Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay “put away the call of her soul” to become a scientist, earning a PhD. in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology. But after two decades as a science writer, feeling grateful for her career wasn’t enough. Her debut novel, Chitra Demands to Go Home, was draftedin the car during her youngest kid’s tennis practice, and Raj proceeded to encounter the sheer vulnerability of fiction where you can’t hide behind rules, facts, or data.
Episode Highlights
Unique ways science storytelling prepared Raj for fiction
Moments of generosity that led to writing (and finishing) her novel
What happened when she accidentally showed up to an open mic night with nothing to read
First draft strategies: writing in the car and using a distraction-free typewriter
Navigating a story through ambiguity
How an ordinary conversation with her mom planted the seed of her novel idea
Writing the realistic yet mythological mother/son relationship in Bengali culture
The surprising reaction from her LinkedIn community after announcing her book
The vulnerability of publication after a lifetime of meeting external expectations
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Nicole Gulotta. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Nicole Gulotta och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
