Friday 6 January 2023

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF SRI LANKA PRAMUDITH D. RUPASINGHE CONSIDERS THAT FICTION IS THE DOORWAY TO INFINITE SKY OF IMAGINATION

 

INTERNATIONAL AWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF SRI LANKA PRAMUDITH D. RUPASINGHE CONSIDERS THAT FICTION IS THE DOORWAY TO INFINITE SKY OF IMAGINATION



                                               PRAMUDITH D. RUPASINGHE


BAYAN

BEHIND THE ECLIPSE

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR: 

Internationally Published Novelist/Author but a Humanitarian by profession, Pramudith D. Rupasinghe served in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East for almost two decades. He embarked on his writing career, following his short story collection “Footprints in Obscurity” (2015) based on his visits to 29 territories in the African continent. The following year (2016), he published his first work of full-length fiction, “Behind the Eclipse”— a story set in the context of the West African Ebola Crisis. As the winner of the “Laureate of the Golden Aster Award for Global Literature—2020” for his historical fiction “Bayan”, Pramudith has explored new horizons in writing, with his unique writing style, “writing without borders” by being physically present in the places where his stories take place.

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE:

Author page: Pramudith D. Rupasinghe (57k reach)

https://www.facebook.com/Writerwithoutborders

Page for Behind the Eclipse: (20k reach)

https://www.facebook.com/behindtheeclipse

Page for Bayan (10k reach)

https://www.facebook.com/booksofpramudithdrupasinghe

Page writing journey of the submitted book She Who Became the Moon (3.3k reach)

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063561004791

Email:pramudith.rupasinghe@icloud.com

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Q What is your specific field of writing? Are there any specific reasons for choosing this field?

When I have the immense ocean to swim, why should I sit on the safer coast and get burns? Fiction gives the writer, an infinite landscape for expression and imagination. Fiction is more truthful to the writer than the fact-based non-fiction. I first started with a collection of short stories, “Footprints in Obscurity”. Then after my first work of fiction “Behind the Eclipse”, I realized that I have the infinite sky and immense ocean to operate and that there was much more originality in fiction. So, I fell in love with “fiction”. Fiction writing simulates our creativity more than any other genre. However, I must highlight that no genre is superior to the other. As writers, we have preferences and personal reasons for choosing what we do. As a reader, I read almost everything: poetry, non-fiction and fiction.

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Q I understand that your famous book "Bayan” is an award winning work. Do you consider it as your best book? When and how did you get the idea about writing this book and what difficulties were experienced by you during this period?

I do not consider Bayan as my best book, especially for a wider readership. It is one of my works with a wired tone and an unorthodox presentation. But it is one of my literary experiments in attempting to fuse culture, age and language (Russian) as key style-defining factors of a novel. However, it was a difficult piece of work to write, and it's not a reader-friendly book either.  Many can't relate its story to their lives and the narration is fragmented, just like an old man talks. But what I hear from the readers is that those familiar with the context love the book. It is an absolute contrast to the soviet stories we have been reading for ages, and that it does not have heroes, heroines, winning or defeat. It does not hurt anyone or make you laugh; that is how the old age is passed. And the language, though it is written in English, flows like Ukrainian and Russian, sometimes Spanish, matching the native languages of the characters. On top of that, I think I have tried to depict, through language, how the cognitive process works in old age. So, without a bit of awareness of the background, it could be a monotonous and slow read. I did not even think that the book would ever be noticed among my other works. However, Bayan has become a landmark in my career and a reality, forecast in 2018 about today's Ukraine.

I have been to Ukraine a couple of times and I write by being physically in the places where my stories are set. I was in the east of Ukraine, a few months after the annexation of Crimea, followed by the onset of the Donbas crisis.  There I learnt that there was a generation whose life remained sandwiched between old soviet times and modern-day socio-political dynamics and that it would be severely affected by the growing nationalism and potential Russian invasion; the elderly.

Since the very beginning, writing Bayan has been an uphill walk due to one particular reason. I had to be in the shoes of a 73-year-old Ukrainian man during the entire writing process. I was 37.  We can just imagine that I was in a constant battle dealing with the bias of my age, culture, ambitions etc. Bayan compelled me to live almost two years in the skin of an elderly and now, I know how I would feel at that age. Every writing experience transforms the writer. I can't deny that.

