There is something really beautiful and important about creative friendships. Whatever you create, whether it’s music, words or art, having people around you who get you, who support you and challenge you is an important part of a process that can often feel quite solitary. This is what I was reflecting on after seeing Saraid de Silva and romesh dissanayake in conversation. It was such a treat to hear more about their books, but also to witness their friendship. Rather than be interviewed by a host, they simply sat down and had a chat with each other. It was relaxed, genuine, and the perfect way to learn more about two of my new favourite authors.
Some of my favourite parts of the conversation were…
- Hearing them speak about each other’s books. When Saraid described romesh’s novel When I open the shop as ‘feeling like home’ and ‘it feels like you wrote it for me’, it felt like the biggest compliment she could give – it made my heart squirm.
- They reflected on the past few months since they published their novels and romesh compared it to raising a child. You put all this effort into it, then it turns its back on you and goes out into the world, doing its own thing. There’s a loss and mourning when it’s not part of you anymore. I’d never thought about this before and I loved the way he worded it.
- They talked about how they both often feel out of place in literary spaces – How do they fit in as brown skinned people in spaces that have traditionally been dominated by white culture? It can be confusing and difficult to navigate, I think there’s a whole lot more conversation we need to have around this.
- Saraid speaking about what she hopes her book Amma achieved: ‘I hope it glamorised South Asian women. I hope it made us terrible, glorious and unforgettable.’ (Yes, yes it does. Read it if you haven’t yet!)
- Romesh on who he writes for: He imagines there’s someone out there with similar background and experiences, who will feel seen by reading this book. Awww.
This was the perfect event to end my WORD experience, I left feeling inspired with lots to think about. Both these writers have a distinctive voice and power in their writing, and their authenticity and compassion shine through in the way they speak. I look forward to reading whatever comes next!
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