This month, we introduce you to Anita Saran - advertising professional, writer and Chillifreeze Course instructor.
Please tell us about yourself.
I am the published author of the short story, City of Victory, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2004; the e-book – a funny feminist fantasy novel, ‘Circe’ (I was interviewed by Z TV as India’s first e-book author at the time) published by Electric Umbrella, and which is to be published again by Mojocastle Press; Dolphin Girl and Other Stories; Aditya, The Underwater Boy which won the CBT award in the science fiction category and is still in print ; as well as numerous short stories and articles in newspapers as well as online. My first novel, I have been working as a copywriter (mostly part time) for about 28 years now in agencies like Ogilvy & Mather. However, my passion is writing fiction and I have just completed editing my fourth novel which is at present being read by a highly recommended Press – The Flying Pen Press. But the writing never ends as I blog regularly and continue to keep a journal (I began at age 15), and also revise/edit my fiction. Once I complete all my revisions, I will look at writing something new – perhaps another book like Aditya for young adults. I love writing fantasy. I think it is the greatest challenge for a writer because it requires imagination.
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing since I was 15.
How did you start writing?
I started writing when I began to keep a journal. I intended some day to turn my collection of journals into fiction, and I have succeeded. My first short stories when I was 15 were inspired by Harold Robbins’ ‘ A Stone For Danny Fisher’ , Georgette Heyer’s novels as well as Emile Zola’s ‘Nana’. I still have these stories and my handwriting was so much neater then!
What do you love about writing?
I love writing because – well, I love it. I can’t exist without it. I’ am driven to write. I love the way it helps me understand and clarify my thinking and attitude.
What is your favorite piece of writing? Tell us about it. Who are your favorite writers and what are your favorite books?
I can’t really point to just one piece of literature as my favourite. I have several. John Fowles ‘The Magus’ – a feat of the imagination and beautifully written with a great plot; Victor ugo’s little known novel – The Man Who Laughed, which I think is perfect on all counts – plot, style, theme; Tolkein’s Ring trilogy for its beautiful language and amazing creativity (the man was in his 80s when he wrote it – which gives me hope!); Peter S Beagles fantasy stories; Mark Helprin’s ‘A Winter’s Tale’; Tom Robbin’s ‘Jitterbug Perfume’; and many more.
What kind of writing do you hate? Any turn-offs?
I would never read Mills & Boons (I did check a couple out long long ago), and I have no head for mysteries and thrillers.
Did you face any challenges in your writing career? Tell us how you dealt with them.
Challenges? Yes, when I was writing ‘Circe’. There was a point in the plot where I seemed stuck but I opened that up by consulting the excellent book – ‘A Whack on the Side of the Head’ by Roger Von Oech, a book that my Advertising guru R. Sridhar of Ogilvy & Mather had introduced me to. After I did that, I dreamed up the solution!
Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do about it?
Writer’s Block? What’s that?
What is the best feedback you received about your work?
The best feedback on my work was the one I got from my excellent tutor, Dr. Hilary Johnson of the London School of Journalism during the correspondence Diploma course I was doing in The Advanced Short Story. As a serious writer I desperately needed professional feedback: was I as good as I thought I was? I was very happy when I discovered that I was. I had this pile of short stories that I sent her that I had already written, and she confirmed my belief that they were good stories. She was responsible for my transition into novel writing. Aditya was my first such venture – although it was only a novella. But it was enough to give me the hang of writing a novel.
Who is your biggest critic?
My biggest critic – rather my best critic, the one whose criticism I most valued was my tutor Hilary Johnson, closely followed by my Muse, Mr. Gordon Hindley, who believed in my ‘City of Victory’ story enough to offer to present it to the BBC in one of his trips to London. And today I see it’s on their list of Radio Choice. The story has become a novella today for which I hope to find a publisher. I show all my work to Gordon. He inspires me.
How do you see the internet changing the way writing works?
The internet has definitely changed the way I work and it can do so for any writer who is serious about his writing. Serious enough to join a writer’s workshop and learn from the criticism it receives. I belong to the well know Internet Writing Workshop run by the University of Pennsylvania. A writer can also have her own website or page where she can put up her fiction. This can act as her bio when she queries agents and publishers, even potential employers. I have one under construction right now where I put up samples of my work. The internet has also made it possible for me to earn money through writing online content – be they blogs or articles or short stories. I had done a lot of writing for the erstwhile Indya.com in its hey days. I think that a writer must have a website or a page of her own.
What has writing taught you about life?
Writing has taught me to look deeper into myself which is the very purpose of life. We are, after all, spiritual beings in physical bodies, and I can see how my themes have changed as I have. I have explored my philosophy of life through my writing. Such as my tendency towards narcissism in my short stories. Today I explore my True Self through my work.
What inspires you to write?
My life inspires me to write. Writing is an exploration of the self. Even science fiction and fantasy can be fuelled by one’s life and experience.
What would your autobiography/biography be called?
I use my life in my fiction. My autobiography could be titled – ‘The Sacred Onion’. Onions have many layers just like personalities. By discarding each layer of personality/character, one finally comes to the core, the True Self. Character is not the True Self which is immaculate. My goal is to find that core.
What is your dream as a writer? Any publications you’d like to see your work in?
My dream as a writer is to win all the most wanted prizes for literature that exist. But then again, maybe not, because I often see books that I don’t like being awarded important prizes. However, I’d like my work to appear in publications like the Granta Magazine, and others of literary repute.
What kind of mistakes do you think new writers usually make?
New writers often don’t pay attention to editing and revision. Many, perhaps most depend on editors to polish their prose for them. I don’t believe you are a true and good writer if you cannot edit your own work. New writers often fail to have a distinct theme in mind when they write their stories. A theme is most important. Once we have that in place, we know what to put in and what to leave out.
Do you have any advice for writers who are starting out on their careers?
I believe that the tutors I had in school made me what I am today as a writer. We used to have a composition class where you could write just about anything, and I often ended up writing stories which were read out to my seniors! I believe it is my story writing skill that has enabled me to become an award winning copywriter. Learn to write stories, and you can write anything, even non fiction.
Anita Saran offers a variety of Courses and Tests on Chillifreeze. Click the links to know more about them.
Ad Copywriting Course & Test
How to Begin & End a Short Story Course & Test
How to Begin & End a Short Story Test
Ad Copywriting Test
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