These days I write on an antique, Edwardian ladies writing desk in a guest-bedroom-cum-study. I imagine women dressed in fine gowns, writing letters on this table. It inspires me because it is a tangible reminder of the social changes this desk has witnessed over the last century. Between writing spells, I read on a chaise longue by the window which offers a pretty view of the garden below.
Surrounding myself with books I love, or pamphlets from literary festivals where I have appeared, reinforces my self-belief. Every new piece of work is a challenge. It never becomes mundane. Often, a ritual helps. I light a joss stick and say a prayer in front of a brass idol of the Hindu god Lord Ganesh, Remover of Obstacles. The scent of the incense fills me with positivity. It’s my calming mantra.
I like to open my senses to the world outside: capturing the crack of laughter from open windows, breathing in lavender from my patch of herbs, being thrilled by the drama of a thunderstorm, or mellowed by a saffron sunset. When my senses are open, the emotions come flooding in and I write.
When I’m not at my desk, I jot down ideas on anything I can find—on my phone, on backs of envelopes, or notebooks. This is especially useful when travelling or waiting for an appointment.
Inevitably, life encroaches on our free time, but I try to snatch an hour or two a day on actual writing or writing related tasks. Promotion on social media, emails to event organisers, and preparing talks are just as important as working on a piece of fiction.
Every day is an opportunity to be creative, so I try not to waste it. Writers “write” in their heads all the time: people watching, eavesdropping or watching the news. Even when a single word hasn’t been written, we have absorbed life. To me, that’s writing.
Anjana Chowdhury is a British Asian author born and raised in India. She has spent many years in the UK, France and the Netherlands working in diverse roles as civil servant, travel agent, English language teacher and charity volunteer. Under the Pipal Tree, her debut novel, was shortlisted in the Yeovil Literary Competition 2014 and won the Cinnamon Press Debut Novel of the Year 2015. It was published in the UK by Cinnamon Press in 2017. She is currently seeking representation for her second novel No Missed Call, a domestic noir. Anjana talks about Indian culture and literature in libraries and literary festivals. She can be found on Twitter as @AnjanaC1. She has a Facebook Author page and two blogs: Saffron and Soliloquy. Under the Pipal Tree can be ordered from any bookshop, on Amazon.com, or directly from the publisher www.cinnamonpress.com.
