Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I am a simple person with a kind heart and high morale. I am an MBA in International Business and Finance from the an esteemed University of India. I provide academic support to international students and professionals. I am also an advisory panelist to the Association of Indian Students where I share space with many big personalities and figures.

 Questionnaire with J. Alchem

1.       What are your interests apart from writing bestsellers?

I am into cooking lip-smacking cuisines, watching movies, listening to songs, and chit-chatting with my friends about the vast universe of books. I feel there is a lot in this world to explore.

2.       How did you first get involved with writing?

It professionally started with writing an article for a magazine. It was loved by readers as well as the editorial body and I kept getting newer opportunities every week. I wrote my first book when I was doing MBA and it took me three years to complete and publish the same. It won several accolades and became a huge inspiration for me and my career.

3.       Are you an imaginative person? It is what I felt reading your books.

Yes, I am an imaginative person. I don’t write about my life or the people around me. I imagine things and then I write about them. Everything from a character to subplots is part of my sheer imagination. This is how I bring novelty to my books.

4.       What do you find most challenging about your writing?

I feel the most challenging part is getting started with a new story. Once I am done with 2-3 chapters, there is nothing that can stop me from completing a book.

5.       What do you do when you are not writing?

I am either sleeping peacefully or thinking about what character should be killed next in my new book. I always have murdered someone in each book. I am not kind when it comes to my books and my editor also has told me that I don’t have to be.

6.       How do you keep coming up with material/content for your story?

I read a lot and when I come across something unique or different, I imagine a story around that. It doesn’t always work, but when it does, I have a new novel to publish.

7.       Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books?

I don’t think anyone needs a tip nowadays. People are intelligent enough to make the right choices. However, if you want to make it big, you must focus on small-small things.

8.       What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?

A book worth embracing. What else a writer can give? Yes, an interview worth reading.

9.       A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing?

I am not against writing for money, but I feel it is what people must not do. Writing is a work of soul and it must not be seen as how much you can earn out of it.  

But if they seriously want to earn, copywriting, scriptwriting, editing, and ghost-writing are some of the things they can do.

10.   What motivates you most in life?

New books, movies, web series, and people. There are many sources. I feel the whole world is a source of motivation.

11.   The majority of the readers tend to take sides due to religion and other considerations.

This is unfortunate. Art is divine and people should not mix it with religions or whatsoever.

12.   Tell us about your new release, “It doesn’t end here”?

This book is the first in the trilogy of End Series. It is the story of Samuel and Sara. Samuel wants to break up with Sara because he has outgrown. However, Sara has something else to share with him. It is a romantic read. However, its sequel will be a crime thriller.

13.   What are your views on increasing plagiarism?

I believe there should be strict laws to protect copyright. Also, authors should get their books copyrighted before sharing or sending them to publishers so they can sue the culprit or at least shame them publicly. 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Your profession and your hobbies!!

I am a woman in my early forties. However, instead of going through a mid-life crisis, I rediscovered myself after turning forty and growing into a better version of self with every passing day. By discipline, I am an HR professional, Soft Skills Trainer, and a Content Writer.  I have worked in niches of HR and Training for over two decades in varied industries.  During my professional career, I have worked in Retail, Telecom, Education, and Credit Management Industry. 

By passion, I am a creative writer. I wear my thinking hat often and let the creative juices flow in the form stories, poetry, and a blog.  I started the writing journey with a blog, one fine day when I had a lot to say but didn’t find an honest ear. I penned everything that was making me feel anxious. The article was accepted by a leading guest blogging site and within a year, the blog reached ten million views.  Since then, there’s no looking back.

I have been writing something every day, and various digital portals are publishing my work.  Writing is now an addiction and there’s no cure.

I have also won a few accolades for my writing skills.  I am presently working as a freelance trainer for content writing and marketing.  I am also working on a few writing and editing projects with some corporates.

Apart from this I conduct content workshops for women only communities.  These workshops are specially curated for women who choose to follow their passion and take it the next level by turning it into a business.   It gives me immense pleasure in empowering women who reinvent themselves after breaking the barriers.

