Quaid-e-Azam Writers Guild Award winning author Nasim Anjum, while talking exclusively to Daily Times, spoke about how she keeps the right work-life balance as a professional writer.
After interviewing the author of Ser-e-Bazaar Raqsan, I knew that my definition of woman writer would need to include many of the traits that have made Anjum one of the leading authors in Pakistan’s contemporary Urdu literature. Her artful characterization of ‘Neelum’ and ‘Mithe Sain’ bagged her acclamations while her creative writing has been subject of research at MPhil level in the Universities of Lahore, Sargodha, and Hazara titled ‘Nasim Anjum’s literary contribution’. She has authored five novels and five books of short stories. While on the surface it may seem she was an overnight fame-hit, her work ethic and writing career began at high school when she took up her first home project-a personal diary. Nasim Anjum is not only a short story writer or a novelist, but a critic too. She has also been writing Urdu columns on various topics. Moreover, Anjum has worked as a playwright for Radio Pakistan Karachi, which has broadcasted her numerous plays. The novelist Kainat, Nark, Patwar, Aahat and Ser-e-Bazaar Raqsan has been courageously writing about social injustice. Her short story books Dhoop Chaon, Aaj ka Insan, and ‘Gulab Funn’ has achieved tremendous acclamation from the readers and critics of Urdu fiction. What she is, is a damned hard-working woman whose sheer force of will, determination and endeavour – combined with a robust, literary talent – has taken her to the top of her profession. She has a remarkable skill of creative writing. Each of her books is peopled by powerful characters and each has a title that has more than the whiff of a typical Nasim Anjum style. Anjum is a contributing opinion writer for Daily Express.
How did you get started as a writer?
How I became a writer is sort of an amazing accident to me. I remember where I was and exactly the moment I felt some words coming to me and my heart almost ‘forced’ to have those written in my diary. What came as completed looked like a short story to me. I was so thrilled to know myself that this expression from the depth of my being felt alien to me. It took me tremendous courage to begin sharing them publicly, as if exposing my soul open to be judged or accepted and I hit publishing one by one.
Did you write as a child?
I was more of a reader than a writer when I was young. But I did like to come up with stories, and one of my childhood projects was a daily diary. I grew up as a sensitive child under the parenting of my strict father. He had very high expectations of me. Every time I tried to get over his scolding, I used to note all the happenings in a day of my life. Gradually, those notes turn into short stories and got matured as fiction. Initially, I wrote for children’s page in Daily Jang then in different magazines.
Describe your working day.
‘I was more of a reader than a writer when I was young. But I did like to come up with stories and one of my childhood projects was a daily diary. I grew up as a sensitive child under the parenting of my strict father. He had very high expectations of me. Every time I tried to get over his scolding, I used to note all the happenings in a day of my life’
I don’t know if I have a typical work day. Like a lot of writers, I have to be flexible and grab the time when I can. I like to write in the mornings when the mind is fresh. The rest of the day is spent reading, researching, and of course spending time with the family and friends. I am also columnist and that means I work at least a day a week with my mainstream stuff.
Please tell us a little about your professional career.
After completion of studies at University of Karachi, I went to work at Government College for Women, Karachi. I also worked for some years as editor and sub-editor in children’s “Chand Garhi” and for Sports International. I kept writing everything from essays to short stories and novels depicting our society and culture. But I realised fiction had always been my passion, so I left my editor’s job to dedicate my time as an author. I think I had the first inklings when I was in high school. Since then there have been five novels and five short story books.
Do you do much research?
All of my books revolve around the events in the society including corruption, injustice, terrorism, and women’s tainted fate. I research the original character I create in my books. They live in around me and within this society. I study them in-depth. The same is true of many of my short stories; they require little research beyond my own life. I’ve done a great deal of research and I do read a lot to explore the characters. When I do research for every book, when I’ve chosen an area of life, or emotion, or situation, that I need to know more about, I find people to talk to whom I do know. I’ve learned that even the people who look familiar are often the most surprising.
Where do you write?
I have tried many wonderful dedicated places to write and always end up at the kitchen table with any old pen and self-discipline!
Do you show your work in progress to anyone?
Although, sometimes I struggle to create the finest thing and I want to know-whether it is working, yet I don’t share my manuscript with anyone until I feel it’s completely finished for a formal presentation.
Do you prefer writing fiction over non-fiction? If so, then why?
I just love writing and don’t really feel strongly in favour of one of the other. They are both very different. The luxury of fiction is that you can make things up and can escape into your imagination. It feels like using an entirely different part of your brain and its fun and playful. With fiction the writing has to feel true to the characters, not the facts.
The writer is a multimedia journalist. She can be reached at [email protected] and Tweets at @TasneemShazia