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you record them immediately somewhere? On an average, what is the timeframe to complete one book, in all respects?

Ideas are always there, all the time. They are spontaneous. But, I do record them; I always have my moleskin and a pencil with me. Further, I am a plantser, but a little closer to a pantser. I don't remember when I had a complete sketch for work or built characters separately. All I know is that I write the first few chapters. That surely takes a lot of psychic energy out of me. Then the characters are alive. Thereafter, I create situations for them to act and react. They tell the rest of the story. So, I do not decide the pace of the writing process.  In my opinion, there is no such thing called a "time frame" that can be applied to literature. A good story takes its time to mature. Similarly a book takes its time to become lean and well-crafted and this may average around 3 -5 years, till it reaches my agent.

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Q Do you agree with the observation that many writers are keeping writing as a secondary occupation? What is it that draws them towards the field of "Writing”?  

That is a tough question to answer. I do acknowledge that, in many countries, especially in South Asia, though we have the highest number of readers, writing is not financially sustainable for many writers. That is the reason why many writers still hesitate to give hundred per cent of their time to writing; most of them do it as their secondary job. However, it’s slowly changing now. But we should not visualize the dollar notes under our empty notebook before we write the first letter on it. We should do justice to the story and the characters, maintain an unbroken integrity to our work and then the story will take us to, where we should be.

Fame and name do come with the work we do. I believe that those who have done notable work, irrespective of where they are based or where they have come from, have managed to leave their footprints in the global literary landscape. It is undeniable that a good number of influential writers have emerged from South Asia.

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Q Which aspects motivate you to write books?

So far, I have written stories that were set outside my culture, of people who didn’t represent me. What really kept me going thus far, were the cultures and the people. I love exploring the diversity among us as human beings. On top of that, I often have the chance to be in places where people face events and situations beyond normal, natural disasters, conflicts etc. A combination of the above mentioned points has defined my writing, not just the source of motivation or aspiration. All my stories talk about issues that are least spoken about. They are the voices of the voiceless. A story written in simple language, set most proximate to reality, with vivid imagery and a convincing tone, is a good advocate. It moves us. It opens our eyes. It silently fights the devil in us. It transforms us. It can mobilize mass. I believe in it. If the above-mentioned, contains at least half the truth, that itself is a reason to write.

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Q Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

I have a significant presence on social media and a good number of followers. First of all, not only the number of followers on Facebook but also on any social media is not a measure of our success as a writer. Only a percentage of those followers are our readers. Social media helps to spread the good work we do and to talk to the world with influence. So, it does help our writing career in terms of our voice being heard by many.  This is the good side. At the same time, the higher the number of followers, the more we need to be cautious of how we communicate with the external world. It is not about our reputation. It is about how we healthily interact with a larger diverse readership and use our influence in a constrictive and non-intrusive manner.

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Q How are you able to divide the available time between management of home, your writing career, and various other works?  

I used to work as a full-time humanitarian professional till 2017. However in late 2017; I felt that I needed more time to be invested in writing, as I found it where I belonged to. Now, I work a few months a year, and the rest of my time is fully dedicated to family and writing. I am talking about seven to eight months a year. It is a conscious decision taken in consultation with my spouse. I have multiple writing spaces at home where I often spend the mornings, to write, while others are asleep. I rarely write in the evening hours, unless I choose to go out to write. So, basically, now, I’m gradually making my transition to a full-time writing career where I have to choose time slots for family and writing, which is less complicated than writing while doing another job.

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Q If you were not a writer, in what other way, you would have expressed your creativity?

I can’t imagine another way of expression. It could probably be painting. I was very fond of painting as a child. But writing is my best form of expression. It is pathetic to note that in the school setting in Sri Lanka, neither literature nor other forms of art are seen as pathways to professions.  And the parents and teachers often push children into a world where there is unhealthy competition. They even compete among the siblings, for examination-focused education, aiming at careers they think are lucrative e.g. lawyers, doctors, managers and engineers. The old generation can’t imagine a success without competition and a world beyond an office. However, I am very contented that I explored my passion and made the much-needed transition in my mid-thirties.

