Seeking Fortune Elsewhere is a collection of original short stories by Sindya Bhanoo. With an emphasis on character-driven plot, the book details the experiences of Indian American immigrants and tackles themes of cultural differences. In this interview, we asked Bhanoo about her journey in writing, her life experiences and advice for aspiring writers.
What inspired the creation of this book? How much did your past experiences influence your writing of it?
I always wanted to write fiction, but for years I didn’t really know how to go about it. About twelve years ago, I just started writing little character sketches based on things I overheard, or that people told me, or that I read about in the news. Some of those character sketches eventually became stories, and some of those stories are in this book.
What do you want readers to get out of these stories, especially readers of different backgrounds?
My goal with every story is to explore some aspect of the human experience. I am trying to examine the lives of my characters very, very closely. I am trying to learn something about them, and through that process, myself. I hope that the reader experiences the same thing.
What led you to write a collection of short stories as opposed to another genre?
I can be very character-focused in a short story. A short story needs a plot, of course, but the novel form is more reliant on plot. I was a newspaper reporter, and in that type of storytelling — which is a public service really — story is central. Characters support the story. I like short stories because the opposite is true.
What did you learn through the process of writing this book?
Writing fiction requires a tremendous amount of observation as well as introspection. There are technical things to learn — point-of-view, structure, plot and all that — but without observation and introspection, fiction is impossible.
How did you tackle the themes of race throughout the book?
I don’t know that I did. I just wanted to tell the stories of my characters as clearly and honestly as possible. I wanted to see them as people, and I wanted my readers to see them as people.
Was it difficult to write about these subjects or did it come easily?
Difficult. Writing and easy don’t really go together, not for me.
How did you get into writing?
I started out a newspaper reporter and then made my way to fiction.
What, to you, makes a great story?
Character, character, character.
What are some of your all-time favorite books, writers, or role models?
I love Alice Munro, Jhumpa Lahiri, William Trevor and Yiyun Li.
What led you to picking writing as a career?
My love for hearing the stories of others.
What was your journey to becoming a published writer?
I spent about three years writing the stories in my book. Then I sold the book and it took another two years for it to come out. Some of the stories were published in magazines before that.
What piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Observe the world around you as closely as possible. Practice this daily. It will change the way you write.
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