Shows
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 22: 15 writing prompts for email marketing and social mediaWelcome to the final episode of Season 4! Have some writing prompts to tide you over till Season 5,--including one for Halloween--another one for Diwali (or whatever other festival speaks to you)--plus the writing prompt that keeps on givingYou'll want to grab a pen and paper before you dive in!If you liked these prompts but want more guidance and accountability to turn them into marketing content, sign up for my storytelling and marketing workshop on Oct 28th, where you'll actually...
2022-10-2018 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Episode 21: Hooking your readers with your About Me pageIn today's episode, listen in on a clip of a coaching call with Judy Pavone, who came to me with this question: "I have a really hard time talking about myself, and explaining what I do, and figuring out how much to share of myself that doesn't overwhelm people, and make them think -- 'What? Why do I need to know this?''"She wasn't happy with her About Me page on her website, so we worked on it in real time.Listen in for the original...
2022-10-1316 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 20: Vanquishing the story gremlinYou may not know it, but there's a story gremlin sitting inside us, choking us when we try to turn a story into the dreaded "M" word: MARKETING.We are all perfectly adequate, even competent or dare I say thrilling storytellers when it comes to talking about what just happened to us in swim class.But when we need to WRITE, as opposed to TALK; or when our stories need to have a PURPOSE that's linked to our business, well, that's when the story gremlin strikes and our riveting anecdotes turn dry like charred toast.
2022-10-0616 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 19: "You're not a good writer"In this clip of a coaching call with Erica, she talks about the lingering effects of someone at a long-ago job telling her that she wasn't a good writer. What do you do when you can't get negative feedback like that out of your head?I offer her two practical suggestions for how to deal with this kind of comment.PLUS, this Saturday, Oct 1, I'm holding a Zoom workshop called Un-Bore Yourself. It’s all about finding new joy in your existing marketing, finding new and fresh an...
2022-09-2913 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 18: The Swiss Army Knife of ContentDo you ever feel like you create so much content but you still struggle to populate all the platforms you’re on? Like you have ideas pouring out of your brain like water but somehow you still run short? Like when you sit down to write a social media post or an email to your list, it feels as dry as my skin in winter? I sometimes feel like that, and when I do, I sit myself down and think: Am I using the Swiss Army Knife of co...
2022-09-2219 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 17: Jeremy Enns' unconventional recipe for a successful email newsletterIn today's episode, I interview podcast marketer and Star Wars fan Jeremy Enns, whose email newsletter, Creative Wayfinding, is one of the few I read religiously every week.We go in-depth into the particular format he landed on, an Easter Egg hidden in there, why he'd do it for no money at all, and what a newbie email marketer can do when they're just launching out.Some quotes from the interview:"I always welcome new subscribers to the newsletter every week. People want to be..they want to follow something that is popular."
2022-09-1544 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 16: Do your people know you're talking to them? Listen in on this coaching callWe're doing something new today: going behind the scenes of a coaching call I did with my client Delphine to eliminate some of the common mistakes entrepreneurs make when they're naming their thing.In this clip, you'll hear my top 2 questions for refining your language and punching it up so that your clients know from a mile away that you're speaking just to them, and all the flutters and jitters that come along with these edits.If you liked this episode, do review it, write to me and tell me what you thought, so that...
2022-09-0826 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 15: Why I use Hinglish in my marketing (yes you can be yourself)When I speak, when I write, and I’m writing for MYSELF and for Cutting Chai Stories, I write how I speak, and how I speak is peppered with desi slang. Just the word desi, for instance, which I just used. It means someone who comes from the des, or desh, which in this case means India. So I *could* have said Indian slang, but that’s not the way I speak, and it’s not the way I think. Those of us who come from non-English speaking countries and cultures that are...
2022-09-0110 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 14: Name your thing (here's why)Finding new ways of describing things is ESSENTIAL, especially for a service provider or a coach or course creator who has absorbed years of learning, integrated that learning with her own experience and perspective, and condensed it to impart to her students. Back in my early 20s, I would not have understood the need to name a particular framework or methodology. I can’t say for sure, but I might have thought it was unnecessary or EXTRA. But now I understand that without the words to REFER to what you’re talking about, you c...
2022-08-1812 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 13: Ghost your commenters (seriously)In real life, it’s considered kinda sh*tty to ghost someone.But on social media, there are some times when it's ok to ghost people who comment on your stuff. When? Why? And some examples of actual comments I have ignored, and who I look to for examples of responding to people on the internet with hateful opinions. In this episode, I mention:Alok V Menon on Instagram @alokvmenonMy 30-minute Zoom coaching sessions aka chai play dates, where I coach you on anything copy or marketing-related (for fr...
2022-08-1012 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 12: What to do in the winter of your creativity?Here's the link to the Thomas Moore poem, Spring and Autumn, that I read out in the beginning of this episode: https://internetpoem.com/thomas-moore/spring-and-autumn-poem/What if we took this idea of seasons and applied it to our content, our creativity?There are times when ideas flow like crazy, like the monsoon deluge of rain in my hometown of Mumbai. And there are other times when everything dries up, like in winter, and what the *heck* are you going to post or write then? The tap of inspiration has been firmly turned off, but...
2022-08-0320 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 11: You have a copy love languageIf you've heard of Gary Chapman's concept of five love languages -- the way we express and receive love -- then you know that frequently two people in a relationship clash because they speak DIFFERENT love languages.Well, what if we took that concept and applied it to copy?Imagine the way you communicate most easily, totally naturally, no stress involved. Is that actually the way you express yourself in your marketing and your copy? What would happen if you doubled down on your copy love language?In this episode, how...
2022-07-2815 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 10: Of templates and other buzzkillsEver filled out a Mad Libs template? Those are FUN-NY.Put an adjective here, a common noun there, and when you read it back to the group, everything's all jumbled up in the most hilarious way.That's pretty much the only place I think templates are a good thing. (Ok, that, and Wordpress blog themes.)When it comes to marketing and your copy, they fall FIRMLY in the buzzkill category.That's because words are oh-so-important at conveying your meaning and building a relationship with your audience. And borrowing someone...
