Hello friends! Meet Puja Mukherjee Khattri, a freelance content writer and self-published novelist, and Army wife, who forged on in life and work with courage and gumption after she lost her Army officer husband on active duty, a few years ago. Puja and I have known each other online for the past many years. I really wanted her to share her story at The Brigade that Builds Brands to inspire ladies, whose husbands are still in service or those who have lost their better halves in the line of duty, to build sustainable careers from wherever they are in life or in the country.
CB. Please tell us something about yourself – what do you do, where are you based and how long have you been a fauji/military wife.
Thank
you, Puja, for coming over to the blog! (Connect with Puja on Instagram at puja_mkhattri).)
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CB. Please tell us something about yourself – what do you do, where are you based and how long have you been a fauji/military wife.
PMK. Hi Chandana, I am an army daughter and wife. I am a writer and have
been writing for the last twenty odd years. The kids and I live in Delhi with
my parents. We moved to Delhi after my husband, Lt Col Abhishek Khattri, died
on active duty.
CB. Fauji wives make their home in an assortment of obscure places
across the country. Our lives are about living in the moment and doing what we
can, when we can. Can you share how you stayed creative or found work that
satisfied you while moving across the country?
PMK. I truly believe that I am blessed in my choice of profession,
because I can work from almost anywhere, as long as I have a computer and an
internet connection. I have sent in my articles from the most interesting of
locations. I remember standing at the doorway to our temporary accommodation in
Sikkim, while it was snowing outside and the bukhari was on inside, waiting for
the internet speed to pick up enough to send my email. And that time I used to
log onto the internet through my cellphone. When we were moving out or moving
into a new accommodation I have worked in middle of stacks of boxes!
CB. Puja, how did you steer your work and what you wanted to do further
on after you lost your husband? How did you find the gumption to go on and
re-invent your career?
PMK. My husband was always very supportive of my work. He’d pitch in any
and every way possible, and you know, that is difficult for service officers to
do. I was working on a large project when Abhishek died. And I had to call the
client to inform him that I’d be taking some time off. About a month later when
I began work again, I was stunned to hear that the client held back the project
and refused to continue until I was back to work. I think such gestures of
generosity and understanding fuel a writer’s desire to give her best to each
article.
When I decided to venture into fiction, it was a bit of a gamble,
considering the fact that content writing was not just a source of income but
immensely satisfying too. I had some doubts but somehow at every step it felt
like Abhishek always supported me. Once I was done with the first story, I
realized that the characters kind of grew organically, as did the flow in the plot.
I think most of us need to take time to sit back, take stock, and decide what
makes you happy.
Puja's First Novel in the Urban Crimes series |
CB. You’ve self-published your second novel in the Urban Crime series.
What has been the process of writing two novels and marketing them on your own?
PMK. Life is too short. Most of us use these words without realizing
what we imply. I’ve loved writing my stories, and now two have been published
on KDP. I like sharing the stories with readers and hope that word of mouth
will get people to recommend the novels to friends and family. Other than that I use social media and Good
Reads to connect with readers. The fact that the book is enrolled in Kindle
Unlimited makes it available to a larger audience. (You can find Puja's novels here and here.)
CB. Do you still write non-fiction and if yes, what kind of work do you
do apart from your fiction writing?
PMK. Absolutely. Non fiction writing or content writing is bread and
butter for most freelance writers. And it is a fun and interesting job. On any
given day I work on several articles, the idea is to make each topic as
interesting and easy to relate to as possible. I may work on an article on mad
honey, followed by one on insurance. Next on the list could be why word puzzles
are good for the young and the young at heart, and I may end the working day
with a small business marketing article.
Puja's faithful writing companion - Laika |
CB. How do you find balance between your work, motherhood and home as a
single parent?
PMK. I have a fairly set routine. I prefer to write when the kids are at
school. That means I put in about four or five hours of writing. My parents are
extremely supportive, and so we balance out household chores amongst us. We
have a pretty easy going attitude at home, and humor is an intrinsic part of
life. I usually cook in the evenings while the kids deal with homework. We
watch at least one television show together. We take our reading time pretty
seriously J and go to bed early.
CB. As a creative/entrepreneur + fauji wife, is there something that you
cherish very much about being part of the military community? And is there
something you feel must/can change for the better?
PMK. Being a part of the military community is something that all of us
who have loved ones in the services, cherish. I have found that people are
pretty skeptical about women working from home. I have sometimes been
questioned about how I can prove that the articles I write are mine, since most
freelance projects don’t give the writers credit. However, I’ve also found that
people tend to be understanding when you communicate clearly and put down your
points. You have to pick your battles with a little tact, and at the same time
honor your commitments without running yourself into the ground.
The second novel in the Urban Crimes series |
CB. What tips would you give to fauji wives out there who’d like to
pursue a career in your field while living at small and busy bases (many still
believe or led to believe that you can either be a fauji wife or a
professional, and that’s not true)?
PMK. I think the internet is a blessing for fauji wives. It has brought
the virtual world to our fingers and thrown open myriad opportunities. All you
need to do is decide is what impassions you, and then chart your course.
Writing is a wonderful profession, and you can keep your own hours as you work
on projects that challenge you and make you happy. I know women who curate art
and crafts and sell them on social media sites. There is virtually no end to
the niche professions one can create based on one’s interests and passions.
CB. Would you have any words of advice for fauji wives, who lose their
spouses during their service tenure, and aren’t sure how to forge ahead with
their own profession?
PMK. I think every life story is different, and the same advice may not
work for everyone. From my personal experience, I find that it is important to
give oneself time and space. Fauji wives are a special lot, our strength often
pushes us to explore possibilities we may not have considered before.
There is a bit of an identity crisis, we are no
longer part of the military community, and not quite civilian. But the thing to
remember is that there is something that sets fauji wives apart, and that we
were never meant to follow tried and tested trails but to create a path of our
own.
Wanna be a #bossbabe yourself?
*Follow our 'Be Your Own Boss From Anywhere' blog + Audio series here.
*Join our exclusive Facebook group.
*Send me your Whatsapp number to be added to the broadcast list for regular updates and tips.
*Get my Free book + only-for-subscribers entrepreneurial tips by subscribing to my newsletter here.
:) Till then, find me here:
Twitter @ChandanaMilSpo
Instagram @chandanamilspo
Facebook @chandanabanerjeewriter
#thebrigadethatbuildsbrands #mompreneurs #workfromhome #milpreneur #contentwriter #freelancewriter #beyourownbossfromanywhere #bosslady #bossbabe #armywife #faujiwife #novelist
She is a true hero in real sense..such zeal and such determinaton. Work from home derives a new meaning with woman like Puja. I have seen closely how wonderful nd inspiring she has been. All the best puja and so so proud to read about you and tabk you chandana for covering her journey.
ReplyDeleteThank you for showcasing this amazing woman!
ReplyDeleteAmazing interview..know Pooja since our childhood days...From the little girl I knew, she has evolved as a wonderful mother, daughter, sister, friend, writerand has been very brave in dealing with her situation. Loved reading her book...all the best and God bless!!!
ReplyDeleteA fabulous interview! Puja is supremely talented. She is a wonderful person and has shown army wives that nothing is impossible.Kudos to all the fantastic work that she has been doing!
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