Three best-selling authors across genres share their thoughts on how to channel your vision on to paper
Sanjaya Baru
A political commentator and political analyst, Sanjaya Baru was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s media advisor and chief spokesperson (PMO). His tell-all book on PM Singh—The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh—was critically acclaimed, as was the book on the ninth Prime Minister of India, PV Narasimha Rao—1991: How P.V. Narasimha Rao made History. Out with his recent book, India’s Power Elite: Caste, Class and Cultural Revolution, Baru says discipline is his motto. “Writing is like any other work. So work to a schedule and aim to write 1,000 words daily. A 60,000-word book ought to be written in 60 days. Not continuously, but over a few months,” he says, adding that he looks to the writings of John Kenneth Galbraith and Graham Greene for inspiration.
Have a viewpoint
Be clear what you wish to say, do not fudge and play safe
Tell a story
It is not only in fiction that stories are told. Non-fiction writing also requires a storyline to keep a reader engaged.
Write simply
Avoid long, complex sentences. Be simple, though elegant and stylish.
Steer clear of jargon
Academics write books for each other and like displaying their knowledge of the jargon of their discipline. A scholarly work of non-fiction should be available to the widest possible readership.
Avoid too many foo tnotes
Academics take pride in the number of footnotes and references they cite. Readers hate going back and forth between text, footnotes and references.
Tackling Writer’s Block
“I do other things I enjoy doing—go for long walks; cook a meal; listen to music.”
Follow him on Twitter @Barugaru1
Samantha Shannon
The New York Times and Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Bone Season series, Samantha Shannon, who lives in London, believes in the saying: Go big or go home. Inspired by the writings of Laini Taylor—“I always learn new, beautiful words from her books”—she does not think fantasy is a male-dominated genre. “Women have been creating and consuming speculative fiction for as long as it’s existed,” says the author, who is always drawn to writing from a woman’s perspectives and building worlds in which women are equal.
Consider your potential audience
A publisher will decide in which category your story fits. But while the decision is ultimately up to them, it may help for you to have some idea.
Think about layering and history
Rather than building a setting solely to serve your character’s journey and needs, think about what it might have looked like in the past, how it came to be the way it is—who might have walked here before your character, and who might walk here after them. Brushing layers and building it up like an oil painting will give it depth and make it feel more convincing.
Consider experiences of the characters
Be it physical, emotional, or mental, give your characters time. It can be tempting to steamroll ahead with the plot, but when a character brushes everything off as if nothing’s happened, it implies a disconnect between your world and the people who inhabit it.
Take breaks
It’s easy to get so immersed that hours elapse, but self-care is important. You won’t be doing your best work if you’re overtired and dehydrated.
Be open to feedback
Editors do know what they’re doing. Even if you feel protective of your art, it’s useful to think about your book from an outsider’s perspective.
Experiment
Let your imagination run wild, and dream big. Don’t rein in your ideas.
Let go of rigidity
Don’t get defined by conventions. A great story can’t be contained by a single genre.
‘Original idea’ is a myth
Humans have been telling stories for millennia. But your voice and perspective are unique.
Advice is not prescriptive
There’ no rulebook for writing, and no one-size-fits-all approach.
Tackling Writer’s Block
“I separate myself from the manuscript and take a break for about a week, during which I refill my creative well, take long walks, and try not to think about the story at all. When I come back, I find I feel refreshed. I’m raring to work and I can usually figure out, by that point, what was giving me so much trouble.”
Follow her on Twitter @ say_shannon
Rupa Bhullar
Poignant and insightful, Rupa Bhullar’s debut novel, The Indigo Sun, won many hearts. Currently out with her recent book, When the Wildflowers Bloom, the author believes writing is the best kind of adventure. “I write to discover the answers I do not have, explore things I do not understand, fall in love with places I have never visited and people I’ve never met. To live the life I did not have, and perhaps, somewhere, someday make sense of the life I’ve actually lived.” Inspired by the writings of Ernest Hemingway, Bhullar says writing is its own reward. “Don’t carry the burden of an untold story,” she advises.
Observe life closely
The process of writing begins much before you pen down that first word. Notice all that happens around you. Engage with life. Let your curiosity nudge you for answers. Question hard, challenge events, offer contradictions. Nurture your imagination and feed your curiosity.
Don’t aim for perfection
Permit yourself to be inconsistent, inarticulate, and outright terrible. You can always improve on something, but you can’t improve on nothing. The first draft really is the story you tell yourself behind closed doors.
Write, rewrite, re-rewrite
The art of writing in its truest sense lies in rewriting and refining. Be brutally honest. Look for any words that you can get rid of, any characters you can do without, any conversations you wouldn’t miss. Trust your instinct. Don’t settle and don’t compromise.
Knowow your perspective
The distinguishing factor in writing is not the story but the perspective. How you view something matters and how you narrate it, matters even more. Find your voice and let your writing be heartfelt and relatable. While it is good to be inspired, be acutely aware when you begin to sound like other authors.
Do it for love
Write, not to be the best writer or to craft that masterpiece, write because you love who you are when you’re with your writing. Cherish those moments, savour the process. And be willing to embrace it all—the long hours, the isolation, the doubts, the frustrations, the rejections, the criticism.
The ‘right moment’ is a myth
Write wherever you are, whenever you can. Don’t make excuses. There will never be an ideal time to write.
Don’t expect it to be easy
It is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. You must prepare and persevere.
Impressing is not important
Keep it simple and effortless. Avoid using big words. The readers did not pick up your book to improve their vocabulary.
Let go of doubt or despair
Writing is not a mechanical process, it is a creative art. It will hit its highs and touch its lows. And it will forever demand patience, commitment, and absolute trust.
Work with whatever is
You can always come back and improvise. Keep your sight steady and plough through past the finish line.
Tackling Writer’s Block
“Write anyway. It happens to the best of us. It has happened before; it will happen again. It is part of the process, maybe even integral to writing. It forces you to break the linear chain of thought and reconsider the endless possibilities. I do not fight it. I do not resist. I allow it to stay there as long as it wants. Time, patience and momentum will carry you through. Always.”
Follow her on Twitter @rupa_bhullar