“I grew up in a small village near Rajahmundry, where my father and grandfather were farmers. They always pushed me to study well and do something beyond farming. Like most kids around me, I chose engineering and moved to Hyderabad in 2013 to study Computer Science.
Moving to the city was a big shift, but I liked it. The people were welcoming, and life felt different from what I had known. By my final year, I had job offers through campus placements, but I had already made up my mind-I wanted to write the UPSC exam.
For the next few years, that’s all I focused on. Each attempt brought its own lessons. Some went well, some didn’t, but I kept at it. After six attempts, I couldn’t make it to the final list. Later, I cleared the state-level Groups exams and was selected, but due to personal reasons, I had to step away. After spending years preparing, stepping back wasn’t easy. I had to figure out what came next.
Reading helped during that time. The first book I picked up was Pride and Prejudice, and from there, I got into authors like Chetan Bhagat, Sally Rooney, and Min Jin Lee. At some point, I started thinking-why not try writing my own stories?
When I told my parents, they didn’t take it seriously at first. Writing wasn’t something I had done before. But once they saw I meant it, they stood by me. I started small, just putting thoughts on paper, building characters, and shaping a story.
Getting published wasn’t easy. I sent over 50 emails to publishers, but most didn’t reply. That’s when I decided to self-publish. The Saga of a Dream came out of that process. It’s about chasing dreams, taking chances, and finding peace with the path life takes. I wrote it in third person to give each character their own voice, hoping to inspire people to never give up on their dreams.
I knew not everyone reads long books, so I published it in chapters. It took me three years to complete, balancing writing with everything else. Having a toddler at home and dealing with social media distractions made it a challenging journey. Now that the book is out, I know this is just the beginning. The first book took three years, but the next one won’t take as long. I already have more stories in mind, and I plan to write them all.
If there’s one thing I’ve realised, it’s that stories don’t have to be about romance to connect with people. They just have to feel real. That’s what I want to keep doing-writing something people can relate to.”
- Anusha Chowdary, Author