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Q What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in future in jeopardy?

I personally do not read e-books. These do not have that feel of printed books. That is my preference as a reader. I often try to prevent screens as much as possible. But, as a writer, I understand the dynamics of the world, the people and finally my readership. I can’t say “no” or fight against the e-book culture; that is where the wind is heading, but it can’t sweep every tree standing in its way. I do not think that printed books will disappear. There is still a good readership for printed books. We should not be anxious about the new technology or shifts in the field, as long as, we meet our final goal viz. our stories reaching out to our readers.

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Q What are your future plans for writing books?

My first story set in the Indian subcontinent is on the way. It is about human resilience and the pursuit of dreams through the life of a girl, who had fallen into the hands of human traffickers after her father’s death and was sold to one of the world’s largest brothel villages, “Kandapara”. This book will hopefully be out for the readers towards mid-2023. That piece of work “She Who Became the Moon” is already on the way. After all these years, I have decided to set a story in my country. It will take my writing time in 2023 or perhaps 2024 as well.

                                       -----------------------vijaiksharma

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Thursday 12 August 2021

SIMULTANEOUS BUT SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY OF A PATHOLOGIST IN THE REALM OF WRITING ROMANTIC SAGAS

 

SIMULTANEOUS BUT SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY OF A PATHOLOGIST IN THE REALM OF WRITING ROMANTIC SAGAS

Mrs. SUNANDA J. CHATTERJEE
                                           

The Crow and the Peacock, a women’s fiction novel, is likely to be released on August 31, 2021. Its link is: http://mybook.to/TCATP 

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Mrs.   Sunanda J. Chatterjee writes romantic sagas and family dramas and her themes include the immigrant experience, women’s issues and medicine. She loves extraordinary, heartwarming tales of duty, bravery and love. Her books have been the Top 100 bestsellers on Amazon USA and Amazon India, in Asian Literature, Indian Writing and Asian Drama categories. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies, short-story.net and induswomanwriting.com. She grew up in Bhilai, India and now lives in Arcadia, California with her husband. She has two wonderful children and a grandson. When she is not by the microscope or creating imaginary worlds, she reads, sings, goes on long walks and binge-watches old TV dramas.

Social Media Links:

Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Sunanda-J-Chatterjee/e/B00YNT97AS

Website:            www.sunandachatterjee.com

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

I am a freelance author and a full-time pathologist. I have published 15 books and another one is with the editor, for publication later this year. Right now, I am working on a hospital-based romance series.

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Q What is your specific field of writing? Are there any specific reasons for choosing this particular field?

All my stories feature a strong female lead, be it women’s fiction or romance subgenres. Despite what women go through in real life, we have many strengths, that are often masked by society & family situations and which shine through only when the situation is dire. My stories touch upon social issues but have underpinnings of love in all the forms. Each family has secrets, vices, scandals, relatives who make bad choices, friends involved in scandals and pasts that prevent the members from leading fulfilling lives. I enjoy the dynamics that threaten to ruin the unstable equilibrium because these issues make for a great backdrop for family dramas. 

My best-selling women’s fiction book is, Fighting for Tara, set in rural Rajasthan, in which a young girl is widowed and is asked to drown her baby girl in order to remarry. Instead, she escapes with her baby and undertakes a perilous journey. She lies her way to America, but must undo her lie in order to save her baby again. I explore all the angst a mother goes through, in order to save her child. 

In my romantic saga series, The Wellington Estates, all the stories are based on characters with connections to an exclusive community in the foothills of San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California. They are privileged and wealthy, and they fall in love with people who are deemed unacceptable in their social circles, for money, race or profession. 

These stories are not straight-out romance, although the romantic element is strong in each novel and it drives the story. But other characters also get the spotlight and parts of the stories are told from the parents’ or friends’ point of view, a feature not usual in contemporary romance. I like to call this genre as romantic saga, bridging romance and women’s fiction.

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Q Do you promote and recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits and problems, in such joint ventures?

