By Dhvani Solani: The relationship between reading and writing is an old, torrid one, both leaving an indelible imprint on the other. In this column, we seek to answer a question we’ve often asked ourselves – what did the author have on their bookshelves while penning their latest work. This month, we throw the question to Gunjan Jain whose book – She Walks, She Leads (Penguin Random House) – is an anthology of 24 women achievers at the pinnacle of their profession, from Indra Nooyi and Chanda Kochhar to Mary Kom and Priyanka Chopra.
What: “I read fewer books during the writing of this book as my efforts were to read books penned on similar concepts for inspiration. I also did not want existing books to taint my creativity. But largely, I read tons of material related to the people in the book.”
Why: “When I’m writing, what I read is primarily for information, or to see if there are other facets that I need to look at. However, I can’t deny that subconsciously I may have been influenced somewhat by what I read. Usually I concentrate on authors and books that have to do with what I’m writing, but sometimes when I get stuck I read light fiction to take a break and recharge my batteries. It usually works, and I can get back to what I’m doing with a fresh mind.”Source: Grazia India
