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Author showcase: Sneha Narayan

Here are a few of our questions to Ms. Narayan about reading, writing, and process. She lives in Bangalore, India. Her short stories have been featured in Indian publishing channels like The Blacksheep and The Written Circle.

Are there any books on craft or writing exercises you recommend?

I opt for mindful, concentrated reading of short stories. I notice structure, plot, and character tricks that the author has used, and I make it a point to note them down. My favourite resource is the New Yorker Fiction Podcast and LeVar Burton Reads – both have some lovely short fiction and discussions.

As of now I don’t have favourite genres or authors. I usually read everything, and I fall in love with little titbits – like a side character, or an unusual story arc that explores the human mind, or a single line of dialogue. The God of Small Things by Arundati Roy, One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, and The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri are books I think about often.

Could you describe your experience with collaboration?

My three closest friends from college. They have had to deal with the worst of my first drafts (oops!), but I can always count on them to give me honest feedback.

What are some motivations for your storytelling?

I want to say something profound like We are the stories we tell ourselves and I want to be a voice for stories that have been silenced, but really, storytelling just keeps me sane. I experience creativity and the need for storytelling as a fierce urge to do something with the painful, confused, ambiguous feelings rushing through me. I started writing stories because I had no idea where to put these feelings. Over time, this (slightly unhinged) drive has calmed down to a profound connection with stories. I love what stories say about human existence, and I am constantly chasing that feeling. That’s my motivation for storytelling – the smallest to the grandest stories open my mind to what it’s like to be human.

What is your favorite independent bookstore?

Everybody who lives in Bangalore knows Blossom Book House. It’s an absolute treat if you’re a book lover. Shelves and shelves of books, as far as the eye goes. They sell second-hand books as well.

Ms. Narayan’s story, Bonhomie, here.

Follow her Instagram @instagram.com/neurotic_aesthetic/

Twitter @sneha_ha_ha_ 

Call for Summer Issue: essays and short stories

We will be opening for submissions this weekend. For our summer issue, we will specifically be looking for humorous work, lighthearted pieces, or works that explore the humor woven through struggles.