1.
What has your writing journey
been like?
I
started out rather late in life,
after tying myself in knots for years as a bank manager and mother. All
those
experiences came back to inspire me when I finally began writing.
Leaving a demanding career to care for my growing son, was the best
thing I ever did. Today he’s my best buddy and most constructive critic.
Publication
of magazine features and opinions columns happened in due course.
Honing the craft of fiction and getting stories published, was a greater
challenge. On-line
writing groups also broadened my horizons. Apart
from polishing oneβs creative talents, they offered great intangible
rewards . In the course of critiquing, I grew friendly with fellow
writers from all over the planet, who make my special list of fabulous
people.
Tell us about the genre you
write in, and what inspired you to choose it. What is a genre that you find
intriguing enough to try which is currently outside your comfort zone?
A
story needs to be told, and it chooses its own place. This often lies
in the perceptions of readers and editors, rather than some conscious
design on the author’s part. I once wrote a speculative story based
around Surpanakaha from the Ramayana. When I posted it on a writers’
workshop, an US zine editor felt it ‘fitted in’ with her focus on a mix
of horror and erotica. Then it surprised me further by almost making it
to an antholgy of erotic fantasy.
ever willing to experimented with diverse approaches. Much of my
published work would be literary short fiction or children’s fiction.
But my stories have also been accepted into anthologies of paranormal
stories, mystery stories and love
stories for young adults.
take a sporting attempt at anything. But I’ll pass the challenges of
picture books, graphic novels and comics for the time being.
critiquing partners and ideas here. I found a classy and very supportive
publisher for my book, Riddle of the Seventh Stone on line, when my
proposal won the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (Mumbai) on-line open book pitch.
my short stories in literary journals and anthologies have resulted
from calls for submissions posted on the Net. My most recent story in
‘Behind the Shadows‘ is a great example. The editors Zukiswa Wanner and
Rohini Chowdhury selected our stories from hundreds submitted on line.
The writers are all of Asian or African origin, and hail from far
corners of the planet. But we are all connecting, and our book is out
because of the Internet.
net has also helped connect me with readers. A spontaneous note of
appreciation from a reader is the writer’s greatest reward.
What are your views on
self-publishing vs traditional publishing?
never attempted to self-publish. The idea seems quite daunting to me,
though I see it working wonderfully for some writers. I see
some excellent manuscripts being rejected through the traditional route.
Self-publishing is a boon in such cases, for bringing good books before
readers.
What is the last book you
loved reading? Why?
If you had the chance to speak
directly to your ideal reader, what would you say to them?
I could connect with this ideal reader, I would take the back seat and
allow her to speak instead. My writing does much of the talking for me. I
would want to know her gut reactions and honest feedback. This would
help me become a better writer.
Sahu is a former banker. Tired of managing money for others and not
making pots of her own, she took to writing. She still doesn’t have
money, but she did have a whale of a time writing her fantasy adventure
for young readers, ‘Riddle of the Seventh Stone’. Her short fiction for
both adults and young people has been widely anthologised in India and
abroad. She enjoys concocting tall tales, and can also dash off opinion
columns on deathly serious subjects. She lives in Bangalore with her
extended family of people, a vintage PC, and countless arthropods, who
inspire her stories. Catch up with her at @monideepawrites
———
Having heard Monideepa, and learned about her ideal reader and her writing, would you like to talk about yours? If you met your ideal reader, what would you say to him/her?
Damyanti, thanks for this post π I seem to be encountering some of those ideal readers right here! I'm so happy to get in touch with you all through this forum.
Interesting read. The fact that a writer seeks feedback from her/his readers is wonderful. There are times one feels like sharing so much with the writer after reading a book…..
Nice to see you on indiblogger…
Thanks…I think Monideepa is a writer with a wonderful attitude. Nice to meet you on Indiblogger as well.
Nice post. I do not know many writers, but Manideepa Sahu sounds impressive. Thanks.
She is. You can pick up some of the books she is published in on Flipkart, as well as her fantasy adventure novel for children.
great answers! never sure what i would say to my readers…so many questions… new follower, hi! great blog here!!
Thanks for the follow, Tammy! If I met my ideal reader, I think the first question I'd ask them is what books they have read, and what's on their shelf. I dunno if I'd have anything to say to them, much like Monideepa. I think we writers say most of what we want to through our writing.
I'd never heard of her, but I'm impressed by her answers to your questions. Her letting the reader speak to her was an interesting answer that would not have occurred to me.
That was my favorite answer too, as you can tell from the title of my post. π
It's always interesting to hear another writer's story. The reasons for writing are varied and our path to the discipline of writing does enrich us if we're open to learning.
Yes, DG, agree. We cannot afford to stop learning, ever.
I always listen to my readers – they guide me in what to write next.
Alex, wow, you get your ideal readers to guide your work π
Well I have met my blog readers and we just chatted about normal stuff really, including my blog of course, and how I got it so far.
That's nice to know. My ideal readers, those I've met, are now my beta readers.