2022-07-2119 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 9: What a consultant can teach you about copywriting, and how to be kind to yourself while launchingIn today's episode, I speak with Catherine Stagg-Macey, an executive coach and mojo wing woman for mid-career professionals ready to reclaim their spark in their career. She’s spent 20 years in a corporate career wondering if there was a more fulfilling chapter. Her own journey to find work that was meaningful has formed the basis for the work she now does with others.Here are a few choice quotes from our conversation:I have a principle of never outsourcing stuff I don’t know. And this goes back to my consulting—we would tell our clients th...
2022-07-1437 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 8: Take off your clothes to write more convincing copyYou believe in what you sell with a PASSION. But you can't see why your prospective clients don't seem convinced.That's because there's a difference between telling them about something and taking them along for the ride so they can see for themselves.And in today's episode of Cutting Chai Stories, I show you how writing with your 5 senses can immerse your readers in the moment with you -- for creative writing, for pulling together an ideal client avatar, and for writing a product description. For each scenario, I show you how regular...
2022-07-0719 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 7: Benefits vs. Features (and how to supercharge them)Welcome to the third and final installation of the mini series on what to prep before you write a SINGLE word of copy. This series is ESPECIALLY important for sales pages, so if you’re planning to launch a course or group program or a new product, listen up.Over the past two episodes, we covered two other elements to prep before you start to write your copy, and those were Voice of Customer and Core Transformation.Today we’re going to talk about benefits versus features.Chan...
2022-06-3016 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 6: Why should someone buy from YOU and not your competitor? (Part 2 of the "what to prep" mini series)If you're just joining in, this is the second episode in a three-part mini series answering the question: What do I need to prep BEFORE I write a single word of copy?Last week's episode on Voice of Customer was the first; if you missed it, you can catch up here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s4-ep-5-what-to-prep-before-writing-a-single-word-hint-voc/id1504011822?i=1000565705402Today we're talking about nailing our core transformations. Your product or service may have several benefits and even more features, but what's the ONE change that your customers will experience when they buy...
2022-06-1612 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 5: What to prep before writing a single word (Hint: VOC)There are a BUNCH of ducks you need to have in a row before you can start writing your copy (if you want it to be successful, that is). The list is too long to cover in its entirety in one episode, so this is the first of a short series about what to prep before writing your very first word.Today's episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora focuses on "Voice of Customer."What is it? Why is it important? And how do you as a fledgling marketer figure out what the voice...
2022-06-0813 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 4: Reena Parekh on how to win at Instagram by discovering your voiceIn the very first guest interview of this season, I speak to pre- and post-partum fitness coach Reena Parekh, who is killing it on Instagram. She doesn't think of herself as a writer, she doesn't use templates, and she abandoned the "rules" ages ago. How does she do it?Key takeaways of this episode:Have a purpose. Reconnect with who you're doing this FOR. Representation matters.When you become human, you become more relatable to people.It's all interconnected; our businesses are political. You have to be willing to have hard conversations, because when you're putting...
2022-06-0226 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 3: But Jayati, what do I write ABOUT???If you're stumped at the thought of using stories in your marketing, and what's holding you back is the thought that you have nothing exciting enough, nothing worthy enough of sharing, well, I'm about to banish that thought by reading you an email about the most boring thing I could imagine, to the most boring outcome.Listen to this episode for a demonstration of how to use stories in your marketing -- and, this is key -- make them RELEVANT and INTERESTING to your audience. Subscribe so you never miss an episode!And...
2022-05-2609 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 2: The secret ingredient to all good copyYou CANNOT write great copy without this one ingredient.If you try, you’ll sound indistinguishable from the crowds of your competitors. What is it and how do you inject it into your marketing to elevate your copy?Listen to Season 4 Episode 2 of Cutting Chai Stories: Write Copy that Feels Good for the answer.Subscribe so you never miss another episode. If you already subscribe, thank you! Sign up at www.cuttingchaistories.com/subscribe to get my email newsletter, Chai in my Inbox, so you can—learn how...
2022-05-1906 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS4 Ep 1: What the heck *IS* copy, anyway?So let’s talk about it. What do you think the word “COPY” means?Because it’s hard to write copy when we’re unclear about where we’re standing.Copywriting ≠ copyrightingCopywriting ≠ journalismCopywriting ≠ contentCoz we can't begin to start writing copy (let alone kickass, make-you-sit-up-and-pee-your-pants copy) if we don't know what the heck it is -- and what it isn't.In the kickoff episode of Season 4, a primer for you on what copy is, what it isn't, and examples of where to find it. Think of it as Ste...
2022-05-1207 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodWhat you can expect from Season 4 of Cutting Chai Stories: Write Copy that Feels GoodSeason 4 trailer:Hello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories! I’m your host Jayati Vora, and I’m a recovering journalist turned copy coach. I got my writing and editing chops during my decade and a half of being an editor in two different countries. And built on that foundation with a WHOLE lot of ethical marketing and copywriting techniques. So that YOU, the online business owner, can get the benefit of all those skills in this concrete, practical, bite-siz...
2022-05-0502 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodKids Make a Podcast: Fractured FairytalesWelcome back to the fourth and final episode of this fiction mini-series by Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, which features two fractured fairytales. A fractured fairytale is a retelling of a story with some important parts changed, like the setting, or the reversal of the hero and villain. In today's episode, authors and voice actors Kimaya Desai and Anika Gursahani integrated real historical characters into their fractured fairytales of Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel. This mini series is the result of a six-week writing and podcasting course taught by Jayati Vora in November and D...
2022-04-2817 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodKids Make a Podcast: Secret Life of ObjectsWelcome back to the third episode of this fiction mini-series by Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, all about objects that come to life and surprise a podcaster trying to record an episode about traveling to Paris!
This series is written and performed mostly by children: Samika Kapadia, Samaira Parikh, and Riaana Bajaj.
This mini series is the result of a six-week writing and podcasting course taught by Jayati Vora in November and December 2021. The children collectively decided on a theme, wrote their stories, with some editing help, and performed them. If you enjoy it, p...
