at his house in Delhi, to talk about his latest novel Killing Time In Delhi. We talk about how Ravi got into journalism, what drew him to writing fiction, how the idea of this latest book came to him, how he finds humanity in his characters, and how he manages to have fun while doing all of it. You can order Ravis book on Amazon.
Talking Theatre with Quasar Thakore Padamsee

1 hr 15 min 9 sec

Theatre is about energy. Its about the audience being curious and generous to the actors thats how the magical moments happen. In episode 74 of Storytalking with Lakshya, I sat down with Quasar Thakore Padamsee, aka Q renowned theatre director and producer, cofounder of QTP a theatre and arts production company, and curator of TATA Literature Live. I ask Q about how he got into theatre, what led him to cocreate QTP and Thespo a youth theatre collective run by people under 25, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary, how he chooses the stories he wants to tell, what makes theatre the most authentic medium for a storyteller to use to communicate with their audience, and how the art form is being reconceptualized, and recontextualized, by the playwrights of today.
Dual Stories III: Love is a Virus

44 min 40 sec

Maybe love is a virus. And were the carriers. Im back because I wanted to be with a new episode of our thats you and I / hum tum ongoing Dual Stories series where I talk to you about how Im putting together a story. Some big decisions are made in this episode 75 of Storytalking including the structure of the dual stories, the final mostly rules of Universe 1, and surprisingly how exactly the story in Universe 2 will work. I also contemplate if the universe we live in right now is immortal and just how insignificant we and all our actions are.
Writing Songs of Love & Pain with Gurpreet Saini

1 hr 11 min 33 sec

Kaash ke tere naal beh ke / Ro lainda tere dukh lai ke / Bol tere khwaabaan di / Dor kiththon tutti eh. Gurpreet wants people to talk about sadness and pain, the same way they talk about happiness and love, and he shares that message through the songs he writes. In this episode 76 of Storytalking with Lakshya I spoke to Gurpreet Saini lyricist, poet, actor, storyteller about his journey from a theatre group in DAV College Chandigarh to writing the full album of the Anil Kapoor Sonam Kapoor starrer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga 2019.
The (Wedding) Gift of Words

38 min 13 sec

Theatre, improvisation, reliving stories from your life from someone elses perspective, new words for old stories, writing a new story for old friends theres quite a lot to unpack in episode 77 of Storytalking With Lakshya.
Co-writing Stories with your Past Selves

40 min 58 sec

I spent this past week in the deepest depths of the storytelling multiverse. Along with me for this ride are a bunch of movies, some screenplays, and a couple of my past selves. This episode 77 is quite literally Storytalking with Lakshyas.
Writing Vs. Typing

26 min 21 sec

Live from Amsterdam, I present to you episode 79 of Storytalking With Lakshya, where I talk about the difference between writing and typing, how much Ive done of both during this trip, why traveling is like experiencing alternative narratives, and how I write and put together a speech or talk something I will be doing this Friday, March 29 in Amsterdam during Techstars Startup Weekend.
The Art of What If-ing

29 min 23 sec

Over the last weekend, I got to be a part of a lot of ideas, discussions, and stories as a speaker and mentor at Startup Weekend Amsterdam 2019. In this episode 80 of Storytalking with Lakshya, I break down what I learned over the weekend, and why I chose to learn what I have learned over the last 5 years of running Launchora. And it all starts with one question...
Healing through Art with Sukriti Vadhera Kohli

38 min 39 sec

Artist, teacher, mother. Sukriti, aka the Doctor of Happiness, uses art to express herself, and also heal. In turn, her art has helped others who feel and connect with what she has to say. In episode 81 of Storytalking with Lakshya, listen to Lakshyas conversation with Sukriti Vadhera Kohli, as she shares her journey, from childhood drawings to advertising to teaching to motherhood to healing. Check out her illustrations docofhappiness on Instagram.
The Storyteller Who Can't Lie

35 min 56 sec

Ive struggled with lying my whole life. Basically, I cant lie. When I was a kid, I thought making stuff up lying, and therefore Im never going to be a writer. Obviously, over the last decade things changed. In this episode 82 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I break down the writing process from the perspective of a storyteller who cant lie. And as usual, I also talk about other things such as what stuff Im writing right now, what other podcast shows Im working on, and the new podcast app this show is available on Spoiler: its called Himalaya.
Same Beginning, Different Ends

