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Michelle Wendy D’costa (she/her)

born 21st October, 1991 (Bahrain)

Writer l Mentor l Editor l Podcaster (Mumbai, India)

Press: Mid-Day, The Hindu, Pune Mirror, FirstPost and others.

Highlights of my career (2012-2021):

Writer Debut poetry chapbook Gulf published by Yavanika Press in August 2021 Prose, poetry and author interviews published in over 50 journals like Litro UK, Eclectica, Berfrois and more Poetry longlisted for the TOTO Award For Creative Writing 2021

Mentor Conducted over 30 fiction writing classes for over 400 participants since 2020 Mentoring writers at all stages of their writing Conducted creative writing classes for organisations such as Mastree and Unherd

Editor Managing Editor, Bound (2019-) Founding Editor, Kaani (2018-) Fiction Editor, Jaggery Lit Mag (2016-2018) Editorial Team- Gulf Daily News, Bahrain (2015-2016) Assistant Editor, Decades Review (2012-2013)

Podcaster Co-host of the author interview podcast Books and Beyond with Bound

HR HR Executive, Delta Construction Co., Bahrain (2016-2019) HR trainee- Toyota (2012), Awal Gulf (2013), Shaheen Group (2014), Bahrain

Highlights of my education: (2009-2021)

Qualifications MBA, Christ University, Bangalore (2013-2015) BCom, Mount Carmel College, Bangalore (2009-2012)

Certifications Basic German, Christ University, Bangalore, 2014 (Credit Course) Creative Writing, Mount Carmel College, Bangalore, 2009 (Credit Course) Workshops  How To Fall Back In Love with Poems by Mary Biddinger, Black Lawrence Press, Nov 2021 Introduction To Haiku by Shloka Shankar, May 2021 Sentence After Sentence-Fiction Writing Class by Tanuj Solanki, Feb 2021 Webinars Table Talk: How Food Travels with Vidya Balachander, Nov 2021 Amélie Le Renard, Western Privilege: Work, Intimacy, and Postcolonial Hierarchies in Dubai (Stanford University Press, Nov 2021)

Associations Member of The Quarantine Train (2021-)

Get in touch Newsletter l Linkedin l Twitter l Instagram 

pikoomish@gmail.com

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Publications (2012-2021)

Fiction: 

Journals Bengaluru Review, Litro UK, Usawa Literary Review, MAD in Asia, Out Of Print, Queen Mob’s Teahouse, The Bombay Literary Magazine, Eunoia Review, Lakeview Journal of Literature and Arts among others.

Poetry: 

Chapbook Gulf (Yavanika Press, 2021)

Anthologies Yearbook of Indian Poetry In English 2020-2021 (Hawakal, 2021) 40 under 40- An anthology of post-globalisation poetry (Paperwall, 2016) The Worlds Within – an anthology of TCK art and writing: young, global and between cultures (Summertime Publishing, 2014)

Journals Berfrois, The Woman Inc, Eclectica, Vayavya, Guftugu, The Alipore Post, The Bangalore Review, The Bombay Literary Magazine, Visual Verse, The Madras Courier, Sunflower Collective, Cafe Dissensus, Big River Poetry Review, Antiserious among others.

Non-Fiction:

Research Report On Demystifying Indian Publishing, Bound, 2021

Essay Seeing Yourself In Fiction, EPW, 2019 How The Face Of Another (1966) Finds Its Right Audience In 2019, High On Films, 2019

30 + Writer Interviews Links to all interviews published here

Writing/Literary Contests  (2009-2021)

Longlisted, TOTO Award For Creative Writing (Poetry), 2021
Finalist, Write Beyond Borders Mentorship Scheme 2021
Longlisted, Bengaluru Review Short Fiction Contest 2020
Longlisted, RL Poetry Award, 2017
Longlisted, DNA-Out of Print Short Fiction Contest, 2017
Longlisted, DNA-Out of Print Short Fiction Contest, 2016
Winner, Flash Fiction Contest, Saarang, IIT Madras, 2015
Finalist, Open Road Review Short Fiction Contest, 2015
Longlisted, DNA-Out of Print Short Fiction Contest, 2015
Runner-up, Poetry Competition, poetandgeek magazine, 2012
Winner, Flow For All Poetry Competition, 2009   

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Managing Editor, Bound- Community of over 35k writers!

Highlights:

-Strategic planning for business development

-Handling client queries and coordinating with freelancers

-Creating curriculums for writing workshops and classes

-Mentoring writers at all stages of their writing

-Beta reading and evaluating manuscripts

-Creating and organizing content for various programs and social media platforms

-Commissioning content for Jotted, Bound’s online magazine

– Conceptualization, research, editing, writing and promoting content for the podcast Books and Beyond With Bound– Over 120k downloads and counting!

Listen Apple Spotify

More info on Bound’s services here

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Testimonials from clients:

I believe that the most difficult phase of a manuscript is after the first draft. Michelle’s support at this stage of mine was huge. With her extensive knowledge of contemporary literature, she helped me see my work with more clarity and precision. She got the nuances of a world ( in the manuscript) that was completely alien to her and this surprised me. She promptly helped me with further queries too.

-Monisha Raman, Freelance Content Writer

Michelle is a very warm yet assertive writing mentor. She will point out what works and doesn’t work in your creative writing without mincing words and wasting time. Working with Michelle on a one-to-one level is like drinking a warm, strong cup of coffee and you always feel invigorated and stimulated after. I highly recommend it. Thank you!

-Neharika Gupta, Author, Adulting (HarperCollins India)

Working with Michelle has been an amazing experience. When I had started out, i was near certain I would never reach a point where I could write a complete story, let alone a good one. Michelle has made me truly believe in myself as a writer. She has challenged me in my thinking with prompts and feedback. At the same time she has cultivated a hugely supportive partnership. Her guidance and experience are just the thing a budding writer need!

-Vanshika Sharma, Manager, L & D, Reliance Industries Limited

Recording with Books and Beyond was a joyous experience – It’s a breath of fresh air, not just in a country like India where books discussion is so limited, but for its own sake anywhere in the world. I look forward to see and hear what mix of experience and novelty, craft, inspiration and fun they bring to their new season.

-Samit Basu, Author, Chosen Spirits (Simon and Schuster India) 

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