2022-02-1714 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodKids Make a Podcast: Storybook PortalWelcome back to the second episode of this fiction mini-series by Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, all about children who discover magical portals inside their closets and go on an adventure in fictional and real story books!
This series is written and performed mostly by children, who also star in their own stories. Our heroes are Amay Maller, Aanya Somani, Sejal Bansal, and Samyra Chaudhary.
Additional voice talents include Jack Berengarten, Agastya Patel, and Suraj Andra. All the children, including Aadhya Guruprasad, helped make several of the sound effects.
This mini series is...
2022-01-1431 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodKids Make a Podcast: Mythical Creatures Come to LifeYes, this is Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, but this, the very first of a four-part fiction mini series written and performed mostly by children, is not about copywriting. In this episode, a meteor lands on earth and a cave full of mythical creatures is revealed.
Our heroes, Agastya Patel, Jack Berengarten, Aadhya Guruprasad, and Suraj Andra, each star in their own episodes.
Additional voice talents include: Aanya Somani, Sejal Bansal, and Amay Maller.
This episode is the result of a six-week writing and podcasting course taught by Jayati Vora in November an...
2022-01-1323 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodBonus Episode 5: Teaser for new fiction mini-seriesIn this break between seasons, stay tuned for a mini-series by my students, ages 7-12, of fictional narratives written and voiced by them.
2022-01-0502 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 21: 12 Writing Prompts for Email and Social MediaFor all those times you have to send an email to your list or post on social media, but you don't know what to say... you'll want to take notes for this one.
In it, I cover 3 prompts each for if you're planning a launch; if you're announcing a sale (hello, holidays!); if you're writing a welcome email; or if nothing much is going on and you're fresh out of ideas.
Also, this is the last episode of Season 3, but not to worry, I have some bonus episodes coming your way to tide you over...
2021-12-1611 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 20: How to capture creative lightningLet's talk about mediocrity. What do you do when creativity takes a hiatus, when every single word you write seems trite, when your music is lame, when your art is uninspired? How do you coax your creativity out of hiding?
Creativity ebbs and flows. And as creators, we feel the need to share our creations with the world. How do you live with creations that aren't your best work, and ship your work anyway?
Listen to this episode for my top tips on how to trigger your creativity and how to keep up with it...
2021-12-0909 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 19: Emails as a genre -- Jayati interviewed on the talk.write.done. podcastHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the only podcast that gives solopreneurs concrete and practical copywriting tips in just 15 minutes or less -- most of the time. I'm your host Jayati Vora and today I'm in the hotseat, because this episode contains an interview with me by Lizzy Tanguay of the talk.write.done. podcast.
Listen here for our conversation, which covers
>> the stylistic elements of emails
>> candy versus broccoli in your email marketing
>> your next step when you make mistakes
>> juicy stories for your emails a...
2021-12-0234 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodA Thanksgiving mini-sode: A poetry prompt and a PSAHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories. I'm your host Jayati Vora and this isn't a true episode. It's Thanksgiving here in the U.S., which is a pretty major holiday, and I'm taking advantage of the four-day weekend to travel, BUUUUUUT I didn't want to leave you hanging.
So here's a writing prompt for you. Take either the word "Thanksgiving" or "November," and make a poem out of all the words you can think of from rearranging the letters.
Here's what I wrote from the word "November":
Never more. Never...
2021-11-2502 min
Let's talk writing. Writing for educators and coaches.Confident email marketing with Million Dollar Story Boss, Jayati Vora.In this episode, Lizzy talks to Million Dollar Story Boss, Jayati Vora, about effective (and fun) email marketing. Jayati talks about how to use stories in your email marketing, why you don't always need to be 'teaching' something and why mistakes are just fine.
Jayati helps small business owners talk to their customers easily, confidently, and in their natural voice. She also gives them ideas for what to write about in her monthly subscription program, Million-Dollar Emails, and works with them to elevate their copy on their social media, in their email lists, on their websites. She...
2021-11-2333 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 18: How to prep for a successful sales email sequenceHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, where we are continuing with this theme of preparing for a successful launch of a product, a course, a program.
I'm your host Jayati Vora and last week we talked about a free and fun strategy to suss our market interest in an idea before you invest time and resources in putting something together that your audience doesn't want.
This week we're talking about three things you need to do BEFORE you start writing your sales email sequence.
The beauty of selling over email i...
2021-11-1811 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 17: A high-engagement strategy for market research on social mediaHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the ONLY podcast that gives business owners PRACTICAL, hands-on writing advice, with examples, in only 15 minutes or less. If you’re paralyzed by fear that you won’t sound professional, if you don’t know what to say and how to say it, if you have an email list you don’t use enough or a social media account that isn’t getting the engagement you want, you’re in the right place, because I can help you with that.
I’m your host Jayati Vora and today I want to talk...
2021-11-1113 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 16: How to have fun with your marketingHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the only podcast to give business owners without copywriting experience practical, hands-on writing advice, with examples, to uplevel your copy right away.
I'm your host Jayati Vora and today we're talking about how to inject more fun into your marketing.
Because someone having fun is the most attractive thing, ever.
Listen for five ideas to kickstart your fun marketing plan!
And if you found this episode useful, I have an email newsletter you might enjoy. It's called Chai in your Inbox, and I...
2021-11-0408 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 15: The *other* subject line that could boost your open rateHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the ONLY podcast that gives you PRACTICAL, HANDS-ON advice, WITH examples, to elevate your copy so that it reflects your brand, reflects YOU, and feels like a natural extension of your personality.
I'm your host Jayati Vora, and today we are talking about the second subject line you may not know about.
But first, a note about my November-December creative writing classes for kids, that begin Nov 2. I'll be teaching how to write for podcasts, and at the end of this special, 6-week session, we'll be...
2021-10-2808 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodREPLAY: Up the Spooky Factor (featuring a student's story)I'm re-releasing this 2020 episode featuring an awesomely spooky story by my student Hansika Shankar because
1) I'm trying to plan a session of creative writing for kids that's centered around writing for podcasts that will -- get this -- actually involve the kids narrating their stories themselves, to be recorded by them and edited and published by me, IF there's enough interest.
