Today we’d like to introduce you to Anjali Enjeti.
Anjali, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was an attorney for five years, and while I was on maternity leave with my first child, I started writing short essays about parenting.
I began submitting these essays to regional print parenting magazines. Once my essays started getting published regularly, I was hooked. I went back to work and practiced law part-time but kept writing on the side. While out on my second maternity leave, I decided to quit to write full time.
After my third child was born, I realized writing about parenting wasn’t feeding me intellectually the way it once did, and I slowly began writing about books on my blog, which led to a regular book reviewing gig. When my youngest was 4, I went back to get my masters degree in creative writing.
Currently, I write articles and essays about books, race, social justice, and immigration. I teach creative nonfiction writing in the masters in the fine arts program at Reinhardt University and serve as Vice President of Membership for the National Book Critics Circle.
My first book, a collection of essays, is forthcoming from the University of Georgia Press.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road! I submitted six books to agents and editors for over a decade before I got my very first book contract this past summer. Early on, I didn’t think it would be that difficult to make the switch from a law career to a writing career, but having three small children during a career transition in addition to going back to graduate school was very challenging!
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
Some of the pieces I’m most proud of are my deeply reported pieces about immigration. I love writing long-form articles (usually over 2,500 words) where I get to research a question at a deeper level. I like to get to know people and to have the time to understand what issues they’re facing.
I also love writing cultural criticism and have had the pleasure of writing very long book review essays that delve into not only the books but how those books tackle contemporary socio-political issues. Essay writing is my first love, and there’s nothing that gives me greater joy than teaching others how to write essays.
I’ve had the pleasure of teaching 1-day classes about how to write and sell personal essays all over the metro Atlanta area. And happily, some of my students have been successful in placing their essays with publications!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
This is a tough question. I suppose I wish I trusted myself more early on in the process — that writing was what I really wanted and needed to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://anjalienjeti.com
- Email: shestartedit@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anjali.enjeti/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anjali.enjeti
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/anjalienjeti
Image Credit:
Selina Molly
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
