Subhechcha Ganguly 
Ria Chowdhury is a Senior Research Associate at a writing services organisation. She is also an independent researcher and an Author. She did her post-graduation in English Literature from Banaras Hindu University. She has been writing since she was 12, and her short stories, poems and research papers have been published in several international journals and magazines.
Q1) Tell us when you felt inspired to set your foot in the writing field.
Ans: I started writing early, but even before that, I started reading. Reading and building a library was one thing I inherited from my mother. My family, especially my mother, were the ones who introduced me to the world of Literature and good cinema. This inspired me to observe and think. The first poem I wrote was in Bangla, my mother tongue, but gradually I moved to write in English because English has been my medium of education, so it became easier. Slowly I was introduced to books like Alice in Wonderland, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and The Time Machine, which heavily inspired me to imagine and think. That is how I got into writing. Even though I started publishing my work very late, I have been writing all my life. Both fiction and non-fiction thrilled me. I was always in awe of the imagined realities that authors could create, and I was equally thrilled by the amount of detailed research non-fiction writers executed. Around 15 years of age, I started writing a book in my journal, and I can still recall the joy of writing a story. Everybody needs a purpose to hold on to living, and taking unspoken realities and presenting them in fiction has been mine. The moment I realised it, I wanted to write. I also wanted to keep writing when I, for the first time, witnessed my name in print. It felt like a responsibility.
Q2) Do you feel the competition for writers has increased in India? Are private publication houses compromising on content, according to you?
Ans: Yes. I do believe that writing as a profession is competitive in today’s scenario. Competition also depends on what you write, in what position you want to see yourself, and the sole purpose of your writing. A poet publishing their work in print finds it challenging to reach out to a vast range of readers like the “Instagram poets”. The age of social media has benefitted writers to market their books and express themselves to many readers, which is an advantage but the competition with writers has increased to a great extent. The facet of gaining the title of “best-selling writer” and monetising by social media is how a writer’s success is measured today. I believe this is the system’s structure today, and creative arts do not fail to fit into that category in today’s India.
There is no easy way to make a judgement on the publishing houses. The private or independent publishing houses are here for good and for the worst. Several publishing houses take up work from a business point of view, and there is undoubtedly a little compromise on the content and the quality. However, regardless of this, there are publishing houses that are a boon to the writers. Reaching out to large-scale publishing houses with unsolicited manuscripts can be challenging if you are a debut author. These publishers are of help in these scenarios. Moreover, several publication houses do not compromise on the content and have a tight scrutinisation process before they pick up work for publication and an author to collaborate with.
Q3) “Deciphering Prufrock – A Collection of Poetry and Personal Essays” is a book you wrote. Tell us how you got the idea for the book, and attach the link for purchase.
Ans: My first book, “Deciphering Prufrock”, has been a very personal and challenging journey. I have been writing poems and essays for a long time, and some significant themes are repetitive, like Postmodernism, Nihilism and alienation. As I realised I could cluster them into these themes, the idea of building a book evolved. It was both a gradually becoming decision and also a sudden one. I had been documenting my books in my blog posts for a while, but there had always been an inclination to publish traditionally in print. Digital platforms are essential, but an ardent reader celebrates the essence of a physical book. All of these played their roles in ideating the book. The initial idea did not include collaborating with an illustrator, but as I researched for ways of presentation, it seemed to me like a very viable idea. That is almost how the book started.
Amazon Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3MU3ZMd
Q4) What challenges have you encountered in the writing process from the first stage of ideating to the last stage of publishing?
Ans: The initial challenge was my expectation. Before you start a project, you have an expectation or a set goal. That isn’t easy to suffice at times. After the ideation, as I started working on it, I believe the writing, editing, and curating is the most liked part of any writer. However, things got technical when I had to accumulate all the available resources. Finding a suitable publisher, finding an illustrator and editing the final draft is usually overwhelming. Publishing a book is a collaborative process, and some instances, might seem difficult. However, proper research makes the process less challenging before deciding and finalising any aspect.
Q5) What would be the advice you would want to give to the young writers of today?
Ans: There is no one way to follow. Every writer has their journey. My practice is to learn from everything and everyone that is around me. The ability to communicate and observe creates the “writer” in you. It is wise to write about things one believes in and feels the need for and not for attaining any position or target. Trying to understand oneself is another way. So the journey towards growth and the journey within is all that matters. Reading a lot helps a writer to gain perspectives of people from around the world. Reading also helps a writer develop a style of their own. It is also important to have a dialogue with oneself. I would also like to add that to be a writer one must not fear failure or rejection. Several publications, journals, and magazines will reject you, and that never means a commentary on your writing. It means it’s somebody else’s chance today. With rejections, you can grow. A journal that wished to get published rejected my stories for two years but in 2020, two of my stories were published by them. I was given a column to publish my poetry and also received an honorary mention. A writer never loses. You win once you chose to write!