 To know more click https://vandanaspen.com/about-vandana-saxena/

Questionnaire with Vandana Saxena 

1.  How did you first get involved in with writing, are you an imaginative person? 

As a child, I was inclined towards writing.  However, in the early nineties, it was not about choices but about grades.  Though my report cards were never flashy, yet I was equipped with excellent language skills.  I wrote a few stories and poems as a child, but it was buried under the pressure of becoming a professional.

 I have always believed in stories. I have imagined and found a story in almost everything, including my own life.  Since I am an aspiring writer, I love to live in my fictional world and look forward to the intense conversation with the characters that I have created.  Indeed, I am an imaginative person.

2.   What do you find most challenging about your writing?

 Well, I have never thought about challenges, but I guess the most challenging part is editing.  Writing is like mediation to me and it flows the moment I bend over my laptop or pick up my pen.  I find editing my own content, or anyone’s creative content challenging for me.  

 They say, “Be a ruthless editor”, but for me, deleting words and descriptions from my write-ups feels like taking away the parts of my body.  It’s indeed challenging but I am learning to cope up with it.

3.   What do you do when you are not writing?

Reading, if not busy with the household and child.

4.  Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I love to live in present.  I have no long-term plans so I can’t say where I will be after five years.  All I want to be, is alive and healthy, even after five years down the road.  In the next six months, I will be a better author with a better author, writing the best stories.

5.  How do you keep coming up with material / content for your story?

Like I said, there’s a story in everything and I am able to find one everywhere.

6.  Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books?

Like I said, there’s a story in everything and I can find one everywhere; even during this interview.

7.  What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?

Take them to a new world, that they have never seen before.

8.  A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?

Earning money from writing is easy but the difficult part is to write.  One must understand the difference between content and creative.  You may earn from content writing, but creative writing is for the writer alone.  

 While content writing is the readers’ perspective creative writing is the writers’ perspective. Before writing content think about your target audience and the purpose of the content.  You will never go wrong this way.  Write quality content and never miss a deadline.  Initially, it may not skyrocket your writing career, but it will pick up with time.  Be consistent with quality and time.  You will earn. If you are writing a story write it for your happiness.  Don’t think about the reader.  Simple rule for creative writing.

9.  What motivates you most in life?

My failures.  Whenever I lose a writing challenge, I am motivated to write better, write more.

10.The majority of the readers tend to take sides due to religion and such other considerations.

 Readers’ perspective is beyond my control.  Trust me, there’s nothing that a writer can do about it.  My job here is to write, so I write.  If an opinion affects a writer, he/she will never be able to express his/her own beliefs, and that’s the only job a writer should do

11.  What are your views on increasing plagiarism?

A famous writer said, “If you have read one thousand books, you can write one.”  It’s all about inspiration.  It’s ok to get inspired but it’s not OK to copy.   A writer can’t go a long way with this.  Writing something that has never been created before, helps you evolve as a writer.   Copying helps you evolve as a thief.   Choice is yours! 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Your profession and your hobbies!!

 I am Dr. Tejaswini Patil, Ph.D. working as an Assistant Professor in Kasegaon Education Society’s Smt. Kusumatai Rajarambapu Patil Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Islampur, Dist. Sangli, Maharashtra and Founder Director, Innsæi International Journal of Creative Literature for Peace and Humanity; an academician, poet and social worker; write about Nature, social issues, feminist sensibilities and my experiences. Four collections of poetry are to my credit. Editor, Tunisian Asian Anthology, Mystical Voices. Thrice selected for prestigious Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival, Texas, USA. Included in 25 Women of Virtue. The Awards bestowed on me- State Level Mahila Samajratna Lifetime Achievement Award and ‘Master of Creative Impulse’ by World Poetry Conference, Bathinda, Punjab. 

Hobbies:

Poetry- writing, reciting and performing on them; listening to Classical Music; painting and handicrafts are some of my hobbies. I feel social work as my responsibility; to repay the debt of our mother land.

