Who’s on Fourth: YeahWrite Interviews Anusha of Amuse-Douche

Welcome to Who’s on Fourth where we interview one member of the YeahWrite community, and the interview will publish the fourth Monday of each month. Next in the series features Arden Ruth interviewing Anusha of Amuse-Douche.

YeahWrite on YeahWrite: Arden interviews Anusha

A couple of years ago, a young writer named Anusha stumbled upon our little community here at YeahWrite. Though she felt a little intimidated at first, we’re lucky that we didn’t scare her off, and she’s been a steady presence here ever since she took her first dive onto the grids.

I discovered Yeah Write by chance in early 2015. I found one of Nate’s posts on the WordPress Discover page, and I clicked on this cool graphic he had tacked on at the bottom. I remember that I felt intimidated, immediately deciding I wouldn’t get involved, but the microstory challenge fascinated me. I liked the challenge of telling a story in so few words. The first microstory grid I submitted to was unmoderated, which might have been the only reason my submission was even up there for everyone to see. I received a couple of rejection/love letters on moderated grids later, but those didn’t deter me from inflicting my writing on the world. I think in the initial days, it was a heady feeling for me that people were actually reading my stuff, and that’s what kept me from disappearing.

We’re glad you decided to stay, Anusha! We know YeahWrite can be a commitment each week, so we greatly appreciate those who are able to stick around year after year!

For a while, you could only find Anusha on the Microstory grid, but eventually, she found herself branching out.

What I like most about YeahWrite is that you will get better; it’s like you have no choice. The encouragement from the community of writers works as positive reinforcement, I wanted to write better for the people who were taking time to read my work and leave behind thoughtful comments. Reading the work of other YeahWriters helped me see what qualified as good writing. Eventually, I started paying more attention. I started reading the posts offering technical help, and I attempted to consciously apply those tips to my writing. I practised more often. I didn’t write everything that came to my mind and mindlessly hit Publish. I spent some time refining the idea in my head. It took a bit of courage to move on to the nonfiction grid from my comfort zone of microstories, but I got there. It took much longer to visit the fiction grid, but I think I’m slowly making progress. It is only now that I don’t feel the need to hide my writing. I can see that I have improved, and I know YeahWrite was mainly responsible for that.

As always, I wanted to know what advice Anusha would give to any potential YeahWriters out there, lurking beyond the grids, waiting for that burst of courage to dip a toe in.

If there’s anyone who is considering submitting to YeahWrite, I would ask them to stop overthinking it and just go ahead. Even if it makes them cringe or even if it requires a strange courage that pops up only in the early hours of the morning. There’s really nothing to lose. I hope they realise sooner than I did that this website is a gold mine.

When Anusha isn’t writing, you can find her doing two of my own favorite things: reading and eating.

Reading is one of my true loves. I think I’m on a reverse trajectory. I read the classics when I was in school because I thought that’s what a proper reading habit meant. I found it tedious, and I assumed the exhaustion was what everyone felt while reading. I have stopped putting myself through that now. I read contemporary fiction and nonfiction for the most part, as well as graphic novels. I cannot imagine something more fun at the moment. I like to explore fiction from different parts of the world, and I find myself seeking out more women writers now. My reading is mostly a reflection of my obsessions at a given time. I also enjoy food, whether that means cooking for myself and others, eating out, or thinking and talking about food. I almost managed to convince my brother I was a SuperTaster, but he refused to massage my ego at the last minute. I still like to believe I have an ability to taste something and deconstruct it. I can find out what went into it and if the onions haven’t been sautéed sufficiently.

Like myself, Anusha didn’t dream of being writer at the age of four or have dozens of journals from her teenage years filled with horrible poetry. Writing snuck up on her, and we’re lucky it did. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have her stories.

I do not have any grand stories about writing being my passion and how I wrote short stories when I was seven. My mother likes to tell me that I was always holding on to my piece of chalk as a toddler, scribbling everywhere, so she isn’t surprised at all that I am writing now. But back then I would just copy whatever I saw around me. I suspect this is why my handwriting is so good. My grandfather liked to make pocket books with scraps of paper. These were my diaries. My English teacher in middle school was the first one to tell me I wrote well, and that I would write better if I wasn’t lazy. I didn’t take her seriously, and for many years, the only writing I ever did was English homework for those who didn’t care to do their own, college essays for friends and acquaintances, and cover letters for those looking to escape their current job. A little over three years ago, my partner suggested I start a blog, because I seemed to have opinions about things, and occasionally I expressed myself well. Also, I was going through a particularly low phase at the time, and writing offered an escape, even if I didn’t write about the things that were bothering me.

And from there, Anusha the writer was born. While she doesn’t have any big dreams for her writing, her goal is one we should all aspire to meet.

I don’t have any grand plans for my writing. A long time ago, my aim was to get published, and then my aim was to get paid for writing. Now, I want to keep working on my craft and hopefully improve. I want to tell many stories effectively, I want my writing to move a reader, and I want it to be remembered. I might get there someday.

Oh, you want more? Well here are five things you never knew about Anusha:

1. She dislikes fruits and salads. She’s a vegetarian.
2. She can’t understand active pursuits like trekking, camping, or running many miles. She likes her cozy blankets and cups of tea.
3. Shopping makes her feel guilty.
4. She thinks she’s funny; she just hasn’t been able to get others to agree with her.
5. An eclipse occurs more often than someone correctly guessing the song she hums or sings.

Are you ready for the YeahWrite #333 Weekly Writing Challenges opening this week? We hope so! Your badges await in the sidebar. Grab the code, paste into the text or HTML view of your post, and submit your post to the grids for a little friendly competition. We’re glad you’re here.

Early (discounted!) registration for Super Challenge #6 (fiction) is now open! Be sure to sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any announcements for upcoming challenges.

About the author:

Arden joined YeahWrite in early 2014 to operate as its Social Media Manager. She also heads up YeahWrite’s Who’s on Fourth feature, as well as the Weekend Writing Showcase. Working day-to-day as a paralegal, she spends most of her free time writing short stories and the occasional nonfiction essay at her website. She is currently working on the first novel of her Hybrid trilogy as well as a fantasy anthology with three other writers.