I promote with a wonderful group of authors from The Book Club (TBC). They write mostly romance, but some write women’s fiction, suspense and even poetry. We help each other in our author-journey and promote new releases. Many times a book is fantastic, but just needs more exposure. If everyone promotes a book on social media, more readers can see its availability. Besides sales, it helps because of the camaraderie it creates. Writing is a lonely business otherwise. Although I have written stories for anthologies, I don’t co-author or write books jointly with other authors.

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Q On an average, how many months do you take to complete one book, in all respects?

Once I have an idea in my mind, I type out a very basic plot-line (after discussing it with my daughter, a free-lance editor with an astute mind). Then I start fleshing out the scenes, separate them into chapters and move chapters around. Once I have a good first draft, I edit and re-edit. Then it goes to my content editor for her input. Following that I rewrite parts and move things around. After that I send it to my beta-readers, the prime one being my sister. Once I incorporate their suggestions, I send it to my daughter for final edits and proofreading. While she is working on it, I choose a cover and line up my pre-release date. The whole process takes between 5-6 months.

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

Exposure, Exposure, Exposure. A great book may lie in the depths of Amazon, never to be seen by potential readers who would love it. That’s why exposure is so important. That can come from advertising and cooperation with other authors, who post about your book on their social media. And of course, a great deal of luck is also involved. In my opinion, writing 2-3 books a year for independent authors is also a must or else their readers forget them. There is a saying “Out of sight, out of mind”.

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Q Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

People visit Facebook to de-stress. So, while someone is relaxing and your book ad pops up on their feed and they are your target readers, they may click on the link to learn more. Thus, it helps with advertising. Besides this, many authors post about their stories and thus it is an excellent place to connect with others in the field. Authors help others post about their new release and it gets more eyes on the book.

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Q When did you become interested in writing?

I have been writing stories from a young age. In fact, I recently discovered a story I had begun to write in my diary as a fifth-grader and had a great laugh about it with my daughter. Growing up in a small steel town, everyone in my neighbourhood was an engineer or a doctor and the social and family pressure to conform was immense. So I became a doctor, joined the Indian Air Force for five years, did PhD (6 years in Cancer research) and Pathology residency (4 years with a focus on Cancer diagnosis). I was always busy with academics and work and only when I started working as a pathologist did I decide that it was time to take the plunge in writing, so to speak. My first novel took me ten years from start to publication, with many hurdles along the way. Since then I’ve published 3-4 books a year and hope to keep going despite my full-time job. My passion has always been to integrate everything I see in life into heartwarming, insightful stories of duty, bravery and love. Medicine satisfies my brain, and writing satisfies my heart.

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Q Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing career?

My sister and my daughter read everything I write and provide valuable insight into the story. My author friends from TBC also help in choosing covers and helping advertise. We also encourage each other to keep writing. In fact, we have a WhatsApp group devoted to posting how many words we wrote that day, a Daily Word Count group. If we’ve been busy and didn’t write, we see others’ progress and are encouraged. We help each other through writer’s block and the crises in life. It’s a very helpful resource.

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Q What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in future in jeopardy?

When I started out, I sold more print books than ebooks. In fact, for my first novel, I didn’t even plan to publish an ebook. But on the advice of author friends, I started publishing both. Now my ebook sales are hundred times those of my print book sales.

Because of the number of books I was selling as ebooks, I too started reading on my kindle app. especially while travelling.  It is easy to download a few books on the kindle and choose the one you want to read. Not to mention that it is light and easy to pack. That said, I don’t think print books will go out of vogue anytime soon. There are lots of people, not just the older generation, but young folk who prefer the feel and the smell of paper in their hands. I am one of them, but I do enjoy the ease of reading on kindle too.

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Q  What is your advice to the budding authors? 

Write what you love and what you love to read. You don’t realize the nuances you’ll pick up from just reading a lot on your genre: about character arcs, plot structure, dialogue and themes. Because you may write for yourself, but if you want to make it your livelihood, you must bow to reader expectations.