If you're a parent with a child between the ages of 7 and 11 who might be interested in this, please fill out my 2-minute survey now.
2) I had no brilliant ideas for this we...
2021-10-2104 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 13: Are you ethical in your marketing? (Are you suuuuurrrre?)Hello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the only podcast that gives grossed out business owners concrete and ETHICAL copywriting tips that they can use in their marketing RIGHT AWAY. In episodes of just 15 minutes or less.
Today I want to talk to you about ethics in marketing, because let's face it, the online business world is FULL of sleazy marketing tactics. But it doesn't have to be. You can learn the triggers that marketers use to make you buy their product, and follow other ethical marketers so you see a different way of running...
2021-10-1408 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 12: All the tools I use for my businessHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the only podcast that gives overwhelmed business owners concrete copywriting tips that they can use in their marketing right away, in just 15 minutes.
I’m your host Jayati Vora, and I’m here to be your editor in your pocket, your guide to the written word, and your shot of confidence that you can show up, as imperfectly perfect as you are, and put your heart and soul into telling the world who you are and what you’re about and attracting your dream customers in your unique, authen...
2021-10-0708 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 11: This is how you write a compelling hookIn marketing they call it a hook.
In school I called it “in medias res.”
In journalism they call it a lede.
It’s all the same thing and in today’s episode I wanna talk about why using it can significantly increase your readership.
Hello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the only podcast that gives overwhelmed business owners concrete copywriting tips that they can use in their marketing right away, in just 15 minutes.
I’m your host Jayati Vora, and I’m here to be your editor...
2021-09-3010 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 10: You are not a robot, don't write like oneHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the only podcast that gives overwhelmed business owners concrete copywriting tips that they can use in their marketing right away, in just 15 minutes.
I’m your host Jayati Vora, and I’m here to be your editor in your pocket, your guide to the written word, and your shot of confidence that you can show up, as imperfectly perfect as you are, and put your heart and soul into telling the world who you are and what you’re about and attracting your dream customers in your unique, authen...
2021-09-2313 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 9: Three Ways to Recharge Your Creative BatteriesHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, the podcast that shows entrepreneurs how to uplevel their email marketing, social media, and website copy with practical tips and concrete examples from your host, Jayati Vora.
This episode is dedicated to Laura and Oswald, who told me they missed the creative writing focus of the earlier seasons, and especially to the idea that sometimes, to be creative in business, you have to step AWAY from business.
So thank you, Laura, for inspiring this episode, and here are three big ways you can recharge your creative...
2021-09-1612 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 8: Does size really matter???Hello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, where the episodes are short and sometimes sweet, just like the half-servings of milky tea we call cutting chai back home in India. I’m your host Jayati Vora, and before we get into our topic for today, I wanted to ask you a question.
Why do you listen to Cutting Chai Stories?
I’m really asking you. What do you get out of this show that you don’t get anywhere else?
What do you like about it?
This information is really...
2021-09-0910 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 7: How to write orgasmic emails (NSFW)Obligatory warning, folks, today's episode has a little more, ahem, masala than usual. So if the kiddos are listening, you might want to save this one for later.
Hello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, where the episodes are short and full of spice, just like the half-servings of milky tea we call cutting chai back home in India. I'm your host Jayati Vora and today I'd like to deconstruct an email for you--the first of a series of emails inviting readers to a webinar about having mindblowing orgasms and pleasure. It's by the trauma-informed...
2021-09-0209 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 6: Write emails backwardsHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories, where the episodes are short, and sometimes sweet, just like the half-servings of milky tea we call cutting chai back home in India. I'm your host Jayati Vora and today I want to talk to you about flipping the writing process backwards when you are writing an email (or social media post, or blog post, or maybe even podcast script) to your list.
Most of the time, we start with the CTA or call-to-action, which is the action we want our readers to take after reading our email. B...
2021-08-2610 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 5: Is your writing scannable (Part 2)Hello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories. I’m your host Jayati Vora and this is the second part of a two-part episode on how to write so your audience will read.
In part 1, which came out two weeks ago, I covered four ways to *write* to ensure your readers get the important information you’re dishing up. If you haven’t listened to that one yet, hit pause and go listen to part 1 first.
This week, I’m covering a whole laundry list of ways to *format* your writing so you snag your rea...
2021-08-1911 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 4: Is your writing scannable? (Part 1)Hello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories. I'm your host, Jayati Vora, and today I want to show you how to write so that people who don’t like to read will be enticed to read what YOU write.
This is part one of a two-part episode on this subject, so make sure you tune in next week for the second half.
There’s no trickery involved in getting people to read what you write, just 4 simple writing tips that ensure that readers won’t miss the crucial bits of information you want to con...
2021-08-0510 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 3: How to write better headlinesHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories. I'm your host Jayati Vora, and today I want to talk to you about writing better headlines. Here's what we cover in this episode:
Brainstorm 30 headlines. Sometimes quality comes from quantity.
7 things NOT to do:
1. Don’t be boring.
2. Don’t be overly clever.
3. Don’t use too much jargon.
4. Don’t use headlines that give away everything.
5. Don’t pull a bait and switch.
6. Don’t use cliches.
7. And don’t overpromise and unde...
2021-07-2914 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 2: The all-important rule of one What is the rule of one and why is it so important for writing effective content that converts?
What are all the ways in which it apply to your copy? (Hint: There's more than one.)
These questions and more, answered on this episode of Cutting Chai Stories.
Here's the revamped page where you can sign up for my email newsletter: www.cuttingchaistories.com/subscribe
As promised, here's the final email I sent out to my list, after I followed the rule of one.
Subject line: What are you WAITING f...
2021-07-2209 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 Episode 1: Gratitude with an AttitudeWelcome back to the very first episode of Season 3 of Cutting Chai Stories, where the writing is short and sometimes sweet, just like the half-servings of milky tea we call cutting chai back home in India.
