interview with Anjana Chowdhury

My second guest is Anjana Chowdhury. Anjana is a British Asian writer, currently living in Grenoble, France.


JANE: What sort of things do you write?

ANJANA: Short stories, novels



JANE: What made you start writing?

ANJANA: I had always written poems, short stories and diaries as a young girl, but when I was approaching my 40th birthday, I realised that somewhere along the way my writing-self had disappeared in being a wife and a mother. I was determined to return to writing, my first love. A shadow of a character appeared in my head and a novel began.



JANE: What does writing mean to you?

ANJANA: It’s like having a secret lover. It’s a hidden passion, full of highs and lows.



JANE: What situations/environments inspire you?

ANJANA: When I meet other writers who talk about their work, cafés where we can write together or alone, people watching or simply listening to conversations in the street.



JANE: What has been your highest moment writing-wise?

ANJANA: An agent saying that I write well. Winning a short story competition.



JANE: What has been your lowest moment writing-wise?

ANJANA: Realising that I needed to rework my novel, which in reality meant ditching/abandoning ten years of work and writing a completely new novel- a daunting task.



JANE: As a poet once said: the worst thing is to be admired through being misunderstood. What has been the least encouraging comment?

ANJANA: To be told my novel is autobiographical when it is not. I worked hard to create the characters and plot, but since it was written in first person people assumed it was my life story. My mother was shocked to read that I had cheated on my husband!



JANE: Do you have a routine where your writing is concerned?

ANJANA: I don’t follow a strict routine but I have a minimum word limit of 500 words per sitting. I write when I am free - mornings or afternoons. On Wednesday mornings a group of us meet at a café and we write together. It works very well as it feels like a proper job, with colleagues to share a scene with or ask a question. It feels less isolated.



JANE: What do you consider the pitfalls of writing to be?

ANJANA: Frustration. Writing is not for the faint hearted. It can take years of pouring your heart and soul into a project, during which you do not earn a penny or any recognition.



JANE: What are the good things about writing?

ANJANA: It’s a narcotic. Once you are hooked there is no return to normal life as you know it.



JANE: What advice would you give someone wanting to become a writer?

ANJANA: Read books that really inspire you. You can learn your craft from other writers. Find your own voice and write. Be prepared to accept criticism.



JANE: Which published/unpublished writers have inspired you most

ANJANA: Published authors, just to name a few- Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth, Anita Desai, Graham Greene, Albert Camus and all the classics. Unpublished authors - Jane Riddell, A. Wickens.


JANE: Re the saying, ‘people ask for criticism but they only want praise’, is this true for you?

ANJANA: It’s important to have both.



JANE: What are the drawbacks of asking someone to read your work?

ANJANA: They may not share the same taste in writing or have the same vision. On the other hand they can spot a mistake, which you as a writer may not be able to.



JANE: With the ever-advancing internet access, how do you see the publishing business developing in the future?

ANJANA: There will be more e-books. It will be harder to get published in paper.



JANE: How did/do you teach yourself to write?

ANJANA: I learn from other writers and although I have a great dislike of “how to” books, one can find some good tips to bear in mind.



JANE: What aspect of the craft do you think is most difficult to learn?

ANJANA: Voice and style. Showing and not telling.



JANE: Have you ever suffered from writers’ block and if so, how did you get over it?

ANJANA: At 40,000 words in my first novel, I was completely stuck. I stopped for a few months and returned to normal activities. I then reread the draft and it seemed to flow once more. Sometimes you need to get out and live life to be able to write about it.



JANE: Have you needed to make any sacrifices to allow you to write?

ANJANA: I have the luxury now of not working full time. I found that I wrote best during the years I worked part-time, thereby carving out a time for myself.


Thank you, Anjana, and the best of luck in getting your novel published.