Read about how to write, take a writing course, join writer’s groups or critique groups to solidify your basics, otherwise you’ll waste a lot of time re-editing. I know this from experience, because it took me ten years and eight full edits before publishing my first book, The Vision.

No matter how well you write, get an editor regardless of whether you want to go the indie publishing route or traditional publishing. You know your story too well and won’t find plot holes, but an outside look by an impartial editor will help strengthen your story.

                                                                                        ---------vijaiksharma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 25 April 2021

M.D. KATARIA PROVIDES INSPIRATIONAL MATERIAL AND USEFUL POINTS FOR LEARNING IN HIS BIOGRAPHY



 M.D. KATARIA PROVIDES INSPIRATIONAL MATERIAL AND USEFUL POINTS FOR LEARNING IN HIS BIOGRAPHY


BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Mangal Deo Kataria is a Civil Engineering graduate from B.H.U., having passed out in 1955. Worked in Indian Railways for 32 years and retired as ADRM (NORTHERN RAILWAYS) in 1990 from Jodhpur (Rajasthan). Written technical papers and read them in many important Seminars. Travelled in India on pilgrimage and pleasure tours for about 100 plus times. Has been incharge of various assignments in Rotary clubs and Bharat Vikas Parshad. Has been honoured on various occasions. Has been Chief Guest in various functions. Fond of keeping records of various types of information in his well-maintained library. He is a   health conscious person and keeps records of health files for himself and his family. He is always cheerful and takes the life as it comes.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINK:

FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001845857063 

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

By profession I am a Civil Engineer. Whole of my life has been in the service of the nation through the Indian Railways. I have written, presented and published several technical papers in this field. Also, I have almost always kept record of my daily routine. I am a keen observer of good things and good writings and meeting good people, from whom I have learnt how to live a successful life. My present biography book in Hindi language à¤¸à¤«à¤²à¤¤ा के सूत्र---मंगल देव कटारिया की जीवनी (जीवन की मधुर स्मृतियाँ) is the first book written by me.

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Q What is your specific field of writing?    

My specific field is writing of technical papers mainly in the field of Civil Engineering. Since I am a Civil engineer I have written technical papers based on my field experience and visits to various civil engineering projects in India.

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Q What has been the general assessment of the readers for your technical papers? What is your own assessment?

The authorities in Centre and State Government services liked my technical papers as these also served as guides to other engineers in the service. As per my own assessment I have tried to give detailed information based on my vast experience of field working and visits to projects in India, in the best possible manner, so that it will be useful for the other Engineers.

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Q Who is your role model?

My role model has been my mother, who inspired me for higher education and also developed leadership in me for Social services.

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Q Do you recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits & problems, in such joint ventures?

Based on my observations, I don’t recommend writing books jointly, as it does not give satisfaction to the writer to imprint his mind in the book. Secondly, unless both or all the authors work in unison and in a spirit of give and take and adjustment, it is likely to hinder the progress instead of fast progress and quality output.

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Q When & how did you get the idea to write your biography. On an average, what is the timeframe to complete one book, in all respects?

The idea to keep record of events of my life came to me right around 1949 (High School days) . But there have also been difficulties in the implementation of this idea leading to breaks, with the result that data for some periods are not available. Due to the piecemeal writing, it took almost 22 Years for my biography to come out. Normally a book can be written in a span of about six months in regular sittings.

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

Besides quality of writing, the book should be printed with very good durable quality of paper, with readable font size, with an eye catching cover page design and the back page of the book devoted for divine thoughts. All this should be followed by a well thought out marketing effort.

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Q Which aspects motivated you to write the present book? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others?   

The motive of writing my biography has been to educate the readers for facing the problems as they come and work hard to achieve missions and targets of life and make this process easier by making use of experience of others. My philosophy has been to remain active in society, do social work, be helpful to others besides the professional work, have full faith in God, the Almighty, and lead a satisfied and happy life.

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Q How have you been able to divide the available time between job, leisure, home and your writings?  

In my opinion, time is always available for a person to do something or the other. What is required is the will to work and to accomplish missions in life, which I have tried to do.

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Q Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing work?