24 min 27 sec

A new learning writing schedule leads to new and surprising revelations. In this episode 83 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I share a recent experience of revisiting old characters I had created, and rewriting them to be new people. When you rewrite characters to be the same but different, what affects does that have on the story Join me on this short 24 minute journey as I travel into the history / past of these characters to find new things to talk about.
From Script to Stage(ish)

33 min 27 sec

Oh, youre going to like this one. Maybe. Probably. Hopefully. Please like it I know you will. Because in this episode 84, for the first time ever on StorytalkingWithLakshya, youll be hearing a live performance / tableread / reading / rehearsal of an audio play Ive written called One More Night With Isabel working title for our upcoming show Play Me Life. Just press play already, so you can hear and experience me life. Wait, I dont think that wordplay worked just right... FML... I mean, PML.
The Never-Heard-Of Story

31 min 51 sec

In this episode 85 of Storytalking With Lakshya, you will hear me talk about the stories I grew up with, some Id never heard of until I started seeing them, how that has shaped my writing over the years, and how wanting to give you my audience that experience of a neverheardof story helped me finish a script for the upcoming Play Me Life show.
A Writer's Limbo

20 min 16 sec

Some people go to a place of worship. Some do yoga or meditate. When I need to recharge, or center myself, I go to the movies. In this episode 86 of Storytalking With Lakshya. I talk about how watching movies has always saved me, helped me think, but also been my crutch. The Writers Limbo is a real place... and I hope to get out of it soon... by talking about it.
Dressing Down the Dialogue

37 min 51 sec

Dialogues are like clothes. You like the ones that make you feel fancy and look good. But you really prefer the ones that make you feel comfortable that make you feel like you. This episode 87 of Storytalking With Lakshya starts with me feeling insecure about my radio voice. It ends on a cliffhanger where I whisper something into your ear. However, the meat of the episode is in the middle where I walk/talk you through the progress I made with another two scripts working titles Dismantle With Care and Romance Is Dead for the upcoming Play Me Life show.
Finding The Wandering Lover, Again

41 min

You have a starting point. You have an ending point. You know what milestones are along the way. Youve made this journey happen once. Now, you have to do it all over again, but along a completely new route, while still hitting all the same milestones and keeping the essence of the journey same. Thats what this episode 88 of Storytalking With Lakshya deals with, as I talk about the process of rewriting / revisiting / refinding / reloving The Wandering Lover, one of my most personal stories, for the upcoming Play Me Life audioplay series.
Writing Out Loud

26 min 35 sec

Is the temptation to cheat, the desire of the act and experience, as bad as going through with it That question is on the agenda in this episode 89 of Storytalking With Lakshya. It started with a repeat viewing of a fave movie, and turned into the plot of an upcoming Play Me Life audioplay episode. I talk through the latest update on that, while taking you through my first set of unfiltered thoughts of The Temptation working title as I write it out loud.
The Five-Years-In-The-Making Episode

16 min 29 sec

I started telling a story five years ago. Today, marks the end of my part in writing it, as it begins to writes itself from now on. In this very special episode 90 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I talk to you about Launchora, which started as a dream 5 years ago with just me, and is now home to over 200,000 storytellers and has entertained 9 million readers. I then go into what the next 5 years could be for this story. And I also give you an update on The Temptation an original audio play Im writing for Launchoras upcoming podcast Play Me Life. Plus, a happy 5th birthday to Launchora. And also a happy undisclosed birthday to my dad.
The Scene List

23 min 13 sec

I was stuck. Like, embarrassingmyselfbecauseIcannotwritemorebecauseitsnotgoingtobegood stuck. And then the solution literally came to me right before I was about to enter the nightdreamland. In this episode 91 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I speedtell you about the last 24 hours where I did a lot of creative things but also got stuck in a writing rut and then right before the episode got recorded figured it all out If there was ever a legit live episode of this show, this one is it. Oh, and by the way, the story in conversation is The Temptation for the Play Me Life audio play series Im still writing. Also, I share some updates on another upcoming show that Im hosting/producing called Poetry Darbaar.
The Temptation of the Last Sentence

