Writing a book
8.1.2013, Mumbai
Recently
at the Bangalore literature Festival I was on a panel discussion with eminent
writer and journalist Tavleen Singh. The topic was biographies and Tavleen was
sharing the making of her new book Durbaar.
I could not resist asking Tavleen a question I have often been asked by
journalists and students: How do you write your books. What is the process? How
many hours a day are you in front of the computer?
Tavleen was more than happy to share the
process of writing and said that as far as her regular columns were concerned she
could hammer on her keyboard with her one eye closed but a book, she said
requires focus particularly in the formatting stage when there is too much
information and no structure. “Once I have worked out a structure I’m
definitely more relaxed but even then there is a constant anxiousness and this
continues till the book is complete. When I’m working on a book, I wake up
early in the morning so I can write for long uninterrupted hours. During this time I’m so absorbed that even
brewing a cup of coffee is a distraction. I don’t like to socialize while I’m writing
for it consumes my energy. Also, I don’t want to make an effort in formal
dressing but meeting up friends is refreshing and you look forward to such
breaks.”
Shehan
Karunatilaka, author of Chinaman said
in an interview that he begins writing at dawn and stacks his table with five
different kinds of fluids so he does not have to get up from his desk till
lunch hour. After a power nap Shehan is back to the computer screen absorbed in
the world of his characters.
Author, columnist and opinion maker Shobhaa De has
always said that the only way to write a book is to write obsessively. De whose new book Sethji has recently released says she writes every waking hour of
the day until her book goes for print.
Next
time somebody asks me ‘how do you write…where do you write…how many hours a
day?’ I will not feel self conscious to answer for I now know that it is more
or less the same story with all the authors.
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