This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Namrata Yadav, a 28-year-old consultant-turned-writer based in Mumbai, India. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’ve always loved writing and being creative.
But for my parents, the thought of me pursuing writing was absurd.
Creative jobs are rarely supported in mainstream Indian households. Both my parents come from very rural backgrounds, having settled in a larger town to give my siblings and me a comfortable life.
After 10 years in law school, research, and consulting, I decided I wanted a life I enjoyed rather than one spent living for the weekends. Last year, I quit my job at KPMG and moved from Singapore to Mumbai to be a full-time writer.
Many career pivots
I’ve taken many career pivots.
After completing my law bachelor’s degree in India, I pursued a master’s program in international relations at the National University of Singapore from 2019 to 2021, and then worked as a research analyst at the university for six months.
I’d never worked in corporate before, so I moved to KPMG in 2022 to try a consulting role and work at a big company.
The work culture was decent, and I earned a stable annual salary of around 57,000 Singapore dollars, or about $44,500. Singapore is an expensive city — I was spending up to SG$3,200 a month on expenses, including rent — but I didn’t feel stretched thin.
However, I quickly realized I was too right-brained for the job, and that corporate life did not feel right for me. The hours were long and demanding. I didn’t want my weekend to be an escape from my 40-hour workweek.
I started writing religiously when I moved to Singapore, and only in Hindi — I think it was just the anxiety of being in a new country. I wrote, and still write, about relationships, family, friendships, love, and everyday things.
But during my stint at KPMG, I felt I could not devote enough time to writing, which led me to think that creative work was my calling.
The final straw and the big move
Not enjoying the work I was doing at KPMG made me think about what I truly enjoy.
In December 2024, I was selected to perform my spoken word poetry at a literature festival in Lucknow, India. Watching the festival, I decided that I don’t want to envy these people who get to have an hour onstage and entertain us. I wanted to be them.
So when I came back to Singapore, I decided to wrap up and move back to India.
In September, I moved to Mumbai with a game plan: Get a job that can sustain me once my savings dry up, but is not too demanding, so I can focus on writing. But after a few job interviews, I realized I really didn’t want another desk job.
Mumbai’s an expensive city. I live in a shared flat with two other creatives in Andheri West, one of the epicenters where many writers, actors, and struggling artists like me live. I pay less for rent than in Singapore — 34,000 Indian rupees, or around $360.
While my expenses are lower than in Singapore, having to forgo a stable paycheck and go months without earning anything has tested my grit. I’m banking on my savings from my corporate job in Singapore to keep me going for the next few months.
One week till my first spoken-word show
In January, I decided to do a solo debut show on March 28 and to devote the three months between to working on my show.
Every morning after coffee, I spend more than two hours just writing. I continue working on it in the afternoon, and have started posting about my process on Instagram to get the word out.
I want to test if I have what it takes to become a storyteller and to become a memorable one at that. Do I have it in me to keep doing it over and over again?
The biggest lesson learned since going into poetry full time has been unlearning the corporate mindset of expecting a tangible outcome at the end of the day.
Some days, I love what I’ve written. But on other days, it’s not worth sharing with people. So I’ve had to be patient and remind myself that I chose this path.
Right now, I don’t know what the long-term plan looks like. I think I’ll eventually have to get a job to support my art, but I don’t regret my decision to pursue it full-time for now.
While my parents were initially unsupportive of my move, they have now come around, saying they trust my choices and my hustle. I told them I am excited and not scared about this, and that I will figure out the finances eventually.
They were relieved I have found something I want to keep doing and proud that I am challenging myself.
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