Devangana Dash

devanganadash / devanganadash.com

Pronouns: She/Her

Where are you from? New Delhi, India

Race / Ethnicity: South Asian (Indian)

Company / Position: Full-time freelance (previously-senior designer at Penguin Random House India)

How did you get into design? I was always that child who draws and paints. I have grown up with a love for art and aesthetics in my family, and surrounded myself with all visual and performing arts. During my graduation in liberal arts, the longing to study design stayed and I went to design school after finishing my BA. That's where I got my formal training and it was the beginning of all things I do today.

Favorite book or current read and why? Currently reading 'Vesper Flights' by Helen Macdonald and 'The Mirror and the Light' by Hilary Mantel. Choose these because of great book reviews!

Tell us a surprising fact about you? I can't swim! (don't know if that is a surprise).

What did you learn about publishing that you wish you knew before? That it is one of the friendliest industries, and that selling and making books is a serious (and very difficult) business.

How do you overcome a creative block? Taking time to breathe, rest and refuel, switch off from laptop and Instagram--sometimes feeding too much visual information, and a pressure to constantly create doesn't help. Reading opens new possibilities for me. And sometimes I just leave work and do mundane tasks--cook my favourite comfort food, familiar scents and music.