Vansh Arora
My Love is Away From Mortality
Q.1 Tell us a little about yourself?
Perhaps something not many people know?
A. Well, there are plenty of things
about me that people might not be aware of. I have always been a little on the
introverted side, so keeping things bottled up is like a habit to me. People
don't know about my ability to overthink stuff, a habit that became the
foundation of one of the characters from my book. Some folks I have interacted
with in the past also find it quite hard to believe that I prefer not to read
the stuff I produced. It sounds weird, but I can't help it. The more I read the
things I have written the more anxiety I seem to experience. I have to keep
reminding myself that I belong to where I am today.
Q.2 Are we going
to read more from you in the near future? Any new project you’re working on?
A. Yes, I am currently working on the
sequel of my debut book. I can't say when it's going to hit the market, but I am
trying hard to make it happen soon.
After the sequel, I don't know what's
going to happen, and I try not to think about it as the sequel needs my entire
focus.
Q.3 Where do you
get your ideas?
A. There is no specific source of
inspiration for me. I feel one should keep his/her mind open because that way
the words you write feel more natural and emotionally connectable.
Q.4 What advice do
you have for writers?
A. I would urge them to be honest
with themselves. Writing is something pure and sacred. Anything that tampers
the sanctity of the words should not be allowed into their thought process.
Q.5 Do you try
more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. Honestly, I am completely against
the idea of writing what the results of your marketing research say. If you
want to do justice with your skill, write the things that you feel someone must
bring up. Writers might be the best liars, but it's important that they also
fulfill their responsibility of educating their readers with the ultimate
truth.
Q.6 If you could
tell your younger writing self-anything, what would it be?
A. I'd probably tell him to keep a cool head, and that everything will pan out in a much better way than, he
expects.
Q.7 What are the
most important magazines or websites for writers to subscribe to?
A. There are scores of websites and
magazines that promise to assist the growth of your writing skills. Platforms
like Writer's Digest, Almost an Author, Goins Writer, etc can be consulted to
clear your doubts regarding different things that constitute the whole writing
game.
Q.8 What is the
most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. Personally, I feel the toughest
hurdle you can face as a writer while portraying a character from the opposite
sex is creating the motives which rest behind their actions. To bring the
clarity in their influence over the plotline, you must have a complete understanding
of their brain's mechanism which can be a challenge, because there are certain
experiences you can never know enough about. Hence, you need to have some
real-time advice from that sex to retain the balance during the
characterization process.
Q.9 How do you
select the names of your characters?
A. For me, it's important that the
name of a character compliments the vibe I want around him/her throughout the story, so I create small descriptions of my characters before picking up any
name. Once I have the descriptions, I start tossing in different names. If I
feel it's clicking with his/her aura, I lock in on that.
Q.10 Do
you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
A. I skim through them once in a
while, and in all honesty, I am terrible at dealing with them. If I see a bad
review, I think about it for at least 2-3 days before getting over it. However,
I am getting better at it. I try to stay more composed while going through
them. I really cherish the good ones. They kind of reinforce my faith in my
abilities and push me to become even better. Nevertheless, it's unfortunate
that the negative ones seem to last long in the memory, but I guess that's a
part of the whole thing.
Q.11 Does
your family supports your career as a writer?
A. Yes. They have always supported my
decision to become a professional in this field. They try to help me in every
possible way, and I feel quite lucky, to be honest in this aspect. It's
important to have a support system, and having your family to do that job is
unbeatable.
Q.12 What
do your fans mean to you?
A. Well, I am not sure what I have
right now qualified for a fanbase. I am grateful for all the love I receive
from my readers, but I know I must continue to lift the standards, I have set
because the expectations from me are clear. I don't like to disappoint people
who love my work, but my primary aim remains the same which is to touch the
heart of the masses without compromising the pleasure I feel, when in the
company of words.
Q.13 How
many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
A. Actually, I have written only one
till now. That one took a good deal of effort to complete, but yeah, I would
love to churn out some more in the future. I'm not sure whether it's my
favorite, but the first one is always special, isn't it?
Q.14 Do
you have any unique and quirky writing habits?
A. I can't say about habits, but I do
have a list of superstitions which I try to follow before I kick start writing
for the day. One of my superstitions is that I refrain from indulging myself in
any kind of conversation prior to my writing sessions. I would just sit in my
room with lights off, trying to keep myself calm. It's not a mere superstition
though as it helps me to get into that zone which I feel, on a personal level,
is ideal to bring out my best.
Q.15 What
do you consider to be your best accomplishment?
A. When I decided that I would like
to get my debut book published, my sole intention was to bring something
different on the table. However, I was well aware of the fact new readers are
more inclined towards a specific genre, so I pondered on the idea of serving
something unique, but in a more familiar vessel. The fact that I succeeded in
conveying my intention to the readers has to be my biggest accomplishment to
this date.
Q.16 What
is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
A. While the publishing industry in
our nation is growing, it's brimming with stuff which makes it a tough place to
survive in. The fact that there is no line of guidance for the newbies is sad.
If there is one change I would like to see in our industry, it's that there
should be a big shift in focus. It's essential that we acknowledge the value of
art more often than we do today. I admit that the economic aspect also needs some
thought to keep things afloat, but the basic environment should encourage the
growth of an artist.
Q.17 Who
edited your book and how did you select him/her?
A. After a quick consultation with
her, I have been asked to let her stay anonymous. She is right now exploring
different career options. I got acquainted with her during an event. Right from
the start, I was blown away by her unique approach. Her unorthodox view of the
things makes her a rare personality in our industry. The zeal in her ideas
convinced me, that I should keep my precious project in her hands. Professionals like her are always a pleasure
to work with. It's a pity she might leave the editing business, but I wish her
the best.
Q.18 Which
famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
A. As I’m a big sports lover, I'd
love to meet Cristiano Ronaldo. His discipline, his strong work ethic, and his
ambition to play to the best of his abilities have inspired me from the very
beginning.
Q.19 What
is your favorite book and why?
A. Okay, that's a tricky question.
It's impossible to pick one book and call it my favorite. Every book has
something to offer. Good or bad, every book carries the tendency to shape you
in one way or another.
Q.20 Share
the experience of your journey so far?
A. Calling it a rollercoaster ride
would be the most suitable description for the journey I had the chance to experience. I got the opportunities to
bask in the glory, but on some days I had to pave mine out of the dark woods. It
wasn't a cakewalk, but everything I faced made me a better person. You have to
cherish these experiences and feel honored that you were able to fulfill your
dream of living these priceless moments.
Share your social account
links -
Facebook - @Vansh718
Great interview!
ReplyDelete