How is your typical Day@Work?

One of the advantages of being a writer is it is ~not your 9-to-5 job~. You never know when an idea comes to your mind - as and when something pops up, I grab my phone and type it in or start scribbling it in my book. But putting these random ideas into a cogent, coherent piece of work for others to understand (and appreciate) will need time, effort and even research at times.

What inspires you to write?

Two things inspire me to write - 1. Reading & 2. Talking to people. Voracious reader and Bibliophile are better words to describe me better than writer or author. Most writers will say "To write you need to read", and "You should write what you would want to read". The bedtime stories I was told, the villages I have visited have all given me plenty of ideas and thoughts to write about.

Talk us through your first book - understand that's the hardest and the most overwhelming.

Right from when I was a kid, I have been writing - it began with my dad giving me writing prompts and ask me to write about random topics. The idea to write however came to me when I took maternity leave after the birth of my son. I had read so much by the time that I was almost afraid I would lose interest in reading and to fill the void I started taking my writing seriously. For my first book, I had written close to 3-4 notebooks, which obviously need to be edited - as a writer, you are never satisfied with what you have written, and you constantly edit your work. It was my family which finally convinced me that the book was robust enough to be published.

Writing as a full-time job?

JK Rowling was on the verge of bankruptcy when she wrote the first pages of Harry Potter - the legend goes she wrote the first lines on a tissue paper at a cafeteria. Not meaning to dissuade any of you - but what you need to realize is for every successful writer you know, there are plenty of writers who don't make it, who we never hear about. Notwithstanding this, today, it is possible to sell your work on digital platforms, right from the time you are school - all you need is some right marketing to the right audience. Besides, writing doesn't stop at writing a book - screenplay writing, script writing for movies and TV shows, technical writing are all coveted careers for those who are passionate about writing. But the key word is passion - if you are passionate about writing, you should definitely consider a career in writing.

Being a mother is a full-time job. How hard is it to write while juggling motherhood?

I don't wish to say I sacrificed anything in the process - moms routinely multi-task. I think it is something which comes quite naturally to most of us. Motherhood enables and empowers; it doesn't peg you back - my son inspires me to write; he is proud of the fact that I write - he goes around proudly saying my mom has published a book. At the end of the day, nothing satisfies you more than inspiring your child.

Your words of advice for those contemplating a career in writing

Almost all of us are blessed with the ability to think - some to think visually - and some to articulate in words what we think. Reading exposes you to new words - vocabulary which you can use to articulate in words what you think. So I strongly recommend reading to all those wish to write. Also, do bear in mind that the language of writing doesn't have to be complicated - simple is beautiful. So go ahead, start writing…