This presentation is meant to help the faculty and others who are aspiring to be an author but are hesitant to take the first step.

1. TO THE ASPIRING AUTHORS
A presentation by Maj Gen Nilendra Kumar
An effort for
Lex Consilium Foundation

2. THERE ARE COUNTLESS THOSE WHO
CARRY THE AMBITION TO BECOME A
WRITER
This presentation may perhaps help you how to
start in that direction

3. CREATIVE WRITINGS
Any writing that goes outside the boundaries of
normal professional, journalistic, academic or
technical forms of literature.

4. TYPES OF CREATIVE WRITINGS
1. Fictional
2. Non-fictional
FORMS
1. Novels
2. Short Stories
3. Biographies
4. Poems
5. Travelogues
6. Letters, and many others

5. ACADEMIC WRITINGS
Any writing assignment undertaken in an
academic setting. It is done to fulfil a
requirement of a college or university for
publications read by teachers, researchers or
presenters at conferences.

6. ACADEMIC WRITING
• Examples
1. Book
2. Chapter in an edited volume
3. Book Review
4. Conference Paper
5. Research Paper
6. Thesis
7. Translation
8. Case Studies
9. Power point presentations

7. DIFFERENT FORMS OF ACADEMIC
WRITING IN LAW
• Text book
1. For beginners
2. For senior Students
• Commentary
• Handbook for
practitioners
• Treaties
• Revised Edition of an
existing book

8. LEGAL WRITINGS
• A type of technical writing used by lawyers,
Judges, policy makers and others in law to
express legal analysis, legal rights and duties.
• Examples
1. Client Letters
2. Legal opinion
3. Petitions, plaints and memorandums
4. Draft statutes, contracts, notices, replies etc.

9. TO CLARIFY
This presentation is primarily concerned with
creative writing though the approach and tips
etc herein will apply for legal and academic
writings also.

10. YES, IT WOULD HELP YOU TOO
The presentation though primarily directed at
law faculty & scholars may also be useful for
others aspiring to be one.

11. LET US START
HOW TO SELECT A TOPIC?
Pick up anything that is worth writing about
Examples
• Go for a current issue.
• A recent debate on need for new law, or gap/
inadequacy in law.
• A latest judgment.
• A new bill introduced.

12. WHAT ALL TO INCLUDE
• An introduction or background.
• A summary of different dimensions.
• Relevant Legal provisions.
• Implications merits/demerits
• Significance of the topic
• Conclusion

13. HEADING OR TITLE
• Must invite and draw the reader to the piece
• Should be short.
• Must be visibly connected to the theme.

14. INTRODUCTION
• Needs to be written with special care. Apart
from heading, introduction will give special
attention to the portion that would induce the
reader to decide whether to continue.
• Intro may show relevance of the topic, or
innovatively lead the reader to the piece, it
must make an impact and lead on to what
follows.

15. TEXT
FORM AND APPROACH
• Write simple prose.
• Use short sentences.
• Correct grammar and spelling.
• Cross check facts and applicable legal
provisions.
• Adopt proper sequence and flow.

16. A SUGGESTION
• A simple text is one which is easy to
understand.
• Master the style to write biblical prose for its
simplicity, brevity and effect.

17. LANGUAGE & STYLE
Two relevant aspects
• Consider and remember what is target
readership.
• Find out policy/style followed by publications.

18. TIPS
• Cultivate habit of reading.
• To be a good writer, first be a voracious reader.
Acquire knowledge of subject and also how to
present it.
• Try to avoid use of same words again.

19. AVOID REPEATITION
“The secret of a good sermon is to have a good
beginning and a good ending; and to have the
two as close together as possible.”
-George Burns

20. “Writing is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent
elimination.”
-Louis Brooks

21. GUARD AGAINTS PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is the wrongful appropriation and
stealing & publication of another author’s
language, thoughts, ideas or expressions and
reproduction of them as one’s own original idea.
Maintain intellectual honesty

22. A CHALLENGE
An experienced and reputed author would make
even a complex and technical prose appear
interesting for a reader.

23. WHAT DO EDITORS OF JOURNAL’S
LOOK IN AN ARTICLE
• Interesting introduction
• Compact, logical and sequential prose
• Timely availability
• Text within 400 to 3000 words.

24. WRITING FOR NEWSPAPERS AND
GENERAL MAGAZINES
1. Text be prepared for a common reader.
2. Avoid Legal or technical words.
3. Highlights significance or relevance of topic.

25. JOINT AUTHORS
• Should be positionally and
temperamentally compatible.
• Divide the task and load.
• Examples
1. Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre
2. Gina Buonaguora and Janice Kirk
3. Kanga and Palkhivala

26. SPEED
• Be quick
• A magazine editor or publisher of books would
like to accept an early copy.

27. HOW TO SET ABOUT IT
PRACTICE
• Use social media to acquire expertise to
communicate effectively.
• Ask friends and colleagues to provide frank
and positive feed back.
• Don’t get disappointed by rejections. Try to
improve.

28. GO ON
“Teach yourself by your own mistakes, people
learn only by error”
-William Faulkner

29. CONCLUSION
“Whenever I’m asked what advice I have for
young writers, I always say that the first things
is to read , and to read a lot. The second thing is
to write, and the third thing, which I think is
absolutely vital , is to tell stories and listen
closely to the stories you’re being told”
-John Greene