Judy is a freelance writer and full-time single mom of three year old Kiara. She recently quit her full-time job in advertising after working for a host of agencies in Chennai. Her writing remains versatile though her passion revolves around travel, food, non-fiction and song writing.
Please tell us about yourself. Have you always been a writer?
Writing has been my love and fascination for as long as I can remember. As a child I loved English as a language and enjoyed stringing words together even before they made any sense to me. I was clueless about my career when I left college, though in retrospect it seems like the answer was right under my nose. I sniffed around for a few months before entering advertising as a copywriter.
What drew you to writing as a career?
I didn’t enjoy anything more, so it seemed like the only natural thing to do.
Have you faced any hurdles in becoming a writer? How did you cope?
I don’t know about any real hurdles, though when I first announced I wanted to graduate in English Literature, people from my extended family were concerned about “the waste of so much potential in a subject that has no scope.” I stuck to my guns though and thankfully, I’ve put their fears to rest now.
What kind of writing do you enjoy the most?
I’d like to think I’m versatile when it comes to writing. I’ve dabbled in various genres, though I absolutely enjoy song writing, food writing and non-fiction. My current obsession is travel and I can’t wait to sink my teeth in it.
What is your favorite piece of writing? Tell us about it.
That’s a tough one to field. I could think of poems, travelogues, songs, memoirs and more. I love reading real stories about real people living real lives. Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat Pray Love’ was a delightful read. She has a talent for recounting a story in a way that makes the reader feel included in her journey. Ani Difranco’s lyrics always leave me thinking ‘I wish I had written that!’ I love the classics. I still read, re-read and collect the works of Austen, Shakespeare and Dickens. I think Helen Fielding is simply brilliant and ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ has kept me laughing through patches as rough as my divorce. I also read a lot of Christian literature – ‘Run baby run – the Nicky Cruz Story, ‘The Cross and the Switchblade’ by David Wilkerson and ‘I dared to call Him Father’ by Bilquis Sheikh are just some of the classics that manage to convey powerful emotions in a way that leaves you stirred and inspired and I for one, live for those moments!
If writer’s block strikes, how do you cope with it?
I don’t write for a while. I recently stumbled on an article which is an excerpt from Julia Cameron’s book ‘The Artist’s Way’ which is available on the writer’s website. I was going through a dry spell at that point and I was getting more and more desperate by the day. It was incredible how I could stare at an opened word document for hours without getting anything written. So when I found this article, I read it and religiously followed the practice of writing ‘morning pages’ which is basically journaling taken seriously. I’m quite skeptical of methods that promise immediate results, but this one worked wonders for me. I could almost feel my creative pipe getting unclogged. Or maybe I was just that desperate!:-)
Do you prefer writing for yourself or to a brief for clients?
I’ve learnt to separate my passion from my bread and butter. Writing for myself is what I love and I make sure I find time for it. But to make a living in the real world, I have to stick to briefs. I can’t say I don’t enjoy it, but it’s not the same.
What is the best feedback you received about your work?
I had given one of my clients a list of concept options for his website and he spent a whole week making up his mind because he liked all of them. He then got back to me with the selected option and I suggested an alternative, which left him confused another three days. In the end, he picked one option and asked that all others be incorporated somehow in the site.
Who is your biggest critic? What has their most valuable piece of advice to you been?
I can’t name any one person. My family and friends are all benevolent when it comes to criticism 
But I guess it’s their support and encouragement that I value the most through good times and the not-so-good ones. For me, the collective message from that would be ‘Never stop believing.’
How do you see the internet changing the way writing works?
If used prudently, the internet can equip writers with valuable information that can help speed up research and productivity. On the flipside, it’s the main accused in cut and paste work and low-quality SEO articles.
What has writing taught you about life?
I’ve often said that I’m most in touch with myself and God when writing something for the joy of it. In that light, writing has taught me the importance of finding and pursuing our God-given passions. I strongly believe that life has a purpose and that each of us is called to fulfill that unique life-work.
What qualities of yours do you think help make you a better writer?
I guess it’s the fact that I always speak my mind. It helps me stay authentic.
What inspires you to write?
God, brilliant writers, my daughter, mountains (I don’t know why!), love, betrayal and other strong emotions, hot filter coffee on a misty morning (clichéd but works nonetheless).
What would your autobiography/biography be called?
Autobiography/Memoir – ‘How ‘Cinderella’ screwed me over.
And God came through with the glass slipper.’
What is your dream as a writer? Any publications you’d like to see your work in?
Apart from publishing the above autobiography? Since travel is my current love, it would have to be an article in the Lonely Planet. Or even having my songs composed by Hillsong UNITED, if that counts!
Do you have any advice for writers who are starting out on their careers?
Too early to start dispensing gyan, but to anyone pursuing a God-given passion, I’d say keep at it. The dry spells and plateaus will surely come, but keep looking beyond!
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’m often described as ‘quirky’, ‘weird but lovable’ ‘eccentric’ and ‘Victorian-age prude’ and I secretly like it. *Winks*
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If you enjoy reading “real stories about real people living real lives” you might enjoy this book: His Calling – My Purpose. Check it out!
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