With fewer full-time non-fiction writers and a bleak market for books authored by Bhutanese writers, non-fiction writing in the country is still in its infancy. Hence, to enhance the writing skills of Bhutanese writers in the field, a four-day workshop was held in the capital. The workshop was organised by the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy in collaboration with Druk Journal after nearly a decade.
Award-winning journalist and best-selling author, Eric Weiner, led the workshop for Bhutanese writers. The participants included those who have published books and stories, or written for Druk Journal and other aspiring writers.
The trainer said it’s time that Bhutanese writers find a voice and share stories through an honest and unfiltered lens.
“To be honest, up to this point, the people writing about Bhutan have mainly been foreigners like myself and some other writers and I think it’s time for Bhutan to find its voice I hope, over the last four days, I’ve helped them develop the skills and most importantly the confidence to write about their own country, to write about their own lives,” said Eric Weiner.
The workshop was aimed at giving voice to aspiring Bhutanese writers and strengthening Bhutanese narratives.
“The purpose is to enable writers to contribute to telling the stories of Bhutan. So, the workshop has been held for both writers and aspiring writers to enable them to come together to workshop on their love for writing. We’re hoping that as a result of this it will trigger better writing, and better stories of Bhutan to emerge and the reason is that we do believe that stories we tell about ourselves help to paint the reality that is Bhutan today,” said Sioksian Pek Dorji, the organiser of the workshop.
“I’ve been writing almost for eight years but usually I focused on fiction writing but here is a very different one. I’ve attended a few workshops before but the one I’m attending is very different because a bestseller author is here and he is teaching us to write very creative writing and the methods and the ways I had never learned are being taught,” said Thinley Jamtsho, an author.
“Well we did a lot of exercises, we learned tips and the practical exercises were nice also just meeting a community of writers I think is helpful because we have kind of promised to stay in touch with each other and I think we can help each other even once the workshop is over,” said Utsav Khatiwara, lecturer of the Royal Thimphu College.
As the workshop came to an end yesterday, it is expected to bring alive ideas and experiences of the writers who are part of a changing society.
Tshering Deki and Devika Pradhan
Edited by Sonam Pem