Today's episode, dedicated to my husband, is all about gratitude.
We cover two techniques that are best used sparingly -- repetition and alliteration -- and a third that almost always takes your writing to the next level.
For the month of July, Cutting Chai Stories is also a featured podcast on Spotify India's Amplifiher, where you can dis...
2021-07-1507 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 3 trailerSeason 3 launches verrrry soon!
Listen here for a Cutting Chai Stories win (discover new content here) and for what I have in store for you with the next season.
Thanks for listening!
2021-07-0802 min
Untethered with Jen LissHow to quit the job that's killing you and chase your joy – with Jayati Vora, Million Dollar Story BossWhat’s on your mind, unicorn? 🦄 Send me a text!What’s holding you back from chasing your dreams? If you’ve been procrastinating on your career moves, get ready, because Jayati Vora is here to dish you some serious straight talk.As an editor who once walked into her boss’s office and said “I quit,” Jayati’s got some meat in her message. She also comes up with way better metaphors than that.In this episode, we talk about burnout, how to know when you should leave your job, facing your fears (particular...
2021-04-1333 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 22: Playwright, director and slam poet Shivani Tibrewala on how to create subtext in theaterHello and welcome to the last episode of Season 2 of Cutting Chai Stories! I'm your host Jayati Vora and on today's show, I speak to playwright and director Shivani Tibrewala, of No License Yet productions, who explains the peculiar tension between dialogue and subtext in theater, and how to create it. She reads an excerpt of her monologue, Avoid the Void. And she recalls her part in the nascent slam poetry scene in Mumbai.
To contact Shivani, you can email nolicenseyet@gmail.com
About Shivani:
Shivani Tibrewala is a poet, playwright, and screenwriter f...
2021-03-2524 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 21: 9 and a half tips to get the words out of your head and onto the paperThis week I was stuck when it came to what to talk about on this episode, and I thought: Might YOU be stuck too? So I made a list of the things I do to get inspired when I'm feeling anything but, how to actually DO the writing -- in other words, stop daydreaming and start day-doing -- and my top tips for rewriting or editing your work.
The writing prompt, too, is inspired by this list of tips.
So listen, follow along, and then tell me: Which tip resonated the most for you? Which o...
2021-03-1114 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 20: Jennifer Liss on why exercising your silly muscle is good for businessHello hello and welcome back to this slightly silly and mostly fun episode of Cutting Chai Stories. I'm your host Jayati Vora, and today on the show I speak to Creative Commute podcast host and creator Jennifer Liss, who talks about how letting out your inner weirdo (my words, not hers) can inspire others to let their silly selves shine through. Being silly leads to having fun, which leads to more creativity in your work life.
Plus, a truly hilarious writing prompt (that can also be drawn or acted out).
About Jen and where to f...
2021-03-0418 minCutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 19: Get your freak on!Why do I like mango but not watermelon? Why do you read sci-fi but not magic realism? Why this and not that? AND--why are we spending an entire episode talking about something as obvious as our likes and dislikes? Everyone has them. SO WHAT?
I'll tell you so what. We can lean into our inner freaks, embrace the little weird quirks and mannerisms that we might otherwise try to hide, and use them as our own personal Bat signals to call out to the other freaks who are our perfect audience. Instead being bland, beige, and blending...
2021-02-2510 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodHow Kenn Nesbitt's poems for kids are the gateway drug to everythingMy interview with Kenn Nesbitt, who is an American children’s poet and humorist, and author of more than 20 books for kids. In 2013, he was named Children’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation. His website, poetry4kids.com is the most visited children’s poetry site on the internet.
Kenn talks about how he loves to twist children's brains with impossible ideas, how he rewrites each line in his head 10 times, yet sometimes the best idea is the first idea, where he gets the inspiration from for his funny poems, why he thinks poems are a delive...
2021-02-1835 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 17: How to Show, Not Tell -- and WhyAll of us have probably heard that adage of good writing from an English teacher in our childhood: Show, don't tell.
But what does it mean? Is "telling" the enemy? (No, it isn't.)
HOW does one show and not tell?
Can you give me examples?
All these questions answered in today's episode, and more, plus a writing prompt that will give you the opportunity to show off your newly acquired "showing" skills.
Passages quoted are from Rabih Alameddine's "The Angel of History;" and two restaurant reviews by the then New...
2021-02-1110 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 16: Can a list be a poem? Demystifying poetryFirst, my apologies for the delay in releasing this episode. I had prepped it and then belatedly realized that I should probably ask permission of the two poets whose work I recited here first. It took a day to do that and hear back from them -- thankfully, it was a yes or else this episode would have had to be rerecorded and that would have taken even longer! -- but now I can hit publish on this without any niggling feelings that I hadn't covered all my bases.
Today we talk about poetry. It can feel...
2021-02-0609 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 15: Business coach Rayna Jhaveri on energetic exchange, being unapologetically yourself, and abandoning pain pointsThis is a different kind of episode. In it, I talk with my business coach, Rayna Jhaveri, about how, as entrepreneurs, as course creators, as teachers, what we teach or what we sell is just the gift wrapping for who we are. She talks about the power of energy and how that affects the way your audience will perceive your creation. And she talks about finding another way to reach customers than pain points. Listen in for her unashamedly non-mainstream approach, her wisdom in all things business and human, and her special Rayna magik.
You can follow h...
2021-01-2835 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 14: Use contrast to punch up your copyHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories!
First off -- you are invited. I'm hosting a DRESS UP YOUR WRITING party. It's going to be loads of fun, nerding out on words, and not needing to mingle. We'll meet on Zoom -- all you need is a fancy dress from your closet to channel your inner badass, a drink in your hand, AND an email to your list that you want to workshop. I'll bring the funfetti and best of all, will do hot seat coaching on how to bring your badass self into your...
2021-01-2107 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 13: Choosing your words, reclaiming your narrativeIn today's episode, the chai is made with a different recipe. I'm working with a coach and doing a lot of internal work, and I wanted to share an insight with you today. We all have our own internal narratives of ourselves as people, as entrepreneurs, for our businesses. These are words that others have called us, or that we at some point in our lives have called ourselves. These words can define us, knowingly or unknowingly, and can and likely do affect every aspect of our lives, personal and professional.
