Almost two decades ago (Omg! Has it been that long?), the First Born said to me, ‘Amma! You look like a writer, a journalist or something!’

He was still in school at the time, or may be just finished school and waiting to join the engineering college. We had been out doing some errands with me driving. I had stopped on the way back to drop something to be stitched at the tailor’s, crossed the road and slid into my seat when he made the remark.

An interesting observation. I don’t know what he based it on though. Was it my dress of the day? Was it a resemblance to someone who was indeed a writer? Was it a combination of factors he associated with writers?

Frankly, at the time I must admit, I didn’t give it much thought. But since it has happened again and again over the years, obviously not from the son but absolute strangers, I have begun to wonder, do writers have a look that identifies them as such?

As recent as last month, I was sitting outside the bookshop with my friends, yes the same one where I was mistaken for an author, waiting for the next talk session to start when a man walks up to us and asks, ‘Are you Cynthia…?’ I couldn’t catch the next part though it sounded like ‘Chandran’.

Here we go again, I thought, sure in my mind that I was once again being mistaken for the author Mary Sandhya. Both my friend and I replied in unison, ‘No!’ as neither of us were sure who he was addressing. He apologised and said in explanation, ‘You look like someone I know, Cynthia. She is connected with writing. She has short hair too.’

This is where I wanted to roll my eyes, but didn’t. What’s with all us short-haired people being lumped together as one? We are different people with different hair types and style, different faces, features, and personalities, different interests, dispositions, shapes, height, size…. you name it. We are individuals, not a homogenous group.

Anyway, I did not have time to go on a rant even to myself before the man came up with his next question: ‘What do you do?’

‘Me?’ I first made sure he was talking to me. ‘I am a homemaker,’ I replied, and for good measure added, ‘I am also a blogger.’

‘Ahh!’ he said. ‘You have that look. Of someone who writes.’

There it was once again. The look of a writer. Oh What the heck. Like they say, if you have it flaunt it. So henceforth I’ll be flaunting my writer-look. 😉

©️ Shail Mohan 2026