Interview with ​Roopa Raveendran-Menon

Meet NUNUM'S Contributor: Roopa Raveendran-Menon

9/24/2023

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with Roopa Raveendran-Menon

What was the first book you remember picking and reading by yourself?

Book of Fairies by Enid Blyton. It was a hardbound copy with a photo of fairies on the cover. I was 5 and I still remember the excitement I felt after finishing the book. And I also remember leaving cups of cream for elves and pixies under my bed, waiting for hours to catch a glimpse of these creatures.

What writer(s) or which book(s) influenced your decision to become a writer?

I started as a reader, and it was my love for reading that turned me into a writer. And I think every writer I read during those early years made an impression on me, fueling that love.

Is there a writing craft book that you would recommend to new writers?

Dorothea Brande’s Becoming A Writer. I went through a phase when I stopped writing. It was not a writer’s block. More like I had lost my will to write. That was when I came across this book. Some simple writing exercises she suggests in the book helped me to find my way back.

Is there a writer who has influenced your current writing style?

Ernest Hemingway, Amy Hempel, Aimee Bender, Raymond Carver, Susan Minot…the list is endless.

Why write flash fiction?

I tend to think in flashes, in moments and I love being able to create a world out of a singular moment. And not to mention the challenge.

What advice would you give someone who is just starting to send their work out to journals?

Read widely to find the right journal. Always follow submission guidelines. Keep some quotes on rejection handy (you are going to need them!)

Where do you like to write?

I don’t have a writing desk. I love writing when I am travelling. I have written almost all my stories during my metro rides.

What’s the physical act of writing like for you?

I always type on my phone or computer. I just can’t write long hand.

Roopa lives in Dubai, UAE. Some of her short stories have been published in Corium magazine, Bright Flash Literary Review, Tiny Molecules, and elsewhere, and has been nominated for ‘Best of the Net.’ Her debut middle-grade fiction, Chandu and the Super Set of Parents has just been published by Fitzroy Books.