My wife is the first helper in managing my library and to record events to be referred to, in future. My grandson and granddaughters also helped towards upkeep of the library. My grandson was the big motivating factor in my writing, details of some portions of my life, for which data was there but it was not available in a systematic manner. He also took full responsibility of publication of this book. My sons also helped in proofreading and other connected works.

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Q What is your opinion about e-book vis-a –vis the printed book?  

I believe in a printed book, as a permanent record for reference. It is easy to read and refer, as and when required, at any time and place, irrespective of the technology and is reachable to everyone without any technical limitations.

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Q What are your future plans for writing ?

At present, I would like to get the information about the reviews, observations, comments/remarks, likes, appreciations etc. from the readers. The information so received would be compiled and printed as an annexure to this book. The annexure would be sent to various important libraries and institutions so that they know about this book and on demand, the copies of the book will be sent to such libraries and institutions.

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Q What is your advice to the persons serving in various positions in the society? 

A person, who has served the society, must share his experience with others, for the benefit of the mankind in general. Such persons must write daily diaries of their observations, howsoever brief they may be. Later on these should form parts of books or reports or some other documents for reference.

                                                  ------------vijaiksharma

Saturday 17 April 2021

SUCCESSFUL REORIENTATION OF ENGINEERING CAREER TO WRITING FIELD BY SALINI VINEETH

 SUCCESSFUL REORIENTATION OF ENGINEERING CAREER TO WRITING FIELD BY SALINI VINEETH

                    

                       Ms. SALINI VINEETH


BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Salini Vineeth is a fiction and freelance writer. She graduated from BITS Pilani, Goa Campus and then did M.Tech from IIIT-Bangalore. After working for a decade in the Electronics industry, she quit her job in Dec. 2018 to pursue full-time writing. Since then, she has self-published four books–Magic Square (novella), Everyday People (flash-fiction collection) and travel guides to Hampi and Badami. Her short stories and personal essays have appeared in Café Dissensus, Kitaab, The Bombay Review, Money Control, Funny Pearls UK, and eShe magazine. She has also contributed to seven anthologies by Embassy Books, Ukiyoto Publishers, Eka Publications, The Hive, and Anonymous writer. She currently lives in Bangalore with her husband and four-year old daughter.

Social Media Links:

Blog: https://salinivineeth.in/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salini.sasidharan.37/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salini_vineeth/

Twiter:  https://twitter.com/salini_vineeth

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

Yes, I am a full-time professional writer. I write fiction, short stories  and technical blogs. I have self-published four books. I have also contributed to seven anthologies.

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Q What is your specific field of writing?  Are there any specific reasons for choosing this particular field?

I am primarily a fiction writer. Even though I enjoy writing long-form fiction, I am more comfortable with short stories. From childhood, I am intrigued by the short stories of great Malayalam writers like Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, M T Vasudevan Nair, and Kamala Das. When I started writing in school days as a child, I think that their style and prose influenced me a lot.

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Q Did you receive appreciation/recognition/awards & adequate sales for your books? Please elucidate.

Yes, I have received a few awards too. I have won the eShe fiction contest in 2019 and 2020. My short story collection 'Everyday People' was the finalist in the Amazon Pen2Publish contest in 2019. Both my books 'Magic Square' and 'Everyday People' have received generally positive reviews. The former has a 4.2/5 rating on Amazon out of 133 reviews, and the latter has a 4.2/5 rating out of 93 reviews. But for me, the biggest appreciation is the number of messages I receive from my readers. The contents of these messages inspire me to write more and better.

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you record them immediately somewhere? On average, what is the timeframe to complete one book, in all respects?

In my own assessment, I am a keen observer. When I am outside on a trip or among friends, I pay attention to the details. Before the pandemic, I used to travel a lot. Many of my short stories are inspired by my observations during  travels. I also get a lot of story ideas from my friends, who are so gracious to share their experiences. Presently, I don't have a habit of writing the ideas down, but I think I need to cultivate that. For a short story, I write 8-10 drafts at least, so it takes at least a month to finish it. Long-form, like a novel, could take anywhere between 2-3 years from the initial draft to publication.

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Q You might have been associated with several organizations for different periods, as an author. Please share some experience during this period.   

