Megha Majumdar on What Debut Authors Need to Know

Previously in my craft conversation series: Ada Limón, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Crystal Hana Kim and R. O. Kwon, Lydia Kiesling, Bryan Washington

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When I met Megha Majumdar, author of the New York Times best seller A Burning, in the fall of 2016, she was an assistant editor at Catapult Books. We frequently discussed and worked together on stories and essays she commissioned for Catapult magazine while I was its editor in chief, and I learned much about editing and storytelling from observing how sensitively and joyfully she engaged with her authors’ work.

Majumdar eventually rose to editor in chief of Catapult Books—a role she stepped down from on May 31, in order to focus on writing and teaching. Though it was a difficult decision for her, she is eager to see what she can do now that she will be able to “bring [her] full energy” to her writing projects. Last month, we chatted about her editorial work and her transition to full-time writing, the kinds of stories she hopes to see more of, her own creative process, and what authors—especially first-time authors—should know about publishing.

Nicole Chung: How did you get your start as a writer and an editor?

I was in school for anthropology, and what I loved about it was going out Publishing felt like a good place to do that, to keep learning and keep reading in this inviting public space.