22 min 58 sec

The more I write... the more this story doesnt want to end. That sentence pretty much sums up this weeks episode 92 of Storytalking With Lakshya. But, since I already have your attention, Ill give you some more info / context. This past weekend was a creative roller coaster in the dark too, like Disneylands Space Mountain I wrote a lot, got super confident about how the story was turning out, decided to make it a twoparter... and thats when everything went... well... dark. Youll have to listen to know how dark. P.s. The story is still called The Temptation for the Play Me Life audioplay series... coming... soon... ish.
Plot is a Condiment

21 min 42 sec

You start at the beginning and then eventually you make it to the end. And then you realize sht this ending needs a better beginning. In this episode 93 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I tell you about the whirlwind journey that it has been to finally finish writing The Temptation for the upcoming audioplay series Play Me Life. But this end, which comes at the end of writing every story, wasnt usual. This one required starting again from scratch. And humblebrag alert I think its the best thing Ive ever written... and lets double down its the best storytalking Ive done... yet.
0 to 5,600 Words in 45 Minutes

33 min 19 sec

Who even talks on the phone anymore People stuck in traffic was the answer I got, so I wrote a whole story where just that happens. One man. 3 women. 12 calls. His past, present, and future all is at stake not really though in this 45 minute ride through Delhi traffic. In this episode 94 of Storytalking with Lakshya, I tell you about the unexpected series of fortunate events that led me to start, write, and finish a brand new original audioplay, titled ETA 45 Minutes, for my upcoming audioplay series Play Me Life. The attack of the words would probably be an equally apt alternate title for this one because these words figuratively assaulted me so they could come to life.
Navigating a Blank Map

36 min 4 sec

What an adventure it is, when you know you can go anywhere, do anything but you also have to make up all the wheres and the things. In this episode 95 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I take you for a deep dive into a brand new audioplay story called Dad, We Need To Talk. that I just started writing last night. The title refers to the text a daughter sends to her dad, and the conversation they have at a restaurant later that day is what the listeners will hear when this story is all done and ready. A littlebit drama, a wholelotta life All that and more of the storys creative process is revealed in this episode. For those keeping a count, like I do, this story is the 7th one Im writing for my inthemaking Play Me Life audioplay series.
Putting the Meat on a Skeleton

19 min 39 sec

Metaphorically speaking, skeletons arent unique Its the meat on them that makes them so. In this episode 96 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I use this meatandskeleton metaphor to break down how I took the skeleton of the Dad, We Need to Talk. story which was the topic in episode 94 and worked through adding in the meat, i.e., the dialogue on it. I also talk about how to identify and/or create the heart of this body / story basically the thing/moment/scene/line that gives life to the story. Same metaphor, different usage. And yes, were still in the ImwritingaudioplaysformyupcomingPlay Me Lifeseries phase of this podcast. Im enjoying this part so much... I may never stop writing this show.
A Writer's Detox

15 min 5 sec

Do you ever find yourself thinking something that you know you shouldnt Something you would never, ever share publicly Well, if youre like me you dont just think that stuff, you write it. In this episode 97 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I tell you about how I went from editing Dad, We Need to Talk what I had written so far to typebarfing not the title of a story, but the term Ive coined for typing stuff that doesnt fit or belong in your story and/or is too dark for publicsharing to then actually finding the plot of the next audioplay Ill be writing working title: Subconscious Uncoupling for the upcoming Play Me Life audioplay series. The moral of the episode is spoiler alert: there might be gems in the junk you think.
Where and When to End the Story

19 min 46 sec

Characters dont stop existing after the audience leaves the story exceptions: murder and other forms of death, obviously so how do you know when and where in the story they should stop being typed Thats on the agenda of this weeks episode 98 of Storytalking With Lakshya. The story in context here is called Dad, We Need to Talk. which Ive spoken about in episodes 95 and 96 a oneact audioplay for the WIP Play Me Life podcast. Im done writing this story, and already working on the next one which is the topic of episode 99. All that along with a bunch of updates on which authors Ive interviewed and am scheduled to speak with for my other podcast Jaipur Bytes is revealed in this episode. Two more episodes till Im a proper podcasting professional.
Feeling Everything That Is, Forgetting Everything That Isn't

