Dr Vidya Gangadhar is a Researcher in immunology and science writer, with a PhD from Indian Inst of Science, Bangalore. Besides being a researcher and writer she is also an artist and dancer. Apart from the fascinating workings of the immune system, her interests lie in art, music, food and more food!
Please tell us about yourself. Have you always been a writer?
I am a science researcher in immunology and being a researcher allows quite a few opportunities for being a writer. I have been writing for a long time and have published popular-science articles apart from research articles.
What drew you to writing as a career?
As a researcher I have always felt that any scientific finding should be made known to the lay person in a simple language. That was one important reason for me to take up writing. Besides, freelance writing is an excellent alternative carrier for people wanting to work from home.
Have you faced any hurdles in becoming a writer? How did you cope?
Not really. I guess time is the only limiting factor.
What kind of writing do you enjoy the most?
I like a simple style of writing. Though I mostly write science articles, I do like anything written with a touch of humour, be it about food, travel or a book review.
What is your favorite piece of writing? Tell us about it.
There are too many to specify here.
What kind of writing do you dislike? Any Turn offs?
Any piece of writing which tries to be too judgmental or tries to bias the reader without presenting the facts accurately (especially in science writing).
If writer’s block strikes, how do you cope with it?
Take a break and get back after a while. Once you take your mind off the topic, ideas somehow seem to flow in, as if a space has been created!
Do you prefer writing for yourself or to a brief for clients?
I have so far been writing for myself. But I guess it would be interesting to write briefs for clients too.
What is the best feedback you received about your work?
It was for an article I wrote for Deccan Herald about the GATE exam. Many students wrote to me saying it was well written and informative. It gave me great satisfaction upon achieving the purpose for which I wrote that article.
Who is your biggest critic? What has their most valuable piece of advice to you been?
I am my own critic. Ofcourse I do take feed back and suggestions from experts when I need a second opinion. The most valuable and sensible piece of advice I received was, ‘keep sentences short and crisp’. That way one doesn’t lose out on the reader’s attention.
How do you see the internet changing the way writing works?
Definitely the net has brought positive changes in the life of a writer. One can reach out to more people. Hence there is better exchange of ideas.
What are your views about e-publishing? How has it changed things?
I haven’t had much experience of it yet. But it surely is a much faster and effective medium. Also creates more opportunities to aspiring writers.
What has writing taught you about life?
You can’t please everyone all the time, but you can try!
What qualities of yours do you think help make you a better writer?
Being observant and having a creative view of the word has always helped me not only in writing, but every other activity of life.
What inspires you to write?
Like I said earlier, I think science should not be something restricted to the laboratory. It should reach the common man. The common man deserves to be aware of technological advancements and scientific discoveries. And that can be achieved through scientific articles. Apart for that I also have a huge inspiration in my dad, who is a prolific writer.
What would your autobiography/biography be called?
I really haven’t given it a thought; I have a far way to go before I consider writing my biography!! But ‘An artist within a scientist’ seems an apt title.
What is your dream as a writer? Any publications you’d like to see your work in?
If I can convey science and health related news in an objective manner, I would consider that my small service to society. I hope to reach people with unbiased reporting of facts, without any sensationalism.
What kind of mistakes do you think new writers usually make?
I guess most beginners make one basic mistake. They think it is expected of them to use a very flowery and loaded language. I personally believe it is not necessary to excessively ‘decorate’ your writing with unnecessary ‘heavy-duty’ words! I think it is important to remember that more complex the sentence, lesser the interest it generates and lesser the information conveyed.
Do you have any advice for writers who are starting out on their careers?
It is very important to have clarity of thought and not deviate from the topic. But the most important trick is to use simple plain common sense!
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about yourself? Perhaps something interesting about you, that people are always surprised to hear?
I guess this is a question for a celebrity, which I am not. But one interesting fact I have realized is that my being an artist and dancer has given me an edge for creative writing. I look at topics in a more wholistic sense than as a piece of writing to be done.
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