Although Rasil Ahuja has dabbled with a career in technology and teaching, it was writing that continued to be her passion. Rasil has finally turned author with first book for children titled Watcha Gonna Do, Rosie Singh? In an interview, Rasil talks about her book, and the process that goes into penning a narrative for children.
What is the genesis of the book?
The book is loosely based on a real experience I had as a child. Though I never actually put it on paper, I spent years thinking about this first chapter and how to build it into a story. It all started coming together in 2010 when my sister-in-law enrolled me in for an online children’s book writing class. Winning Disney’s Pitchkiaow in 2011 — a literary campaign for aspiring authors — led me on this adventure.
How easy or difficult is it to write for children? What are a few dos and don’ts that you need to keep in mind?
Writing for children is highly challenging — it’s hard to get the voice right when you no longer think as a child or live that life. When I began writing Rosie’s story, I was around kids all the time. I was able to observe their body language, mannerisms, speech, tones and attitudes. I had my own little focus group of kids ranging from ages six to ten. I listened when they told me what worked, and what didn’t.
Rasil, did you set deadlines for each chapter? How much time did you take to put it together?
There were no hard deadlines for each chapter, but I really thought six months would be ample time to finish the book. Boy, did I get that wrong. It took nearly a year from start to finish.
How do you deal with writer's block?
I had writer’s block every day! I would squirrel away in this makeshift study that also hosted my washing machine. There were many days the washing machine worked harder than I did. I would run errands when I couldn’t build on the story. If I had no errands then I’d offer to run errands for friends and family. It was an avoidance tactic that served me well! Seriously though, it didn’t matter whether I walked in the park or to the market, walking pushed a reset button in my brain.
