Author Interview with Dr. Ranjani Rao

 Talking has been a hereditary trait while listening to someone talk logic, I have cultivated very often. The writing world has myriad of ideas on how to get that pen running amok on your paper, on how the click-clacking of typewriter can be music to your ears. In these blog series, I bring forth to you words of wisdom straight from the horse's mouth-unadultered, unfiltered. 

More recently, on 15th Jan 2022, precisely I had the opportunity to interact with the vivacious author of Rewriting My Happily Ever After, Dr. Ranjani Rao. 

Ranjani, is a Singapore based writer who has recently self-published her first full length memoir. She is a scientist by profession and a writer by passion.

Talking about her writing journey, Ranjani says she is a self-taught writer having attended only few writing workshops to bring a method to her writing. Otherwise, being a science student, thinking, exploring and then writing came naturally to her.

Every writer begins as reader is her strong conviction. Reading books helps you identify with the various styles of writing, various forms of prose and then, you get a hang of your favorite genre and what you want to write on. She personally started out with writing for various prompts. Such writing prompts act as triggers and evoke dormant feelings of a writer. 

Post writing on such prompts, she began making her work public by posting it on various platforms. There was acceptance of her thoughts which fuelled her further work. Till that happened, she says, "Writing as a means of expression was always there but submitting work on various writing platforms and receiving feedback evolved writing as a means of connection." The thought had quite an impact on the audience who attended this interview. 

Ranjani advocates to be bold and accepting of one's thoughts and writing. She advices newcomers to not get bogged down by rejection. Rejections act as building blocks for a great story. As a part of her writing process, she travels to places absorbing cultures and ideologies. 

FEW TIPS FOR BEGINNERS:

- Try maintaining a writer's journal. 

- Read as much as possible. 

- Write everyday for at least 50mins uninterrupted in the morning. 

- Let ideas stay with you consciously before you bring them to paper.

- Giving than merely receiving is the key to build up a network of readers and supporters in the writing journey.

- Make a rough layout. An index of topics you wish to write on and then every morning pick what you want to write in detail.

On why she chose to write on such a sensitive issue of divorce in her life, Ranjani says that it was very necessary for her to address the elephant in the room whom till date she had not handled at full length. Also to open conversations related to divorce and to reduce the stigma of being divorced.

Though she had tided over the struggle of being a single woman again after 17yrs of marriage, She had not seen it in a different light and how positively it shaped her future. Writing this Memoir helped her to conquer her fears and emerge with a sense of pride in herself.

The interview flowed seamlessly from the orator's words to the listener's mind. As a parting question, we discussed why she chose self-publishing over traditional to which she smiled satisfaction and replied, "It gave me the power to tell my story the way I wanted without adding any unnecessary masala to make it sound like a gossip."

Thus, we were empowered to write and take the necessary steps to write our heart out.

P.S.- You can buy Ranjani's book here- mybook.to/happily-ever-after

Disclaimer- The blogger has received no monetary benefit for writing this piece. It solely focuses on learning and spreading camaraderie among fellow writers.