Yes, I am a part of several wonderful writers' groups. Hyderabad Readers and Writers is one such group. I am very close to their members and I have published two anthologies with them. The Himalayan Writing Retreat is another group. I attended one of their short story workshops and it was a memorable experience. I also came to know about a group of 25 women writers through our eShe anthology, named 'Everything Changed After That.' Being in the company of readers and writers is an enriching experience.

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

Yes, the quality of writing is utmost important. That includes the language, the storyline, characters and how it connects with the readers. I believe a stunning cover also adds to the value of the book, even though we say don't judge a book by its cover. In my opinion, a writer’s staying connected with his or her readers through social media is very essential. With the influx of so many books, readers have very little time to cover everything. So, if they come across the book of a writer, who engages with them, they might pick it up.

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Q While you were working in an engineering job, were you also concurrently engaged in the writing field? In my opinion, you could have served as an engineer and also as a writer, both together. What are the exact reasons for your entry in the writing field on a full time basis, even though you are a qualified engineer and you have served in a job for ten years. 

I have been writing from my childhood. I remember participating in writing competitions as a young ten-year-old. So, writing is something that has stayed with me for a long time. There was a long gap in my writing career, when I joined engineering discipline and then started working in a job. It was very painful for me since I wanted to write with all my heart.

I tried to handle both my engineering job and writing career for almost six years. Honestly speaking, I wasn't finding time to write quality fiction/non-fiction while managing my home and work. Initially, I wasn't sure about being a full-time writer. I wrote every day for almost six years before quitting my job. All that preparation culminated in change of my career. Therefore, when social media presented an opportunity, I restarted my writing career. Also, Kindle Direct Publishing has helped me to publish my books.

Now also, I utilize my engineering skills when I write content for technical blogs. I have found a very lucrative career in technical and content writing. My engineering degree is a great boon to understand complex concepts. So, I would rather call it a change of career, rather than the end of my engineering career. I have found a new niche to use my skills and training in a way that gives me a lot of job satisfaction.

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Q Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others? In your opinion, is there adequate scope for name/fame/wealth in the field of writing?

I would say all of the above. Yes, writing gives me a lot of satisfaction and it's a way to channelize my emotions and thoughts. I often make enquiries about the views of the readers and I have converted quite a few of their inputs into stories. It's helpful to tell their stories in a way that helps them to channelize their feelings. I also quite enjoy the fame and publicity it brings. I am not quite sure if fiction writing can bring a lot of wealth, though. Maybe it works out for a very few writers.

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Q How are you able to divide the available time between management of home and your writing career?  Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing career?

I have a very supportive family. My in-laws live with me, and they understand the importance of what I do. My husband is also a great help. With their help, I have developed a writing routine and I am able to focus on my craft. I write at least for four hours a day. My parents and sister also help me out and back me up emotionally. Not just them, my extended family, college mates, and even Facebook friends have been very supportive and kind to me. I think it's a great privilege to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Whatever I write is because of their help and support. I am very lucky when it comes to a great support system, which also includes a great circle of friends and readers, who constantly support me. Without an understanding ecosystem it is very difficult for a woman to achieve her dreams and aspirations.

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Q Would you like to share your future plans for writing books with the readers?

I am in the process of making the last edits of my debut full-length novel and then to get it published traditionally, which is time consuming. I am in the process of approaching publishers. If everything goes well, I am hoping to get it published this year or early next year. I am also hoping to write a few good short stories and personal essays.

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Q What is your advice to the budding authors? 

Persistence is the key. If one has decided to become a writer, he or she should keep at it. Everybody realizes that it is tough to face rejection after rejection, but it is better to get used to it, sooner than later. Even the greatest of writers have faced rejections many times. We should not try to focus on success or failure, but on improving the quality of our writing. We should read books, attend workshops and do everything possible to improve our craft, but never give up on writing. Ultimately success will definitely knock at our doors.

