.Writers.on.Writing.
Get to know our authors, the foundation and heart of Yellow Arrow Journal, and what writing means to them through our monthly series.
.W.o.W. #80
Mansi Bhatia
Why did you submit this piece to Yellow Arrow Journal? Why this piece at this time?
This piece emerged from a season of deep introspection—a reckoning with old narratives, inherited silences, and the ways we unbind ourselves from the past. “In the Dark: Unbound, Unafraid” is about stepping into one’s own light after years of living in the shadows of cultural expectations. For me this essay felt like shedding the weight of inherited trauma while making space for a new way of being—for both myself and my daughter. I submitted it to Yellow Arrow Journal because UNFURL is a perfect match for this essay’s exploration of transformation, inheritance, and the intentional unmaking of outdated narratives. This piece speaks to the unique journeys women take when reclaiming themselves from cultural, familial, and societal conditioning. It aligns with the journal’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices—particularly those navigating complex cultural and generational identities. We are in a moment where motherhood, identity, and autonomy are at the forefront of cultural conversations. Whether in discussions about reproductive rights, intergenerational trauma, or the shifting expectations of women across cultures, this piece speaks to a collective reckoning—one that asks:
What do we carry forward and what do we leave behind?
How do we unfurl into our truest selves while honoring where we came from?
How do we rewrite the stories we inherit without erasing them entirely?
This piece isn’t just personal—it’s a reflection of a larger, urgent conversation about women’s agency, lineage, and self-definition. It’s about choosing to mother differently, live differently, and tell new stories that make space for freedom.
What period of your life do you find you write about most often?
I return to the in-between spaces—adolescence, early motherhood, moments of transition. The times when identity is fluid, when belonging, feels both urgent and unattainable. The times when everything felt like it might break apart but somehow held together. These are the periods that shaped me, and I find myself revisiting them in different ways, through different lenses, in nearly everything I write.
What does your inner writing voice tell you?
To let the words fall out, without self-censorship or judgment; to embrace the ugliness and the broken parts just as much as the beauty.
What book is on the top of your to-be-read pile?
Making Time: A New Vision for Crafting a Life Beyond Productivity by Maria Bowler.
Mansi Bhatia (Mansi) is a writer and creativity facilitator exploring themes of identity, human connection, and the ripple effects of kindness. Her work examines the complexities of motherhood, cultural boundaries, and personal transformation. She is currently writing a book on the intersection of art, storytelling, and everyday generosity, forthcoming from Schiffer Craft in Spring 2027. Through her work, she encourages others to embrace creativity as an act of self-trust and presence. She lives in California with her family.
An essay, “The Field Between Us” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Chicago Story Press. Mansi also has two essays forthcoming: “An Unwanted Inheritance: A Fractured Love,” which will be published by Pangyrus Literary Magazine, and “Easier to Let You Win,” which will be published by ManifestStation.
Yellow Arrow published Mansi’s essay “In the Dark: Unbound, Unafraid: in Yellow Arrow Journal UNFURL, Vol. X, No. 1, Spring 2025. You can find Mansi at littletokensbigripples.com or on Instagram @littletokensbigripples.