Every woman has a story. Every woman has a voice. However, seldom is her story read or her voice heard. A proud recipient of prestigious Asia’s influential woman Award by Crown Times Organisation in 2022, author Huma Tanweer wears multiple hats – she has been an international author, motivational speaker, and columnist. Huma Tanweer’s writing bristles with ingenuity. She holds a mirror of the society with her written word, outlining the position women are made to occupy and the extent to which they are compelled to shrink. The award-winning author is as prolific as she is versatile. Some of her works include How to Become Rich, Art of Loving, Women Entrepreneurship, Body Language- A microcosm of our self and soul, The Social and controversial issues, and He loved me enough to let me go.
In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, author Huma Tanweer talks on a range of topics including feminism, Indian literature, and the perception of women; she also has some advice for aspiring writers.
“The only reason why I have resisted this tag of being the feminist author is because that pigeonholes my writing, which is not fair to what I do. I also write about men and the dynamics between men and women,” says Huma Tanweer when asked about being called a feminist writer.
“If you really want to tag me, call me a writer of the human condition, because it gives equal weightage to both men and women. As far as feminism goes, I feel that if a woman can start by being who she is, that is the greatest feministic or feminist manifesto. It is not about having to prove that you are as good as a man because biologically, men and women are different. To say that would be like a lion saying I’m as good as an elephant — but both are equally wonderful creatures.”
1. Do you think the Indian literary scene today is influencing the country’s image globally? Would you call it a positive influence?
Most of what is published in India seldom travels the world. However, what is published worldwide is how the country is perceived. It isn’t exactly a positive image of India that is circulated worldwide. For every writer who writes about contemporary India, there are half a dozen writers whose fiction resides in the realm of nostalgia. For every writer who writes about what constitutes India as it is today, there is another writer who will emphasize third-world imagery.
2. How would you view the growing popularity of the quick-read kind of novels in India?
Interesting. To me, these books represent wading pools. This is where reading India will first have to conquer their fear of reading before they are ready to swim beyond their depth.
3. Finally, blogs have thrown the doors open to a whole bunch of new authors. It would be interesting to know what you think of this trend.
Blogs have a purpose namely, to be able to let writers exhibit their voice, style and extent of literary ambition. However, when bloggers set themselves up as experts on literature, they tend to become didactic and judgmental.
4. In your book ‘He loved me enough to let me go’ – Most of your narratives seem to be supported by distinct, metaphorical bases. How would you say you arrive at such metaphors? When and how do they develop?
My novel is built around the metaphor; it’s the first step toward creating a structure for the novel. Usually, there is an idea that germinates in my head for a while and it is mostly abstract and devoid of any structure, plot or characters. However, when the right metaphor occurs to me everything falls into place. I have no sense of how I arrive at these metaphors, they just happen. At best, all I can say is that the theme of the novel and the metaphor have an inexplicable connection that is perhaps visible only to my eyes and the challenge is also to meld it in such a way that they seem organic.
5. What is one quote or mantra that you swear by?
I believe in being practically idealistic as opposed to being idealistically practical. That’s my play on words! By practically idealistic, I mean chasing one’s heart’s desires pragmatically as opposed to falling for the illusion of an idealistically practical scenario of “good grades leading to financial stability in a good office job where you can be a model employee and all that” which is essentially what many millennials of South Asian descent have been brought up to believe in. The world has changed so radically that it’s really about taking ownership of one’s own creative and emotional learning processes to create something meaningful that can do something for someone.
6. How has your journey as an author been so far?
It has been a very rewarding one, but it hasn’t been without its challenges. I think the biggest challenge for me, in terms of breaking into fiction, was straying away from the mould of public perceptions of my work solely as a non-fiction author who had published six non-fiction books, before loved me enough to let me go. Now, He loved me enough to let me go has done really well with the public, so this has enabled me to share my voice on many social issues at various forums, ranging from autism and media ethics to race, gender dynamics and mental health. As far as the publishing process goes, it’s pretty slow. Through the entire process, I learned the virtues of patience, belief in oneself and indefatigable faith in one’s work. It’s sometimes really good to give it a bit of a rest and divert your focus for a while when you know you’ve tried your best. That’s how I believe I broke through the blockage.
7. Who is your favourite Indian and Western author?
In India, my recent favourite is Janice Pariat, whose The Nine-Chambered Heart I found fascinating. The simplicity of her narratives is beautiful, and the abstract cadence of her writings is something I feel is closer to the reality inside of our heads. Outside of India, I’m a huge fan of Jeanine Cummins. Her latest book, American Dirt is gold. She strikes a judicious blend between description, action and high emotional voltage.
8. Any message for your readers?
I’d encourage all of you to chase your dreams, even if that means being delusional. Never listen to anyone who puts you down, calls you a loser or a failure, or says your dreams aren’t practical or achievable. We may have various constraints, but let’s view them as opportunities to tap into the resources we do have so that we can build an authentic life that can be lived from a place of truth, light and love.
9. What is a crucial tip of advice you’d like to give to authors who are yet to start with the publishing process?
Be intellectually curious, read voraciously, and practice not only writing but also storytelling in any form across multiple genres, formats and media. These help you find your voice. And the voice is a huge component of how agents, editors, readers and audiences relate to one’s work as a writer. Further, have a realistic sense of what you can and can’t do, and have faith in yourself and your work. Publishing is a slow and subjective business that mostly abounds with rejections, ghosting, restructurings and other unexpected developments that can set authors back if they do not have connections in high places or the backing of a powerful celebrity. That said, there’s always room for true talent. So, rest assured that the work you’ve done with honesty from the depths of your heart and soul, will find a way sooner or later. True talent cannot be hidden forever.
