Awais khan is a new writer in the Pakistani literature scene. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Durham University. He has studied Novel Writing and Editing at the Faber Academy in London. Several of his works have been published in literary magazines. He is also the director and founder of a new Writing Institute, which offers several creative writing courses.
Today he is here with us to discuss his career and his novel ‘In the Company of Strangers’ (Published in the UK by The Book Guild and in the Indian Subcontinent by Simon & Schuster IN).
The Interview
Thank you for being here with us. How are you today?
Thank you so much for having me here, Maheen. I am very well, and I hope you are doing well too.
You’ve recently had a novel published (In the Company of Strangers), and are currently on tour, but how did you come to be a writer?
Yes, my debut novel has been published in the UK as of July 28, 2019 and will be out in the Indian subcontinent with Simon & Schuster in March 2020. Being a writer wasn’t something I had planned. I was always an avid reader as a child, and growing up, that interest in books only grew. It was only when I was in college in Canada that I began to realize how important creative writing was to people in the West and how an entire industry functioned as a result of it. That’s when I decided that someday I would also like to write a book.
What’s the best thing about being a writer?
I think the satisfaction of seeing your work on paper or on the screen is the best part. While the process of sending out your work to agents and publishers is very grueling and taxing on your self esteem as a writer and as a person, when the work does get noticed, that feeling is like no other. These highs and lows are what make this journey all the more interesting.
What and who do you like to read yourself, and where do you find inspiration?
I love reading all sorts of fiction. These days, I’m reading a quite a bit of historical fiction, and have come to realize that I quite like it. I greatly enjoy reading books by Donna Tartt, Leo Tolstoy, Laura Purcell and Kate Morton. Apart from these, I also read my fair share of crime fiction e.g. The Scribe by A.A. Chaudhuri and crime novels by Rob Parker as well as psychological thrillers like My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing and books by Shari Lapena.
Inspiration is all around us. A writer is always first an observer before he/she is a writer. I draw my inspiration from observing the things and people around me.
You are the director at the ‘Writing Institute’; tell us about why you started it, what services are offered there?
After finishing the Faber Academy course, I started looking for an agent to represent my work. During that time, I realized that there were no major publishing houses in Pakistan and therefore, no literary agents. The publishing scene in Pakistan is very bleak. In addition to that, none of the universities in Pakistan offer proper degrees in Creative Writing. None!
That’s when I decided that I wanted to start an organization that would cater exclusively to people who want to learn creative writing. Today, the Writing Institute offers courses in Creative Writing, Short Story Writing, Novel Writing among other things.
Now on to your novel, ‘In the Company of Strangers’. Who is this novel for? What would you like readers to take from it?
It is hard to limit In the Company of Strangers to a certain genre, but I think it is definitely for anyone who wants to discover the alternate side of Pakistan i.e. one that revolves around the elite class of the country. This book is a look into the secrets and lies of Pakistan’s high society in the face of oppressive laws and culture. It examines lives at both ends of the society spectrum, and I hope that readers would be able to relate and empathize with the characters.
The title alone has a sense of dread, danger and mystery. Is there something to be afraid of? What is to be feared from strangers?
I chose this title for a reason. While the novel isn’t scary at all (in the supernatural sense), it is a bit terrifying as it portrays life in its raw form. I don’t sugarcoat anything. Everything is shown as it is. The reason I chose this title was that sometimes, even in the midst of people we might call our friends and family, we feel as if we might as well be in the company of strangers.
What do you struggle with as a writer, and did you go through any difficulties in writing ‘In the Company of Strangers’?
The sad reality of being a writer is that you end up struggling a lot. First, it’s a matter of writing a good work of fiction. There are a lot of drafts and then a great deal of editing involved. There is a lot of heartbreak as you chop off chapters you are very close to, but in the grand scheme of things, you realize they are superfluous. After you’re done editing, it’s the process of submitting the work to your agent, or if you are still looking for an agent, you start sending submission packages. Then, it’s the agonizing wait as agents/publishers consider your work. As a writer, you need to have a very thick skin as there is usually a 90% chance of rejection.
I went through these same difficulties when writing In the Company of Strangers. Thankfully, I found a wonderful editor in Hazel Orme who edited my novel really well, thus, paving my way towards finding an agent. I ended up signing up with Annette Crossland at A for Authors Agency Ltd.
The main character is Mona. What is she looking for? What does she need?
Mona is your quintessential high society lady. She is very rich with every material thing in the world at her feet. However, like a lot of Pakistani couples, she is abused by her husband and everything is swept under the rug by morning. She has everything, and yet she has nothing. There is a growing void in her that threatens to overwhelm her and that’s when she reconnects with an old friend. For the rest, you shall have to read the book!
Thank you for being with us today. Do you have anything to say to our readers?
It was absolutely wonderful to be here today. Thank you so much, Maheen, for having me. I would like to add to the readers that if you are writers or thinking about writing, please don’t give up! Keep refining your work. Keep editing, and keep submitting to agents. If your work is good, eventually you will get noticed by someone. Miracles do happen. Just look at me. If it can happen for me, it can happen for anyone! Good Luck!
Maheen Ahmed – Writing to create culture
@lahore_la_notte_