17 min 15 sec

Harry Potter was 11 years old in the first book. Harry Potter was played by an 11 year old in the movie. But, Harry Potter was not written by an 11 year old. Adults have been pretending to be kids, teenagers, young adults in fiction forever. Obvious observation Sure. Everything is obvious once you know it. But what about the things we learn, find out, experience for the first time How do we process those things How do we process new feelings In this episode 99 of Storytalking With Lakshya, Im working out a new story about teenage love the beginning of it, and the end of it. As usual, the way I do it wont be obvious. I wanted to write about something familiar, but from the eyes of people for whom its completely new. So I talk that through with you in this one. And yes, this story Im working on working title: Subconscious Uncoupling is the 8th audioplay for the upcoming Play Me Life anthology series that Launchora is producing.
The Milestone: 100th Episode / 30th Birthday Spectacular

23 min 25 sec

I started recording this episode 100 of Storytalking With Lakshya at 23.30pm on September 19, 2019, which meant I had 30 minutes left on my birthday. So of course I spent it with you, talking about stories. The stories that I have made up and lived these past 30 years as a person, these past 10 years as a writer, these past 5 years as a notamateur writer, these past 2 years as a podcaster, and... the ones I havent even come up with yet. And because this is a milestone episode, I had to do something ridiculous which I thought of midepisode: finish the episode as close to midnight as possible, and then export, upload, and publish before midnight. Made it with 1 second left on the clock. This episode is basically its own Mission: impossible movie.
A conversation with UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla

29 min 29 sec

This is a really special episode 101, so it deserves a different kind of description.So whether youre a regular listener, or this is your first episode of Storytalking With Lakshya, I want to tell you something about me Lakshya that you may not know. When I was 17, I moved from my home in Gurgaon, India to San Diego, California to study at the University of California, San Diego. I was a student there for 4 years, graduating in 2011 with a B.Sc. in Management Science. I loved living in San Diego, and even after I moved back to India in 2014, I still go back as often as I can because of one reason: my campus. I call UCSD my campus because its where I grew up. its where I became me. For me, UCSD isnt just a location in space, its a location in time.Im proud of being a Triton thats what we call ourselves based on King Triton who is the ruler of the Sea from Greek Mythology, and if you grew up in the 90s like me you probably know him as Ariels dad from the little mermaidMy point is, Im proud to call myself an alum of UC San Diego it is one of the top educational and research institutions in the world. And my very special guest in this episode happens to be the captain of the UCSD ship sticking to the aquatic metaphor Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla.He is an internationally renowned electrical and computer engineer recognized for his seminal contributions in secure software, intelligent robot systems, and design. Hes now leading a campus of more than 38,000 students within six undergraduate colleges and 11 academic divisions and graduate schools. Professors at UCSD have called him the best chancellor the university has ever had. And heres just one of the reasons why when he began his term as Chancellor in 2012, he set an ambitious goal: to raise 2 billion to transform the university physically, intellectually and culturally in 10 years. UCSD has already hit that goal, and its only been 7 years.Dr. Khosla became the Chancellor a year after I graduated, so I never got to meet him as a student, but I had the pleasure of meeting him on his last visit to India a few months ago in Mumbai where I was the local host of a UCSD event. And when I was in California earlier this summer, he was nice enough to invite me to his office on campus to have this chat. We talked about a lot of things as youll hear in this episode from what he wanted to do with his life as a teenager in Bombay, to his work as an academic, to his time at DARPA, to what brought him to UCSD, and how he leads our campus and continues to learn...I wanted to have him on my podcast so he could share his story with you, because hes lived and is living an inspiring one... AND hes helping thousands of students figure out their own stories... AND he just also happens to be a great storyteller.Hope you like this conversation. You can learn more about Chancellor Khosla at https://chancellor.ucsd.edu/chancellorkhosla
The "Don't Forget This" List

33 min 10 sec

Picture this: youre 17 years old, and today is the last day of school, EVER. Tomorrow, youre no longer going to be a school student. Youre on your way to proper adulthood. And the person youve been dating for the last two years decides to use this moment of your life the last day of your childhood to break up with you. How are you going to reactThats where this episode 102 of Storytalking With Lakshya starts, as I break down the latest audioplay Im writing for the workinprogressweregoingtobringradioplaystothedigitalage Play Me Life podcast. What else is jampacked in this episode How I came up with and plan to execute a HUGE TWIST in this story, why that twist means that this story will have to be in two parts, some writing advice I received from the magically humble writer Andr Aciman author of Call Me By Your Name which led me to doubledown on this story, and a writing trick I came up with this week as I was writing this story that I like to call the Dont Forget This list.
Thinking, Feeling, Writing... In Another Language

