Indian mythology is a treasure trove of stories. It won’t be correct to call them just mythologies as they are also the pillars of our culture. Recent years have seen many books based on age old stories. Amish Tripathi and Ashwin Sanghi were clutter breakers in a market dominated by college romances. They have created a huge market for this genre by rewriting the old stories in a new format thus drawing people’s attention.
Mythology from the perspective of female characters has also become famous. Lucid interpretations of Puranas by Devdutt Pattanaik have clicked the interests of the youth. Some authors have signed multiple book deals with leading publishers and for some, success in this genre has resulted in opening of new writing avenues. Though it may look tempting to jump into this bandwagon, there are a few points a newbie writer should keep in mind.
Research, research and do more research
If you plan to write fiction or non-fiction based on mythology, be assured that many readers would be well versed with the stories you are retelling. If you are not ready for meticulous research, it would be better not to venture into this genre.
Be ready for criticism
Many readers would have grown up hearing a different version than yours due to the sheer diversity of the Puranas. It is not going to be easy to convince a reader who has grown up hearing another version of the same story as the truth.
Be refreshingly different as you are retelling an old tale
There are thousands of stories, many written by master story tellers ranging from Kalidasa and Bhasa to many Jnanpith awardees in the recent years who have based their stories on Puranas. Unless you give a different voice and strength to your writing, it is easy to get scathing criticism or worse, ignored and forgotten.
Don’t write mythology because it is hot now
Write what you are passionate about and not as per the trends. What you usually read is an indication of what you are passionate about.
Throw away the books on how to write novels
There are plenty of books available in the market on how to write fiction by successful western authors. It won’t be of much help as this genre is unique to India.
Once you have poured your heart out, check if your novel has Sringaram: Love, romance, attraction.
Hasyam: Is there humour in at least some parts? Have you used irony to stress your points?
Raudram: Have you been able to invoke the fury of the reader while describing injustice?
Karunyam: Do your characters invoke compassion?
Bibatsam: Has your writing aroused disgust in the reader’s mind for some characters or events? Can the readers relate them to present day outrages?
Bhayanakam (Horror, thrill, adrenalin rush): Is your novel moving fast enough?
Viram (Heroism): Have you staked up the
Bhayanakam element for heroism?
Adbhutam (Wonder): We are amazed at the character’s resilience—the villain’s power of hate, the Guru’s conviction. This adds depth to the characters.
Shantam: This is where the novel should end, like the last drops of rain after a storm. The peace attained at the end could be that of a tragedy or elevating like that of a happy ending one, but peace it must be for sure.