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Ananya Sharma (Editor at Rupa Publishers)

About Her

Ananya Sharma is a publishing professional and an upcoming writer. With eight years of experience, she has worked with reputed publishing houses including Rupa Publications, Pearson and Ratna Sagar. Ananya is likely to bring out her first collection of poetry and debut novel, this year.

  • 1.
    What is the best thing you love about your work?
    Everything—Letters, literature, logic and load…
  • 2.
    You mentioned on your blog about a work of fiction you are working on, share a bit about that with us. When do you foresee its completion?
    Well, that is a tough one! Sometimes, editors, who are writers, get so engrossed in helping others realize their dreams that their own dreams take a back seat… As for the project, the draft is ready, so a major bit is done; however, what remains is equally challenging and demanding…The book is a play set in the last lap of the twentieth and the early twenty-first century with a contemporary Indian backdrop. It is the story of the dilemma faced by three generations of average Indians in an era in which the world shrank under the Internet umbrella but problems surged. It explores the challenges that Indian youth faced and continues to face, among other overlapping themes including love in the twenty-first century and surrealism.
  • 3.
    I love the line form one of your poems, ‘you wish, you knew me. I wish, you wished!’ beautiful thought. Are you compiling your poetry too? Who are your favorite poets?
    Thank you! I am happy that my work is being liked. Although, the fact is that I have not published a lot of it, yet. I have always believed in the magic of poetry, however, I have not touched its realm in entirety. Therefore, not compiling poetry as of now… However, ‘spontaneity’ is the one word that goes hand in hand with poetry. Having said that I may surprise myself by bringing out a compilation before the play comes out! My favourite poets include P.B. Shelly, William Wordsworth, Robert frost and William Shakespeare.
  • 4.
    What are your responsibilities at Rupa publications? What do love the most?

    A host of things…right from reading and evaluating manuscripts to seeing them off to the press.The pleasure of holding a published book—a product of creativity and sheer hard work—in your hands for the first time and its fragrance is a joy, none other but the author and the publisher would know! And this is what I like the most!

  • 5.
    A day in the life of Ananya Sharma?

    That is easy:

    • dream,
    • dream a little more,
    • help others to get to their dreams,
    • work a little towards my own dreams,
    • dream again; and repeat!
  • 6.
    What genre do you love the most to read, share some of your favorite books.

    I like plays and prose alike: As You Like It, Candida, Julius Caesar, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, A Prisoner of Birth, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Iliad, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, David Copperfield, Jane Eyre, The hunger games and False Impressions, among others.I have read them over and over again, many times. It gives me great pleasure to pick them up every now and then…

  • 7.
    What genre trends do you see in the Indian Publishing industry in the next 4-5 years?

    Though prose and poetry seem to dominate, ‘poetry’ and ‘digital space’ are the buzzwords…And 4-5 years is a long time…

  • 8.
    On a personal front, what does a weekend mean to you? Your favorite pastime?

    Weekend means more time with friends and family and a lot more sleep than usual!There is hardly any free time to pass; but if would be, I’d read or watch a movie.

  • 9.
    There is one question that I throw at all my guests (laughs), what is your favorite non-alcoholic drink?
    Water!
  • 10.
    What are the key points that an aspiring author of ‘The Write Scene,’ should keep in mind to enhance their chances of finding an agent or a publisher?
    There is no thumb rule to excellent writing or finding a literary agent. But here are a few things that will help you with both.

    • Content, content and content
    • Style and presentation, and
    • Humour and simplicity

 

Ananya Sharma (Editor at Rupa Publishers)