Q.1 Tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?
A. Something that not many people know? I struggle to wake up early in the morning. It is something I have been working on for a very long time but without much success.
Q.2 How many unpublished and half-finished book do you have?
A. None. The Big Switch was my first attempt at any sort of writing.
Q.3 Where do you get your ideas?
A. My first novel is based on some of the things that I have experienced in my life. My second novel, the one that I am working on, will also be based on my experiences. So far, I am getting my ideas from my own experiences.
Q.4 What advice do you have for writers?
A. Don’t follow a lot of advice. Keep it simple and write as much as possible. I think, the more you write, the better you get. Having said that, you also need to be conscious of how you write.
Q.5 Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. I think, for me, it is a mix of both. I try to be original while trying to give out a story that the readers should hear.
Q.6 If you could tell your younger writing self-anything, what would it be?
A. Complete the first draft of The Big Switch as soon as possible. Because I have learned that the real work starts only when you have finished the first draft.
Q.7 What are the most important magazines or websites for writers to subscribe to?
A. There are a lot of them out there. One of them I recollect visiting very frequently during the writing process was Writers Digest.
Q.8 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. I don't particularly call it difficult. But writing characters from the opposite sex for me involves making a lot of calculated guesses.
Q.9 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. I am not very particular about the names. But I try to pick up names that are easy to remember.
Q.10 Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
A. Oh, Yes! I read all of them. The good ones I read several times. The bad ones, if they make sense, I try to learn something about the reader’s mindset from them. And if they don’t make sense, I try to flush them out of my memory. But it is far more difficult that I have made it sound.
Q.11 Does your family support your career as a writer?
A. Yes, the support has always been there. But actually speaking, I don’t yet have a career as a writer. I am still a part-time writer.
Q.12 What do your fans mean to you?
A. They are very important. There are many folks who have written back to me after reading The Big Switch. Their kind words of love and encouragement mean a lot to me. I am truly grateful to them.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
A. Just one. The Big Switch. And it isn’t my favorite.
Q.14 Do you have any unique and quirky writing habits?
A. I write better when there is a deadline lurking around the corner!
Q.15 What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?
A. I think your best accomplishment should be waiting for you in your future not resting in your past. So, it is yet to come.
Q.16 What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
A. I haven’t been part of the industry for very long. So, I don’t have an answer to this question of yours. But I think, as a writer, my focus should always be on writing the best book that I can write and everything else should take care of itself. There is no need to worry about the other stuff.
Q.17 Who edited your book and how did you select him/her?
A. I won’t recommend it for other writers. But I edited the book myself. The things you got to do when you are on a budget.
Q.18 Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
A. I don’t have any fantasies like that. But I haven’t met you yet, Aakanksha. You have been so kind, to get me interviewed for your website. So, how about catching up!
Q.19 What is your favorite book and why?
A. No favorites. I am trying very hard to get away from this having-a-favorite-business. I have realized that when I have favorites, I tend to downplay the others. But if you are looking for a suggestion, then The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. The writing is magnificent.
Q.20 How can readers discover more about you and your work?
A. My website or my Facebook page should be a good place to start.
No comments:
Post a Comment