31 min 57 sec

The language a character speaks isnt just representing their thoughts its telling us who they are. So what happens, when you take a story and rewrite it in a new language How does that change the character How does that change the story How does that change the message behind the story Those are just some of the questions I attempt to explore the answers to in this episode 103 of Storytalking With Lakshya. Why am I asking these questions Because Play Me Life, Launchoras upcoming podcast of audioplays, in English, written and produced by me, is now being simultaneously created in Hindi as well. I explain why and how in the episode too. Also revealed in this episode is what new podcast were producing and Im hosting that will be coming out in just a few days
The Audio-Show Must Go On

37 min 11 sec

Returning from a fourweek hiatus, Ive got a lot to share in this megaepisode 104 of Storytalking With Lakshya. First, theres some writingandproducing talk regarding Play Me Life and Play Me Zindagi where we are on the scripts and basically all my fears. Then we jump into the behindthescenes of our latest show Jazz India Circuit Podcast and how Ive barely managed to release each of the 3 episodes so far. And finally we end on whats on the horizon including the muchstorytalked Poetry Darbaar.
Talking About Writer's Block... (An #AskLakshya Special)

29 min 20 sec

You asked, I listened, and then I talked... this episode 105 of Storytalking With Lakshya is all about how I deal with writers block. A listener asked me earlier this week about how I manage to find my way out of not being able to write. I had a lot to say about this as you can tell by the episode length. But really, this should be of use to you if youve ever been afraid of a not being able to write anything new again, b not being able to write anything good ever again, or the worst: c not being able to write anything ever again. Spoiler alert: youre not alone, and yes, it can be fixed. Also, send me more questions Tweet, DM on Instagram, DM on Launchora. Im going to call this the AskLakshya series. Maybe.
The This and That of Writing the Opening Scene

35 min 16 sec

Youre this, but youre also that. How you start a story requires a lot of attention, especially if you want your audience to stay till the end. Another AskLakshya special, in this episode 106 of Storytalking With Lakshya, I talk about how to write the opening scene of a story that draws in your audience immediately. Using my current workinprogress audioplay Subconscious Uncoupling still a working title, I reframe the whole story using the opening scene, which in this case is a monologue and very crucial to the rest of the story. I walk you through the process of writing this 3 minute scene, which will end up taking days and maybe weeks to get right. if youve ever struggled with how to open a story, this is the episode for you. Keep sending in your questions, listeners
Learning and Unlearning in 2020

33 min 7 sec

A year ago, at the end of 2018, Launchora had just one podcast this one. Were ending 2019 with five podcasts produced Storytalking With Lakshya, Jaipur Bytes, The VisionNari Podcast, Jazz India Circuit Podcast, Poetry Darbaar with a total of 230 episodes released so far. AND, in January 2020, Im finally going to launch our sixth podcast: my longtimeinthemaking audioplay series Play Me Life. So in this episode 107 of Storytalking With Lakshya the final episode of 2019 / season 2 I talk about what Ive learned as a writer / podcaster / storyteller in 2019, and what I hope to learn and unlearn in 2020.

"How does the end begin?"

26 min 40 sec

I have two creative voices the English Lakshya, and the Hindi Lakshya. For the past year, the Hindi voice has been really active, leaving the English voice dormant and feeling neglected, which drove him straight into a writers block. Hes back now, and he has a story to tell. About how he got his voice back and it has something to do with... a romance with endings.Thats what I talk about in this episode the first episode of season 4 of Storytalking With Lakshya. If you have an answer to my question, you know where to find me.
"You are a character in my story"

29 min 21 sec

Writing dialogue is my thing. Monologues are a lot of fun, and thats where all my recent podcast work has gone due to external factors, but writing two people talking is my first love. And the thing about writing two voices talking to each other is that I know theyre both coming from my head, but they dont know that. To them, theyre real people with real and often opposing feelings. So how do you turn voices in your head into real people who know themselves just like you know yourselfThats what I talk about in this episode of Storytalking 118. If you have any questions about writing and stuff, you know how to find me
"This is not a love story"

29 min 22 sec

Its been a short while since my latest limited audioseries Silsila Ye Chaahat Ka ended, so in this episode of Storytalking With Lakshya 119 I give you a spoilerfilled breakdown of how that story and podcast came together Also I might have teased my next podcast in this one. Im writing this description a couple days after recording it so Im not sure.