Freelance writer Bhaswati Ghosh has worked as a television news producer and as an editor in two publishing houses. She has also been on the editorial board of a children's newspaper. Her work has been published in major Indian daily newspapers, in the United States, and on websites that include Chowk and the bimonthly online magazine, Seven Seas as well as on the food and writing blogs that she maintains. Making Out in America is her first book-length work.
What would you say are your main concerns as a writer?
In fiction writing, my major concerns are gaining a grip on the craft of writing, such as more show and less tell, writing convincing dialogue, creating real and enduring characters. The themes that concern me are those pertaining to the social fabric around me - a dynamic pattern that’s changing and throwing up new questions every day. Ordinary lives like my own interest me the most, and I write stories on how the existing and evolving social systems play themselves out in the day-to-day living of ordinary people.
In nonfiction, which also happens to be my source of income, my main concern is to widen the scope of my writing. I constantly educate myself to write about diverse subjects. I am still a greenhorn in the freelance writing trade and have a long way to go. Being an ardent learner, I am enjoying the journey.
How have your personal experiences influenced the direction of your writing?
All my writing stems from personal experiences, direct or perceived. The seeds of writing itself could have been planted in my subconscious both through genetic influence as well as from watching my grandma pouring herself out on foolscap sheets. A supportive school boosted my literary inclinations as did the extensive reading atmosphere at home (we have five or six huge iron trunks loaded with books and magazines).
Over the years, events in my life or in the lives of people around me have made their way into my writing. While I mostly write about what I know, occasionally issues that concern me at a deep level, yet are far removed in terms of geographic location (the Palestinian struggle, for instance), also form the raw material of some of my stories.
How many books have you written so far?
My debut book, Making Out in America, has been purchased by Cavern Press and is awaiting publication. The book is an anecdotal, humorous account of my brush as an outsider with everyday American lingo. The tone is informal, and the chapters are themed.
The book is different from the other things I have written in a number of ways. For one, its length. Most of my writing is short - articles, features, short stories. The other major difference is the subject matter. Most of my writing tends to be serious in nature and tone; the book is lighthearted and makes for easy reading.
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