Meet Annika Sharma | Author, Podcaster, and Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Annika Sharma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Annika, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I recently became a mother so my entire concept of success and balance had a seismic shift in the last ten months. I used to have regimented time for work on week days across my day job, writing, and my side hustle, plus built-in time for my relationships. Once I had a baby, it all blew up!

These days, I realize that effort is a huge part of balance but that the amount of yourself you give each day can change…and that’s okay. Some days, you’re able to give 40% but you gave your all to that 40% which makes it 100%. Other days, you’re a full-fledged fire and you bust out 9,000 things with time to spare. Either way, being understanding of what effort is and what you’re capable of offering for the day is huge…and that’s allowed me to be more forgiving of balance as well, knowing that some days you’ll be in stride and some days you won’t, but that as long as you gave your best, you’ve achieved your day’s balance.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve had a rather eclectic journey – a career as an early educator with babies leading to an M.Ed, which then made me miss my healthcare undergraduate degrees, leading to an MPH in maternal and child health…which then took me to a communications role at a medical institution while balancing a fiction writing career and a podcasting gig in the South Asian space.

I love that my career has evolved from one thing to another as I’ve discovered my strengths in storytelling (both mine and others), writing, communications, and social issues. It’s allowed me to transition from science, to a hybrid career, to a full-time creative life. I’m proud of the risks I took to get there, and equally, thankful for the people who believed I could do it and gave me the chance to shine in rooms I wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise.

These days, I’m a full-time author of South Asian romcoms/contemporary fiction (the first two books in my series, Love, Chai and Other Four-Letter Words and Sugar, Spice, and Can’t Play Nice are available in bookstores and online!) and I have a podcast called That Desi Spark. I also have some really exciting news in the works that I can’t share yet, but that will allow me to continue impacting the South Asian community and building bridges to share our stories.

I’m most proud of the fact that I get to showcase a small sliver of the South Asian experience across my creative endeavors. Whether it’s talking about social justice and societal issues in our community or whether I’m writing love stories featuring South Asian characters in fiction, I’m privileged to be able to let others see themselves in my work. It hasn’t always been easy. Creativity was my natural space but it’s not always a reliable source of income and so I pursued healthcare first. It made me happy but not fulfilled the way that writing did, and it took me a lot of time to realize you have to bet on yourself for success.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve lived in New York City for the last 7 years and I still find myself having tourist moments, so I’d do a mix of things.

We’d visit: the Museum of Sex (probably one of the most entertaining, empowering, and educational spots you wouldn’t expect), Summit One Vanderbilt for an experience and for the views, the Tenement Museum, and Central Park because there’s so much to see, and The Ripped Bodice romance bookstore in Brooklyn.

We’d eat at: Di Fara pizza in Brooklyn, Malai ice cream (a personal fave!), Pizzarte, brunch at the Smith, and bagels at Tompkins Bagels

I also think that simply walking around a city lends itself to the best experiences – you don’t need the most Instagram-aesthetics or a recommendation list on social media to find a memorable space. My favorite neighborhoods are the Financial District (because the history there is so rich if you look up pivotal moments), SoHo for the vibes, East Village/Lower East Side for some of my favorite foods, and Upper East Side for a quieter day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I think of my writing career, and really, so much of my life, acceptance of my identity, understanding of impact, and storytelling, it all comes down to a fiction book I read when I was 16 called Born Confused. It was the first young adult novel in the United States with a South Asian protagonist and the exploration of identity, New York, artistry, and life, were so critical to forming how I saw the world…and then what my world became as an adult.

Funny story, the author, Tanuja Desai Hidier, is now a friend of mine and I’ve had her guest on my podcast.

Website: http://www.annikasharma.com

Instagram: @annikasharma

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sribindupisupati

Twitter: @annikasharma

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/annikasharmawrites

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2tacrzq2u8HDwmfEKkRP8l?si=ef1e5027e5c646ea