Draw upon a reservoir of idiosyncrasies when you write: Reetika Khanna Nijhawan
Reetika Khanna Nijhawan was born and raised in a small town in northern India. After receiving her degree in Psychology from Delhi University, she worked as a flight attendant with Lufthansa German Airlines and also contributed articles for some reputed magazines. Kismetwali and Other Stories is her first work of fiction — an octet of novellas that offers a glimpse into the parallel lives of the privileged and the penniless.
Which is the best opening line in a book that you have ever read?
The exquisitely crafted opening line by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, ripe with promise and intrigue — “It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love” — Love in the Time of Cholera
Which genre draws you the most as a reader and a writer?
Literary prose crafted in way of a short story is particularly appealing to me as a reader, and a writer. I enjoy succinct, intense stories that leave the reader surprised.
Who among the pantheon of writers (past/present) would you like to have coffee with?
A cup of joe with the nimble-witted wordsmith Margaret Atwood would be delightful!
Antidote for writer’s block?
Set the alarm for 3 am! I often go to bed with the intention of mulling over the circumstances surrounding my writer’s block while I sleep on it. The celestial early morning air laced with the promise of dawn washes away mundane and deprecating thoughts that censor imagination. Of course, for this strategy to be effective, one must putter around the kitchen at an ungodly hour to brew some strong Columbian coffee.
How can new/budding writers prevent rejection from turning into dejection?
Have the hide of an elephant, and the heart of a lion. Be thick-skinned in the face of rejection, and never give up.
Aspiring tip for young writers?
I recommend all aspiring writers to keep a journal — document anything that strikes you as remarkable. Draw upon a reservoir of idiosyncrasies and details when you write.
