Arif Anwar was born and brought up in Bangladesh, but has been living in Canada for the past 11 years. Moving to Canada gave him the opportunity to write his debut novel, The Storm, which has been translated into German, Italian, Chinese and Turkish. New York Times described it as "Much of the charm and power of The Storm lies in negotiating this push and pull between the hero and the trickster, the magical and the mundane - and Anwar has handled it beautifully."
In 2018, Harper Collins published The Storm a fiction inspired by the 1970 Bhola cyclone, in which half a million people perished overnight, The Storm interweaves five love stories that, together, chronicle sixty years of Bangladeshi history. In the meantime he is working on another novel.
When and why did you decide to move to Canada?
I moved to Canada in 2007. I was working at BRAC at the time and the opportunity to do a PhD at the University of Toronto came along. I couldn't pass it up. I've been there ever since. I became a citizen last year.
How has living in Canada influenced your writing?
Perhaps not directly, but living in a peaceful, progressive and beautiful country like Canada is a great boon for a writer. The population is diverse and the scenery is inspiring. One of my future novels will definitely be set in Canada. The right idea just has to come along first.
Have you always seen yourself as a writer?
I've always seen myself as a reader. I didn't even think about writing until my early thirties, which is a bit unusual. I guess I just loved reading novels so much it didn't occur to me that writing one might be enjoyable as well.
What was your trigger for writing the book The Storm?
I had this image in my head of a woman tying herself to a tree with a massive storm about to bear down on her. I didn't know who she was or her history, but I knew I'd regret it the rest of my life if I didn't find out. That scene became the first chapter.
What is the process you undergo while writing?
I try to do a lot of 'pre-writing' in my head. I don't like beginning novels or short stories unless I have a fairly good idea of where the story will generally go. In other words, I don't like to start writing blindly, with no idea where a scene or a character is going. I also edit as little as possible when writing the first draft.
When do you write, do you follow a particular schedule, how do you deal with writer's block?
I'm very undisciplined and life is busy, so no, but I try to get at least 500 words down every day, rain or shine. I don't believe in writer's block. Writers can always write if they want to. The question is if they're happy with what's appearing on the page. When I encounter these situations I try to go for a walk and mull over what's working in the story and what's not. More often than not a solution presents itself.
How difficult for an expat or easy is it to get published in Canada?
I can only speak for myself but my novel was well-received when submitted in Canada; there was a three-way auction for it between major publishers. I don't think publishers care whether the author is an expat or native as long as the story is compelling.
Have you had to modify or change the content of your book for it to get published?
That's part of being published; you have to make some edits, whether it's adding or taking things out (usually it's the latter). I didn't have to make any changes that made me unhappy or uncomfortable. My agent and publisher always let me have the last word. I'm very grateful for that.
Did you draw on inspiration from your own life for the book? How much of Shahryar, the protagonist of your book is actually based on you?
Maybe 30% Living in Washington DC in the 90's and early 2000's as an international student is something I share with Shahryar, as well as having a half-American daughter. And we were both born in Chittagong!
Is there anything you would like to share with the readers of The Asian Age?
I'm pretty handy in the kitchen.
How do you develop your characters? Do you have sketches on paper, flipcharts, notes on the walls?
The best way to write good characters is to just write them, and that's what I do.
What are you reading at the moment?
Smashed by Junji Ito, My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco, The Remains Of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro and Aranyak by Bibhutibhushon Bandopadhyay.
Can you tell us something about what you're working on now?
My next novel is set in the 1930's, spanning India, Tanzania and Ireland. It's darker and scarier than The Storm and I'm very excited about it.
The writer is a sub editor of The Asian Age
--Farizaa Sabreen
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