Interview with the 2nd prize winner of the ITTP sponsored Post Workshop award at the Travel writing Workshop in Chennai
Meet Deepti Menon, the 2nd Prize winner of the “India Today Travel Plus” best writer award.
Deepti Menon is a freelance journalist working in Chennai. Reading, writing, dramatics, music and travelling are her passion, while teaching and interacting with youngsters is what has kept her young at heart! One of her favourite quotes is by James A. Garfield. “If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should not grow old.”
Congratulations on winning the Best “Spot” award for your writing sample and the India Today Travel Plus book at the Travel Writing Workshop in Chennai. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Thank you so much! I wrote my first poem at the age of ten, not because I thought of being a Nobel Prize winner, but because I was green with envy when my mother praised my best friend’s style of writing! Jokes apart, it was only then I realized that maybe, writing was in my blood. I also enjoy teaching, basically because it helps me interact with young people, a process that fills me with energy and warms the cockles of my heart.
How long have you been writing travel articles?
I have been writing all kinds of articles over the years… short stories, humorous pieces, interviews and the like. Having been an Army kid, and then an Army wife, I have had the tremendous opportunity of going around our beautiful country, sharing space with people from every nook and corner, and then writing about my experiences. It was in 2002 that I compiled all these articles and wrote a book called ‘Arms and the Woman’, which took a light hearted look at life in the Indian Army from a lady’s point of view. There, for the first time, I had a couple of chapters which talked about travelling and the places I had been to.
Why did you choose to attend a travel writing workshop?
Honing my travel writing skills seemed a good idea. I also wanted to meet new like-minded people during the workshop. In fact, many of us have kept in touch after the workshop and have plans of forming a Chennai forum, which should be fun.
Tell us more about your experience at the Chillibreeze travel writing workshop.
The Chennai Workshop was interesting in that David Juman turned it into an interactive session, making us part and parcel of the programme, while giving us fascinating pointers on travel writing. What was amazing was the great mix of people who turned up for the workshop, some even from Bangalore. The exercises on writing helped us focus on the different kinds of travel writing, and some of the pieces which were read out were really good. All in all, it was a good experience!
Is travel writing becoming increasingly popular in India as a career? Why?
How often we have looked at travel writers on television who seem to live magical lives, going around exotic places, sampling their sumptuous cuisine, and, best of all, getting paid to write about the whole experience… a dream come true! Today, more and more people have taken to travelling as a form of relaxation. What could be more satisfying in making some money out of this as well? I also feel that people have become more adventurous, even as the world is becoming smaller and more connected.
What are your thoughts about “armchair travel writing” or in other words travel writing without actually traveling?
We have all done it at some stage or the other. But nothing can beat a firsthand experience! While travel books and blogs can give you a lot of factual knowledge, actual knowledge comes from being able to see, touch, hear, smell, taste and thus, savour the ambience of the place you are visiting.
Do you personally prefer writing travelogues (in the first person) or feature travel articles (with tips for travelers)? Why?
I prefer writing travelogues in the first person as I feel that I have a chatty informal style that comes across better in describing my experiences. Frankly, I would be lost if I had to write a weighty tome on travel, as I would probably fall asleep half way through writing it!
Is there a difference between the styles of writing when you write travel content for an Indian reader versus a global reader?
There is definitely a difference. When I write about India for Indian readers, there is much I can omit as I can safely take it for granted that they already know about the place I am describing. Whereas in the case of global readers, I need to take them by the hand and lead them on a fascinating[hopefully] journey of facts and fiction!
There are so many travel guides and travel magazines nowadays. Do you prefer any particular style and why?
I prefer a style that falls between the formal and the informal, a style that is chatty enough to take the reader with you, but stops short of becoming a blog. I do feel that facts need to be incorporated into the article, albeit in an engaging way. Thus, the reader must be informed of what he needs to know about the place, but in a manner that keeps him wanting to read more!
What is the best feedback you received about your travel writing skills?
I was recently told that my sense of humour comes through in my travel articles, which makes them more attractive to readers. I felt nice when I heard that, as I fell that everything in life can be done better with a smile than a frown, a principle that I have tried to apply to my teaching as well.
Do you have any tips for budding travel writers in India?
In a way, I am a budding travel writer myself. What I have discovered is that travel writers must get all their facts first, and then they can distort them as much as they please [with apologies to Mark Twain]!
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Comments:
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I am looking for some freelance help from chennai for my planned tamil web portal. How to reach Deepti to check if she can help? any email to contact Deepti Menon?
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