When our own stories are the...
2021-01-1407 min
Pure Fire CreativesEmmy winner Jayati Vora talks about the power of generosity and collaborationJayati Vora is a writer, teacher, and editor. In her 15 plus years as an editor, she commissioned and edited stories that were translated into other languages, republished in outlets around the world, and won numerous awards, including an Emmy. She has a weekly podcast, Cutting Chai Stories, where she breaks down the craft of writing, provides writing tips for creative writers and entrepreneurs who need to write for their business. She teaches creative writing to both children and adults. Jayati is launching a digital writing course for entrepreneurs called The Words Will Come in early 2021.
2021-01-0734 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 12: Future pacing and the origin of you storiesHello hello and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories. This is the first episode of 2021, and I want to start it off with a great big hug of a thank you to all of you, my listeners, who tuned in to nearly 250 minutes of episodes, stuck with me through the hiatus between Season 1 and 2, from 37 different countries! Plus, Cutting Chai Stories was #19 in Spotify's India charts for a whole month in 2020! I can't think of a better way to start the new year than with this validation that you all are liking what you're hearing. So thank you.
2021-01-0710 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 11: Don't force the words; the words will comeIt's the end of 2020 and it feels like a momentous occasion, given what a hellish year this has been. But all that pressure to produce something profound bottles up the words instead. Here's a short piece about another moment like that I had this past summer, when I had promised myself and all of you to write something original every single day for 31 days in a row.
What I'd like you to take from that is that sometimes, if you go with the flow, you might get something different than what you had originally planned, but it m...
2020-12-3106 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 10: How to speak to your customersHello from Jayati, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories! Today I talk about how to speak directly to customers in an authentic way, with plenty of examples of how other companies are doing it, and a path for you to figure out what your own natural voice sounds like.
Think about unexpected places you can stand out with your copy
Write from a place of genuine feeling and you won't sound fake
Write down the bones (and this exercise will help you whether you're trying to tell your entrepreneur's or brand's story, or whether y...
2020-12-2409 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 9: Immersive Description and Writing from MemoryWelcome back to Episode 9 of Season 2 of Cutting Chai Stories! It felt like it had been a while since I had stuck to my original structure of story, writing technique, and writing prompts, so I made this for all of you who were missing it. In this episode, I share a short story about jumping puddles in the rain in New York, and how that evoked memories of splashing about during the monsoon in my hometown of Mumbai. I try to recreate the feeling of monsoon -- the sounds, the smells, even the tastes it brings back -- while...
2020-12-1708 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 8: Words to Edit Out of Your CopyHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories. I'm your host Jayati Vora, and today's episode is short, sweet, and oh so necessary! I talk about five kinds of words or phrases that we need to CUT from our writing. There are unnecessary introductions, ungrammatical phrases, long-winded ways of writing that we need to rewrite, adverbs that should be on the chopping block, and excessive description.
Listen in for explanations of each point, along with examples of what I mean. Then look back at your OWN copy and do this exercise — what did YOU cut out of...
2020-12-1007 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 7: Storytelling Tips for EntrepreneursHello hello, and welcome back to Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora. If you haven't already listened to last week's episode, my interview with Zahir Janmohamed chock-full of tips and strategies on how to do personal storytelling better, you're missing out. Stop right now and go listen to that one first. If you did already, wonderful. I thought Zahir's tips were so useful that I adapted them for entrepreneurs. Click here to download your FREE guide for an entrepreneur's storytelling cheatsheet: https://cuttingchaistories.com/storytelling-cheatsheet/I f...
2020-12-0311 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 6: Harness the power of storytellingOn this extra-juicy, supersized episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, I interview Zahir Janmohamed about the art of the personal essay. (If his name sounds familiar, it's because I mentioned him on last week's episode.)
Zahir Janmohamed is a Zell Writing Fellow at the University of Michigan, where he has received awards in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and playwriting. He is currently the artist-in-residence at the Arab American National Museum.
Zahir and I go a ways back: I was his editor many moons ago when I was working at Al Jazeera America, and I...
2020-11-2636 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodS2 Ep 5: The liberating use of "you" for business and pleasureWelcome back to Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora! Today I make good on something I've been talking about the last few episodes, which is to also give writing tips to entrepreneurs who are struggling with how to write copy for their business.
I also share not one but TWO stories, both produced during a class on writing the personal essay. The first one is by Sara Afshaar, a former immigration attorney and current MFA candidate at the University of Michigan. Sara's work has appeared or is forthcoming in Slice, McSweeney's, Sporklet, and has been installed in B...
2020-11-1907 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 2 Episode 4: Finding Inspiration in ArtWelcome back to Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora. In this episode, I speak with multidisciplinary artist Racquel Keller, who participated in my monthlong writing #onestoryaday writing challenge in July in the Cutting Chai Stories Facebook group. Except, instead of responding to my writing prompts, she chose to write a poem a day that was inspired by a color. She also overlaid the words on a carefully chosen image, and helped us interpret the poem through her artist's eye. She reads one of her poems from that challenge, Rose Madder.
Racquel talks about her art being inspired b...
2020-11-1212 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 2 Episode 3: Stephanie Bourbon's top novel-writing tipsIn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories, Jayati speaks with Stephanie Bourbon, a veteran of the National Novel Writing Month challenge in November, also known as NaNoWriMo, who has done the challenge 16 times. Now she helps female writers write their own novels.
For the entire month, Stephanie is offering Letters for NaNoWriMo, absolutely free! Every day she will email writers with support, encouragement, writing tips, and prompts to help them complete their novel in a month with support. (You can still sign up!)
Stephanie talks about the problem most writers face, her philosophy of writing, a...
2020-11-0512 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 2 Episode 2: Stretching the Story Rubber BandWelcome to Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora. In today's episode, I talk about the opposite of a cutting chai story -- that is, how to stretch a story like a rubber band. While most of my episodes feature short stories under a 100 words long, sometimes that word count can be limiting. So how do you take one small moment and expand on it, make it interesting to your listener or reader, and keep them hooked? Listen to the episode to find out.
