Stepping out of your comfort zone!
My first book was an anthology of short stories set in Lucknow, Assam and Odisha, all places that I have lived in and which form an intrinsic part of me. The tales themselves were not autobiographical, but were definitely crafted from stories I had witnessed or heard of.
Soon after the release of "A Fly on the Wall & Other Stories', a person I respect tremendously, told me that while they liked my stories, it was evident that I was writing about things that I was comfortable with. The true challenge for a writer is to step outside her/ his comfort zone and write about the unfamiliar.
My second book came- The Awasthis of Aamnagri. More of Lucknow and familiar settings, a tad bit more personal. And still within my comfort one.
It was only when I started writing this book, with a working title of D-vorse, that I really gathered the courage to step out of familiarity and into a darker space. It made writing difficult, going against your natural instincts and grain. It also made it pleasurable and satisfying.
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