This is the most exciting time to be a writer in India, says author Nandita Bose

Her passion for writing clearly comes across in her work and the literary organisations she is involved in. Bangalore-based Nandita Bose gave up her career as a HR consultant to pursue her passion. When her debut novel Tread Softly was sold out at the Lucknow Book Fair, Nandita knew that she was on the right path.

She has a PhD in Aesthetics from IIT, Mumbai, and has been teaching in colleges over the years as well. She's one of the few contemporary woman writers in India today who prefer not to write for the so-called 'intellectuals' of society for but the average man or woman. In an exclusive chat with dna, Nandita talks about her latest work Shadow and Soul, books and more.

A PhD in Aesthetics from IIT, Mumbai. Does your education influence the way your write?

While I had the greatest fun working towards my PhD, it actually renders me unemployable as there are so few opportunities to teach Aesthetics within formal academia. For about 17 years, I compromised and taught Literature in various colleges. The desire to teach those whom the system ignores or alienates brought me to the career of writing. My education influences me. In my writing, I actually try and write like a sensitive human being who has probably cleared only her Class X because I think somehow as a society we have learnt to only appreciate or talk about uber intellectual books that frankly only wannabe coterie actually read and flog onto the rest of India.

How would you describe your writing? 

I would like to have my obituary say: nobody wrote love stories like Nandita did! Though so far my focus has been on romantic love; I do want to spread the word that love alone is central, is all that matters. Each reading of my books is an emotional journey because I quite ruthlessly dissect our saddest moments, our deepest failings and insecurities. I am unashamed to say I write primarily for women. I think mainstream intellectual writing or even popular fiction in India totally ignores the specific reading needs of mature women in terms of subject matter or writing style.

Do you deliberately focus only on characters in your books rather than other aspects?

Since my books deal with intimate spaces within relationships, a lot of it has to do with my characters’ lives. I would like to say the most important thing in a book to me, is the writing itself: engaging, crystal clear and not intrusive. On to that loom, I try a perfect weave of persona, plot/ drama, background, style, message and subtle humour.

What's your latest book Shadow and Soul about?

Though I primarily write relationship stories, I like to map the creation of opportunities and growth for women in my stories. Devika, around whom this story is centered, is neglected, unhappy and an unfulfilled wife and mother like many we see or know. She finds companionship, sparkling conversations, an introduction to art and then intimacy through a much younger guest. Explorations of the river nearby, film making, the rigid boundaries of marriage and their transgressions of it all underpin their love story.

Are books a dying medium today?

Maybe true for the rest of the world. In India, on the contrary, I think more and more people are buying books and reading today than ever before. This is the most exciting time ever to be a writer, as huge amounts of people are looking for the books we write. At every event I go to I find amazing minds, inquisitive and knowledgeable about my books asking very smart and pertinent questions.

What's your advice to parents to get their kids hooked onto books? 

My older daughter had refused to transition from her coloured picture books to the boring world of ‘old people books’ that she called novels. I ignored it and steadfastly went about buying her books she would not read for more than a year. I never asked her to read them. Just filled up the house with them and made sure she saw us reading often too. One summer she just learnt to lie in bed with stacks of munchies around her and read through the lot. Taking away the iPad helps too!