The Women Behind Women’s Web: Aparna V. Singh

In a series of posts called The Women Behind Women’s Web , we present to you the people involved in bringing you this website some who ve been there from the very beginning, and some who joined in enthusiastically during the first year. Hope you enjoy reading more about the team that contributes to Women s Web. Presented in a Q&A format, the first of this series is with the Founder-Editor of Women s Web, Aparna V. Singh.

Intro: Tell us about yourself in a few lines.

At the moment, I am an entrepreneur trying to grow a young online magazine, Women’s Web towards a sustainable future. In my previous professional avatars, I ve worked mostly in Marketing and Communication. I am an indiscriminate reader and used to dabble in short stories, although I m woefully short of creativity at the moment. I also love travelling my dream alternative job would be as Ask Marco of Outlook Traveller!

Q1. Why do you blog/write? What attracts you to it? 

I’ve always written something, ever since I was very young. My first short story was published in The Hindu s Young World, and ever since, I ve had delusions of myself as a writer!

Seriously I love working with words. I love being able to interact with others through my words, and that includes debating with folks who disagree with me. I ve never believed that its only words words can do a lot, whether it is to inspire, hurt, offer a different viewpoint, start a new dream or simply offer a moment of pleasure. My personal blog is at Apu’s World.

Q2. Why did you start Women’s Web?

I worked in the field of Marketing and Communication for 10 years, but the transition that women are going through in a diverse country like India and the lives of women at work has always interested me. I found that there was a lack of content for people like me ordinary, urban, Indian women, whose interests are not confined to beauty products or fashion. I don’t have an issue with those, but I did feel like sometimes, that s all women’s magazines are offering. Frankly, I find the overdose boring…

I believed that Women s Web could be an alternative for women who want more on real issues, whether it be around parenting, careers, health, social issues or interesting reads/commentary and so on.

Q3. What do you think Women s Web can do better/do differently? 

Our Marketing can definitely be better we don t yet reach as many readers as we should. We also need to expand the Women’s Web blog and make it more frequent/ timely. We re looking especially for feminist bloggers or those who write about contemporary social issues from women s perspectives to join in. (Note: If you fit the bill, mail in at editor AT womensweb DOT in with links/writing samples).

Q4. What are the things that trigger you to write, that make you go, I have to write about this! ?

Hmm, tough one, since it s different stuff at different times. Sometimes, it s a book I’ve read and found engrossing, like this recent review of The Other Woman. Often, it’s news reports about crime against women, or something that reflects how far we still have to go when it comes to out-dated attitudes about what good women should be like or do.

Q5. Who are your favourite women writers/bloggers? What do you admire about them/their work?

Writers Jane Austen and Margaret Atwood are among my all-time favourite writers, male or female. I am also a fan of mystery book writers Ruth Rendell and Sue Grafton. Margaret Atwood, to me, is pretty close to God for her inventiveness and for the way she makes arcane subjects so interesting. 

Blogs – currently, some of the blogs by women that I truly admire are:

– Annie Zaidi s Known Turf, for her strong stance on women s autonomy, her empathy with the under-privileged and for some of her literary reviews too.

– The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker, for her relentless challenging of out-dated traditions and modes of living.

– Starry s Things do not change, until we change, for her honest takes on so many parenting dilemmas as well as other issues.

Q6. What would you like to say to people who are interested in writing/blogging but are hesitant to start?

Find something that you are passionate about, and it becomes easier to write. However, writing for a living is not as easy as it frequently seems. For most people, it works better as a hobby – a very enjoyable one.  

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