Q Why do you write?
I write to share my thoughts and discoveries.
Q Do you have a writing schedule?
No. I write mostly on weekends. My work is about developing new concepts and ideas. So, my brain gets fried frequently. I postpone my writing till the time I have resolved it.
Q Coffee/tea/cigarettes — numbers please — while you are writing…
I don’t like tea and I don’t smoke. I love coffee, but my body can take only one cup in a day. So, unfortunately, I don't have much help from these stimulants.
Q Ever struggled with writer’s block?
All the time. My new concepts have to be consistent with known truths and theories. This reconciliation often takes a long time. I work on other chapters as my mind continues to finesse my ideas on the blocked topic.
Q Best piece of advice you’ve ever got?
I recently read that a writer should fix a time to write. That might help me as I leave for my ideas to drive my writing and not a schedule.
Q Do you keep a diary?
Yes, I write the ideas that I come up with randomly during the day — I have a folder in Google Docs to save them in the chapters where I would incorporate them.
Q Describe your favourite writing space.
I cannot work in a quiet place, so, I mostly work at coffee places or libraries. I often need distractions from the thoughts I am struggling to formulate. My home office does not work well for me.
Q Who are your favourite authors?
As a child, I used to hide from my grandmother to read the Ramayana. I felt I knew those people personally. I have, in fact, read only a few books. I started reading The Godfather in my second year of college, and did not finish till my final year! I have recently read all of Dan Brown’s novels.
Q Which book/author should be banned on grounds of bad taste?
There are many who run propagandas and promote their ideology with false and one-sided data.
Q Which is the most over-rated book?
Most books written by management consultants and business management professors are overrated — they contain no real knowledge. They describe tons of examples of events in the business world that do not add up to any takeaways.
Q Which classics do you want to read?
I loved Srikant by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The characters were so relatable to me. I wish to read more of his books.
Q Which is the funniest book you have read?
Jerry Seinfeld’s, Sein Language. Every dialogue of the show is etched in my head, and it is easy for me to relate to Seinfeld’s sense of humour in the book.
Q Which is the most erotic book you have read?
The Godfather had a few lines, right near the beginning. I had found it be quite thrilling during my teenage days. Tried reading Fifty Shades of Grey, but could not go beyond the first 20-30 pages.
Q Which book do you wish you had written?
My writing career has just begun, so I am in a position to work on topics that are close to my heart. So, no regrets, yet. Let us talk in 10 years.