Questionairre with Dr. Tejaswini Patil

1.       How did you first get involved in with writing, are you an imaginative person?

I am thankful to my parents who made me involved in reading since childhood and the lack of technology also proved to be helpful in engaging me with the world of imagination... I wrote my first poem at the age of 13-14. It was a result of beautiful description of a panther in a novel... The poem in Marathi, Chitta was written for the first time. As I used to be involved in my own world, my friends and others teased me. Books played their inevitable role in creating a separate world of imagination. 

2. What do you find most challenging about your writing?

For me, it's always challenging to capture the perfect nerve of the creative pulse. Sometimes, it flashes before the inner eye and is lost. It's required to give time to her, the poem, instantly. And if you are stuck elsewhere, you can't chase it. I feel very guilty, if it's lost.

3.What do you do when you are not writing?

 I listen to Classical music, water plants or read old diaries. I get much energy through the past. I am involved in social work, so, I prefer to plan various activities for the future with my students, colleagues.

4. Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I think myself as a Founder Director of two-three more journals in next 6 months. I'm working on them. And after 5 years, I think of myself busy with service to society, literature, poetry, organizing various festivals, and at the midst of thousands of literary pilgrims. I wish I get thousands of the followers, friends to work on the service to Peace and Humanity.

5. How do you keep coming up with material / content for your story? 

Since childhood, I've been a keen observer of surrounding. Many characters in my poems or stories are those, I have met in life. On bus stop, or railway station, airport or vegetable Market, my antennas are alert. I come across the mysterious aspects of human life... I write about them. I like to indulge in the psychological development of the characters.

6.Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books? 

Of course...

I would like to tell them that 

1. Remain positive in all situations. It may be a story you're living for your future writing. 

2. Be honest to your feelings while expressing in your oeuvre. It can change one's life. 

3. Be correct in the use of language and spellings... 

I hope they can survive at least, with these.

7. What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?

With my experience as a reader, I would say, Literature gives the reader an imaginary experience of many situations in life which may not be practically possible. Literature gives us the power of decision. You know about the concepts of Right and Wrong. I would like to exemplify this with the Hindi novel, Chitralekha, by Hajariprasad Dviwedi. It can also provide us with the Aesthetic Pleasure which is not possible in real life. 

8. A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?

Writing is an auspicious profession that makes you earn very slow. In my opinion, the books which lead you to the Truth, are purchased by readers. May it be Alchemist by Paulo Coelho or The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin or The Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway which have influenced me are the books that talk of the Truths in life. If you want to make money through writing, you need to be loyal to yourself, life and the readers. Your language should be either powerful or full of emotions that touch the chords of one's heart. In the post-modern era, technology has opened up new vistas in writing such as Content writer, Ghostwriter, etc. through which you can earn. Still, you are expected to prove the power of your pen and imagination. 

9. What motivates you most in life?

The Beauty and the Pain are the two aspects of life that inspire me to write. Most of the times, beauty has the gleaming edge of tears and some tears are beautiful with sublimity.

10. The majority of the readers tend to take sides due to religion and such other considerations.

It's up to the writer to present an impartial view of life. I think Humanity to be the world's religion... all the religions are there to guide us in our walks of life... The ultimate goal of all of them is to spread Love, Compassion and Humanity. The classical literature speaks of universal religions. 

11. What is the story behind the name of your book?

The first 'Talons and Nets' is about how the talons of a woman are entangled in nets of social customs which restrict her from soaring.

'Verses of Silence' is an effort to capture the Silence which becomes productive many times.

'A Glass of Time' relates to the fact of life that everything comes to us at a particular time and we are bound to enjoy it though momentary. 

The Hindi collection is 'Kainaat' which means Cosmos. It's about my expressions regarding my own sky, horizon and cosmos. It takes a long time to decide the 'Title' of the collection. 

12. What are your views on increasing plagiarism?

Since Genesis, there are false practices in this world. Plagiarism can give one a momentary joy of victory but can't win lifelong satisfaction. The joy of Creativity is far more important than stealing it. I prefer to be a bee whose creativity is unique.