                                  ---------vijaiksharma

 

 

 

Tuesday 13 April 2021

NIVEDITA VEDURLA PROGRESSES IN WRITING CAREER WITH HIGH HOPES

 

NIVEDITA VEDURLA PROGRESSES IN WRITING CAREER WITH HIGH HOPES

                                     Ms. NIVEDITA VEDURLA 


   

 BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Nivedita Vedurla started her career as a technical support, moved to software testing and then became a Business Operations Manager at Fabcoders, Goa. She now follows her passion of writing, along with her job as Software Quality Analyst. Her first book ‘Two Angels’ received tremendous love and appreciation from all her readers. Her stories reflect her strong belief in love, faith and the power of mind. 

Her Short Stories are: My father’s Lessons, The bestsellers wife, Always with you. Her Novels are: All for love, The Seeker, My Difficult Love, Long lost friend love, A hiccup in love, The one I love, Rhythm in love, Two angels.

Social Media Links:

    Facebook: /NVedurla/

    Instagram: vedurlanivedita

    Twitter: nisha1133

    Website: vedurlanivedita.com

    Email id: nivedita1133@gmail.com

    Author profile on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2q3TMlK

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

Yes, I am a professional writer. There is nothing more joyful to me than writing. When I am engaged in writing, it lifts up my spirits and makes me feel at peace. It has been precisely for this reason that it was easy for me to complete eight novels and three short stories in the last four years.

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Q What is your specific field of writing?

I enjoy writing in the field of romance.  However, I would love to experiment with thriller too and therefore the next story I am planning to write would be thrillers.

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Q Are there any specific reasons for choosing this particular field?

I have been reading a lot of romantic stories and I feel fascinated the charm love has on my mind and I tend to be glued to the stories. Therefore, my inclination to write in this field comes to me naturally.

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Q What has been the general assessment of the reviewers and readers for your books?

I have received some good reviews as well as some bad reviews. Good reviews make me smile and bad reviews make me rethink on the line of approach taken in the book and to plan for a fresh look for future. In my opinion, as an author, both good and bad reviews are necessary and important for the overall growth of my career in writing.

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Q Which particular book of yours do you consider as the best so far, and why?  

All the stories written by me are related to my own life in some way or the other. Therefore the women in these stories are shadows of my own self and all of them tend to live the expectations of their dreams. In view of this, I am unable to pick up any particular book and say that this is my best. In my opinion, my readers are in a better position to decide and say about it.  

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Q Did you receive appreciation/recognition & adequate sales for your books in the world?

I am happy to say that the sales of my books have been good so far. This status inspires me to write more.

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Q Who is your role model?

In my opinion, every person in the society is unique and a writer draws inspiration from real life experiences. However, for writing I consider that Agatha Christie is my role model.  

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Q Do you promote and recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits and problems in such joint ventures?

For my book, “MY DIFFICULT LOVE” I have worked in joint collaboration and it was an experience of fun and learning. In this case, we had a large number of different ideas about the book, which I think couldn’t have been possible with a single mindset. Writing this story was a kind of brainstorming session for me. Therefore, I would love to do more such projects. I highly recommend joint ventures. However, in my opinion, such collaborations should be with like-minded persons to obtain good results.

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you immediately note them down in a diary or elsewhere?

Most of the ideas come randomly, without being specific to any time of the day or night. If the idea is too strong and comes continuously in form of scenes and emotions of the characters, I write it down in my “ideas list” to work on it later on.

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Q On an average, how many months do you take to complete one book, in all respects?

It depends on the genre and the complexity of the story. According to my experience, on an average it takes about 4 to 5 months to write and edit a story book.

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

Ideally all the genres of the book have readers to generate sales of the book. However, the success of a book depends on the uniqueness of the concept, its cover design, finding the right target for the book and its marketing.

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Q Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others?

In my case, I have observed that my own satisfaction as well as that of the readers, motivates me to write more effectively.

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Q If you were not a writer, in what other way, you would have expressed your creativity?

If not writing, my creativity would have been in dancing. I had learned classical dance and practised it till the age of twenty. Therefore, if not writing, I would have loved to explore the field of dance.

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Q What is your advice to the budding authors?

If writing is our passion, we must remember that it requires tons of confidence and patience on our part. We should never give up on your dreams. We should write and continue to write and success is bound to come.

             ------------vijaiksharma