My creative writing classes for children are open for registration for the November session; t...
2020-10-2908 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 2 Episode 1: The Rule of ThreesWelcome back to Season 2 of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, a short-form podcast dedicated to breaking down the mysteries of writing. Every Thursday, I'll be bringing you a short story, teaching you some of the techniques used, and giving you a writing prompt to write a story of your own. This season, for the first time, I'll also be exploring how to use those writing techniques in writing for your business -- that is, copy you can use as an entrepreneur.
Episode 1 is all about the rule of threes: what it is, how to recognize it, a...
2020-10-2208 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodSeason 2: TrailerListen for a sneak peek into Season 2 of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, coming October 22nd, 2020.
2020-10-1500 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodBonus Episode 3: Up the Spooky FactorHelloooooo! I made you a bonus episode because I missed you so much and I wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about you. This one is all about sound words, or, if you want to sound fancy: onomatopoeias. Listen to the spooky story my 9-year-old student from Texas, Hansika Shankar, wrote, and learn how she used sound words to chilling effect.
Coming soon: Season 2! Stay tuned!
And if you can't wait till then, follow me on Instagram @jayativora (https://www.instagram.com/jayativora/) or join me and a growing group of writers in m...
2020-09-2604 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodBonus Episode 2: Playing with PerspectiveIn this bonus episode of Cutting Chai Stories, I share with you two stories written by 11-year-old Yukta Thirumalai, a student in one of my creative writing classes for kids. The theme of the month was perspective, and for the last class of the month, I asked my students to write a story based on a prompt I gave them -- and then to flip the perspective and tell the same story from the point of view of another character. Yukta's stories were so good I just had to share them with you, so I made this bonus episode...
2020-08-2509 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 20: How to Overcome Writer's BlockIn this, the last episode of Season 1 of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, I speak again with Nadine Kenney Johnstone (if you missed it, check out her interview with me last week on episode 19). Nadine is the author of the memoir Of This Much I'm Sure, writing coach and writing professor, and on episode 20, she generously takes us through a thought exercise designed to have you visualizing what you want to write before you ever pick up your notebook, helping greatly with the common problem of writer's block. Grab a pen or a laptop before you listen, pause...
2020-08-0611 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 19: How to Think Like a Memoirist1. Everything in your life is fair game.
2. Writing about your trauma can help you process it.
3. What captivates you is a good barometer for what might captivate your readers.
Join me on episode 19 of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora as I speak with Nadine Kenney Johnstone, author of the memoir Of This Much I'm Sure, writing coach and writing professor. She talks about how she turned her painful experience with IVF into a book; what is joy journaling; and introduces the story workshop method. (If you're intrigued by this method, stay tuned for next...
2020-07-3010 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 18: Writing to Evoke a MoodIn episode 18 of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, we talk about how to create a mood with your writing. How do you create a different state of mind in your readers that wasn't there before? It's the kind of thing that I think is easier to do with more abstract forms of art, such as music, or dance, or the fine arts. Words can sometimes be more black and white.
It's easier to show than tell. Let's look at a mood piece around the prompt of homesickness by Laura Ambler, who used to work in retail b...
2020-07-2308 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 17 (REVISED): Jerry Pinto on Farts, Foxes, and the Savagery of ChildrenNOTE: Apologies to my listeners who listened to the initial episode I uploaded, the two tracks were overlaid with a slight mismatch, resulting in some crosstalk. I fixed it, and uploaded a cleaner version here. Sorry again!
This episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora features part 2 of my interview with journalism mentor and prolific writer of books for adults and children, Jerry Pinto. Make sure to catch part one of our conversation in episode 16!
Jerry talks about writing colloquially, hitting up against the "wall of grammar" and how children can smell an agenda...
2020-07-1610 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodBonus Episode 1: Chasing Sources of InspirationSurprise! I'm dropping this "bonus episode" today because it has been a week since I started my writing challenge, writing something original every day, posting it to social media, and sharing a writing prompt in my Facebook group, Cutting Chai Stories -- EVERY DAY for four weeks, you guys. And I'm not alone! There are a bunch of folks also sharing their work in our group, and I'd love nothing more than for you to come join us. This is Day 8, and you can go back and do the first seven, or just start from whenever you feel comfortable...
2020-07-1309 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 16: Jerry Pinto and the World of Children’s BooksWelcome to this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, where I interview the journalism teacher, editor and prolific writer who set me on my path of becoming a journalist and an editor: Jerry Pinto. He is an editor, an author of fiction and nonfiction books, the writer of poetry and prose for children and adults, and a translator to boot. In a first for Cutting Chai Stories, I divided our conversation into two parts, of which this is the first. Here, Jerry talks about how to exorcise our fears, discovering children's books as an adult, and his...
2020-07-0910 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 15: Krupa Shandilya Talks Poetry in TranslationIn Episode 15 of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, I interview my old friend and Amherst College associate professor Krupa Shandilya, whose co-translation of Mīrajī, a mid-twentieth century Urdu poet, was just published in The Paris Review. Mīrajī was the pen name of Sanā’ullah Dār, one of the founders of modern Urdu poetry. When he died in 1949 at the age of 37, he left behind more than a thousand poems in various genres that have yet to be translated into English -- a chunk of which Krupa and her co-translators are taking on.
Krupa is Associ...
2020-07-0210 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 14: A Foray into PoetryIn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, we dip a toe into writing poetry. I share three poems written in the workshop I led last week, all juxtaposing imagery and abstraction. We play with line breaks, different kinds of rhyme, and creating new relationships between the tangible and intangible. This is the Gwendolyn Brooks' poem I mentioned; I mistakenly called it The Pool Players, the title is actually "We Real Cool." It is really cool, check it out here: https://poets.org/poem/we-real-cool
About the poets:
Oswald Perez writes to share t...
