30 January - 3 February 2025 | Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur

How does Damon Galgut overcome his demons and write? - Damon Galgut with Akash Kapur

How does Damon Galgut overcome his demons and write? - Damon Galgut with Akash Kapur

In this blog, Akash Kapur questions Damon Galgut on the challenges of the writing process and weaving the personal, the deeply intimate and the family story together in his work. “It’s clearly an allegory for the nation too, but it’s done so lightly,” he describes the author’s writing.

“If you start thinking about the ways in which you’d go wrong before you start writing,” says Galgut, “you’ll paralyse yourself.” The tyranny of the blank page staring at us is something all writers have to battle and overcome before they can create a body of writing. Galgut takes the pressure off by mentally assuring himself that “no one will read this”. He recommends proceeding with the possibility and giving oneself the freedom to express themselves in whatever way they choose.

“Only at the end should you imagine people reading it or that you’re going to be held accountable or questioned on various subjects.” Writing is the act of putting oneself on the line and exposing oneself politically, historically and personally. The best a writer can hope for is to defend themselves, says Galgut. Watch the whole session with Damon Galgut and Akash Kapur for more such insights on writing.