Welcome to Cutting Chai Conversations, a heart-led writing community for South Asian writers.
If you’re reading this, you are probably a South Asian writer with South Asian ideas and conditioning around how you should use your voice. Chances are, you’re more than slightly familiar with the phrase “log kya kahenge” - what will people say?
This group is designed to help you shift focus away from that question, to turn it on its head: “mujhe kya kehna hai?” // “what do I want to say?”
Whether you’re working on a novel, essay, screenplay, poem, or something else entirely, the intention is expression. Your writing doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to solve problems and change the world.
It just needs to exist.
About the Group
About the Group
Cutting Chai Conversations is a unique space for writers to connect, build community, bounce ideas, explore creative avenues, and tap into their authentic writing voice. Currently, all offerings are virtual, but in-person is coming soon to the Los Angeles area.
The group is facilitated by me, Akanksha Aurora, a multidisciplinary writer across screenwriting, standup, shortform storytelling and live performance. What you create here is entirely up to you: you can work on one project for the entire six-week period or you can change what you work on every week.
Here’s what you can expect from our two hour sessions:
Dedicated Writing Time + PromptsWe’ll set goals at the beginning of our meetings, after which we’ll break off for 45-60 minutes of focused writing and/or outlining time. If you don’t have an active idea, don’t worry. I’ll offer prompts and outline guidance.
You bring your storytelling ideas, we brainstorm formats and expressions as a group. Is it a book, a poem, a standup set, a newsletter or a content piece? Is it something in between? Are you facing mental blocks about putting something out in the world? Get in here, we’ll figure it out together.
Ideas SoundboardEvery session includes time to offer and receive comprehensive feedback on your works in progress (or finished works) from a group familiar with the South Asian experience, and from me.
All members will also receive 1-1 feedback call with me at the end of the program to check in on next steps for your writing journey. Additional 1-1 hours with me will be available upon request, especially if you need focused guidance on one of my disciplines (standup, story, screenwriting.) More on that below.
Feedback SessionsWriters’ Group Offerings
Sundays, monthly
Don’t have time every week but still want a dedicated writing practice? This one’s for you.
Capped at five writers to ensure everyone can participate meaningfully.
BTW, if you can’t afford the sliding scale rate, please reach out and let me know. We can work something out!
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📝 Weekly 90-min sessions – A structured safe space to write and share ideas.
🗣️ Live story sharing – Practice reading your work aloud and receiving feedback in real time
🔄 Supportive and growth-oriented critique – Constructive notes from your peers
💡 Writing prompts – Writing prompts & exercises
📚 Resources & inspiration – Readings, podcast clips, and tips to inform your storytelling
👥 Private community discord – Stay connected between sessions and celebrate your wins
🌟 1-on-1 session with me – Personalized coaching to dive deeper into your story, goals, or next steps
Thursdays & Saturdays,
weekly
Weekly writers’ group on Thursday evenings & Saturday mornings.
Capped at five writers to ensure everyone can participate meaningfully.
BTW, if you can’t afford the sliding scale rate, please reach out and let me know. We can work something out!
-
📝 Weekly 90-min sessions – A structured safe space to write and share ideas.
🗣️ Live story sharing – Practice reading your work aloud and receiving feedback in real time
🔄 Supportive and growth-oriented critique – Constructive notes from your peers
💡 Writing prompts – Writing prompts & exercises
📚 Resources & inspiration – Readings, podcast clips, and tips to inform your storytelling
👥 Private community discord – Stay connected between sessions and celebrate your wins
🌟 1-on-1 session with me – Personalized coaching to dive deeper into your story, goals, or next steps
1-1 With Akanksha
One-Off Consultation
(Review + 60 mins call) - $100
Need in-depth feedback on a piece you're working on? I’d love to read it! I’ll read your work in advance and email detailed written notes, then we’ll meet to talk it through.
3 hour-long sessions for $250
For long-term projects, goal-oriented mentorship, mindset guidance, process building and personalized story development.
BTW, if you can’t afford these numbers but you’re interested in working with me, please reach out anyway and we’ll figure something out.
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💬 Personalized story development Find and shape your stories
✍🏽 Editing + structure feedback – Strengthen pacing, arcs, and emotional beats
🎤 Performance coaching – Polish delivery for stage, pitch, or video
🔍 Mindset + confidence – Uncover the “why” behind your story
🎯 Goal-oriented support – Prep for story slams, submissions, or public speaking
About the Facilitator
Akanksha Aurora is a multidisciplinary writer and standup comedian whose work brings light, levity, and richness to the third culture identity.
Professionally, Akanksha has written for Vulture, Disney and Moonbug Entertainment, and personally, she’s taken her stories all around the world to the Just For Laughs Festival (Toronto), the Risk! Podcast (Los Angeles), The Habitat (Mumbai) and Hyde Park Storytelling (Austin.) She is also the creator of the Cutting Chai, a creative nonfiction newsletter and web series about her experiences as a young immigrant.
Most recently, she performed at the Los Angeles Moth GrandSLAM and wrote a novella called “Chef’s Kiss,” a sexy caper about a sexy chef who had no idea what was coming for him.
Akanksha created this writers’ group, Cutting Chai Conversations, as a space for other South Asian writers to make writer friends, find their voices, and tap into their storytelling journeys.
Love for Cutting Chai Conversations <3
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This writers group was perhaps the most fun, creative and interesting experiences I’ve had as far as hobby/career groups are concerned. Every week I got amazing feedback, perspective and encouragement from all the group members. I got to listen to stories and anecdotes from such a talented and enthusiastic group of writers! I also got insight into so many different writing styles, and so much inspiration to try something new. Most of all, I love the community and support the group continues to provide me. 🫶🏽
- Rosemary T.
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I joined the Cutting Chai Conversations group to have a new space to meet other girls and get back into writing. It was so much fun! The fun of laughing with fellow desi girls, sharing stories, relating to one another for the exciting and depressing moments of life. As we wrote and shared our stories with one another for feedback, there was an understanding and a moment of being seen with these fellow girls. Akansha created a healthy, enjoyable, and open environment to freely share stories, poems, songs, and personal experiences. It felt comfortable to share my writing, receive feedback, and improve my story. It helped improve my perspective on how feedback should be shared and received while working on a story. If you are considering joining the writers group to improve your writing, meet new friends, have a new environment, or just to try something new. This is an enjoyable group to join. And no, there is no pressure to share your writing.
- Mehna D.