2020-06-2510 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 13: Twenty-five Writing Prompts to Inspire YouWelcome to Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, a podcast about the craft of writing in the format of short stories, like the half-servings of milky tea we call cutting chai back home in India. This week I was struggling with the subject of my podcast. What should I talk about? What do you want to know?
So I asked you, and the answer that resonated with me was this: I struggle with inspiration, with getting started on my writing.
Thank you universe! Here you go -- 25 whole writing prompts to get you thinking, to g...
2020-06-1808 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 12: Using MetaphorsIn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, listener Mareena Francis was inspired by last week's prompt to turn in a story she wrote. It came from a wellspring of deep emotion, and revealed with great honesty (and bravery) a moment of vulnerability in her life. She wrote it with skill -- and a metaphor that anchors the entire story. What's a metaphor, you ask? How does it differ from a simile? Find out on episode 12. I also share a story I wrote that uses several different metaphors, contrasting but building towards a single concept.
T...
2020-06-1109 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 11: Write From Your HeartIn Episode 11 of Cutting Chai Stories, host Jayati Vora shares a short story she wrote more than 3 months ago, which feels very relevant today. Sometimes it's not about agonizing over every word, but about writing from a wellspring of emotion. The words flow more easily and you know just what to say. For the writing prompt, I ask you to dig deep and let yourself be vulnerable. This is an intense one, folks. Be warned.
2020-06-0406 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 10: All Writing is RewritingIn Episode 10 of Cutting Chai Stories, Jayati Vora goes back to her roots: editing. It almost never happens that your first draft is perfect. Sure, sometimes the inspiration flows and you're in the zone, but after you sleep on it and look at your words with fresh eyes, inevitably, you'll see flab you can trim, words that stand out but not in a good way, or it just doesn't read as well as it could. Embrace it! This is your opportunity to polish your writing and make it better. In episode 10, I read you the unedited and edited drafts...
2020-05-2808 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 9: Amadou Diallo gives writing tips from the world of sci-fiIn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, I speak with my friend Amadou Diallo, a journalist and fiction writer whose work has appeared in media outlets such as the New York Times and the PBS Newshour. In another life, he has also had careers as both a musician and a fine art photographer. A few months ago, a short story he wrote, "The Countdown," was published by the Times' Sunday Review (read it here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/03/opinion/amadou-diallo-the-countdown.html). He shares a great tip for how to write sci-fi without getting overwhelmed; he exp...
2020-05-2109 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 8: The Day A Tennis Ball Came AliveOn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, it's a twofer. You get my analysis, and a story by my sis, Rachita Vora, based on a prompt from Day 1 of my five-day free creative writing challenge. That day, we talked about the imagination and how to let it loose. Cultivate our inner child. I discuss the techniques Rachita uses in writing her story, including being specific, using repetition, metaphor, personification, and more. It's a lot to unpack, in a good way. This week for your weekly prompt, write about a moment of change or transition.
...
2020-05-1409 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 7: Tammy Kim Shares Her Writing TipsOn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, we have a very special guest. Tammy Kim is a magazine reporter, a contributing opinion writer at The New York Times, and a retired social justice lawyer. In our conversation, Tammy shares her top creative writing tips, where she looks for inspiration, and a writing prompt for you. As always, if you feel inspired to write a short story under 100 words, do send it to me at cuttingchaistories AT gmail DOT com.
Resources:
Tammy is co-host of the podcast Time to Say Goodbye, which talks...
2020-05-0709 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 6: A Love Letter To The Place You LiveOn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, you get two stories based on last week's prompt: being grateful for something about the place you live, and writing a love letter to your town, city, neighborhood acknowledging your gratitude. Jayati writes about community, and Deeba Syed writes a love letter to her hometown (also Jayati's hometown) of Bombay aka Mumbai, India. Learn about stream-of-consciousness writing and how a flow of thought can impact pacing. The writing prompt for next week is to think of a song, any song, and write a story of under 100 words inspired by...
2020-04-3009 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 5: Recipes and Writing What You KnowOn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, everything you need to know about Jayati's FREE five-day live creative writing challenge on Facebook and Instagram. Join her at 12 p.m. EST every day for five days from Monday, April 27th, to Friday, May 1st, for about 45 minutes to an hour. On Facebook, she will live in her group, Cutting Chai Stories. On Instagram, you can follow her at her page Jayati Vora. You can catch replays later, but if you follow along live, you can get feedback on your stories and on Day 5, Jayati will give away...
2020-04-2308 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodEpisode 4: Looking for TreasureOn this episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora, we'll talk about building description into your writing, and how that can be different from just using adjectives. You'll hear two mini stories sparked by last week's prompt of looking for treasure, one by me and one by Shabnam Faruki. And you'll get a writing prompt for next week: Write a mini story, 50 to a 100 words long, about a recipe. It could be in actual recipe format, with ingredients and instructions, or you can use the idea as a springboard. If you write something, do send it to me...
2020-04-1608 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodCutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora: Episode 3This week we talk about how to make an impact with the simplest of words, how to use contrast effectively, and the power of a twist at the end. Thanks to Trushna Jhaveri for sharing her story that imagines the first day out after being under lockdown for the rest of 2020. And here's a writing prompt to kick off your mini story: Write about a time that you discovered treasure. It could be something physical, or something abstract. What does treasure mean to you?
If you do write something and feel like sharing it, or even if y...
2020-04-0910 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodCutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora: Episode 2Imagine a world where we were all locked down for the rest of the year. What would the first day of freedom look like? That's the thought that prompted these two stories, one from me, and one from another writer. Get some writing tips to help you write your own mini story, the perfect length to enjoy over a half-cup of Indian tea, otherwise known as cutting chai.
2020-04-0206 min
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels goodCutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora—Episode 1Cutting chai, a half-serving of chai, is for those in-between moments—a caffeinated gulp without the guilt of multiple cups. Join Jayati Vora as she shares her short stories, roughly 30 seconds long, about topics as universal as friendship, nostalgia and loss, and as quotidian as parenting or the quiet beauty of a walk in spring. Each episode also features a writing prompt for listeners. Episodes air every Thursday.
2020-03-2305 min