So, for this month featuring author from Indian Literary World is Mallika Nawal writer of I a woman & I 'm on Sale
Hmm…now,
isn’t that a difficult thing to do - ‘Who Am I?’ … Well, I am a woman —
brighter than the brightest star and darker than the darkest night. As for my
profession? Well, I’m a writer. Of course, when I am not writing, I am still
writing legal depositions, legal notices, legal petitions, etc. As for hobbies,
the list is endless really. I enjoy a lot of things, especially reading,
writing, trekking, knitting, playing piano, listening to music, playing games
on my PS3, etc.
Questioniare with Mallika Nawal
Questioniare with Mallika Nawal
1.
How did you first get involved in with writing, are
you an imaginative person?
I have been writing since school. That’s when
my first writing was published internationally, a poem titled, ‘Touched By An
Angel’. Yes, I am immensely imaginative.
2.
What do you find most challenging about your
writing?
Nothing really…it’s as
instinctive as breathing!
3.
What do you do when you are not writing?
I am thinking of writing.
It is really weird being a writer…Every person you meet sort of becomes a
character that you analyse, every situation becomes a plot…in short, even when
I am not writing, I am still writing (albeit in my own head).
4.
Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and
5 years down the road?
I live in the present and
I take each day as it comes. So, you’ll have to come back and ask me that
question after 6 months and 5 years respectively.
5.
How do you keep coming up with material / content
for your story?
I wish I could tell how
those ideas germinate in my head…but I can’t really. There isn’t any method to
my mental madness, I’m afraid!
6.
Any specific tips you have for new writers who want
to make it big in the world of published books?
Keep working on the craft…
and read a lot. I have never met a good writer who does not read.
7.
What’s the best thing a writer can give to his
readers?
His/her heart and soul.
Every story a writer writes contains a part of his/her heart and soul.
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?
Good writing earns good
money! I don’t think there are any shortcuts to it. If you want to earn money
through your writing, you need to be effective at what you do. If you write
well and it connects with the target audience, you will be able to make money.
9.
What motivates you most in life?
Failures! They are the
backbone of success.
10.
What has been your strategy for creating visibility
to yourself and your writing?
To be honest, I rarely
think about all that… I write to express myself and for the causes I want to
take up. Which is also why I enrolled for my LLB so that I can do more than
just write against them.
11.
What was the most challenging moment in your
writing content development process and why?
I have been lucky that
ways, I guess. I wrote for fun and somehow my writing caught the attention of
publishers/editors, who approached me and I started writing for them. I haven’t
really faced rejections…or challenges. Though occasionally I do face the
proverbial writer’s block, but I don’t consider them a challenge really…after
all, it’s just my brain telling me to take a break, which I always do![Smiles]
12.
Everyone has a favourite / least favourite post.
Name yours and why?
If you are referring to
Facebook Posts, I am not such a social media fan. I do post, from time to
time…but I spend less than 5 mins on Facebook…so I don’t really have a
favourite or least favourite post. Besides, I think people need to stop
spending so much time in the virtual world, and go explore the real world for a
change.
13.
Name some of the writinggers whom you look up to
and why?
I really like the writing
style of Irving Wallace. His writing is crisp and informative…exactly how
writing needs to be.
Well, if you are really
interested in knowing that story… just pick up Swarajya’s March issue (Women’s
Day Special), which describes in detail why the novel’s titled - ‘I’m a Woman
& I’m on SALE’. You can, of course, read it online on the Swarajya website.
The article’s titled - ‘My Freedom Nests In My Mind, Safe and Sound’!
15.
Which genre do you feel gets the raw deal?
I don’t think any of them
gets a raw deal. Each comes with its own unique set of audience. Of course, it
is a known fact that most audiences flock to romances and thrillers, but that’s
just how humans are programmed.
16.
Five adjectives that describe you?
Crazy, Witty, Lively,
Adventurous, Scary
17.
What book would you say has made the biggest impact
good or bad on you?
I don’t think there’s any
one book that has made an impact. I am a voracious reader and I read a lot…so I
believe they all have made an impact for better or for worse…it’s hard to tell.
18.
Do you get easily provoked by positive / negative
comments?
Not at all. I have, what
they say, an internal locus of control.
19.
Do you plan to write more books, as every author
dream it is?
Like I said, writing is
living to me. So, I write a lot and also have a lot of books in the pipeline. I
recently finished a management book for an ivy league management college
located in Bombay. There are 4 other books in the pipeline, apart from the
myriad articles.
20.
Are you a judgmental person, do you prefer to take
sides instead of standing neutral?
No. I am not judgmental
but I do have strong convictions. Once I know something’s wrong, I cannot stay
neutral. For I believe in what Dante said, ‘The darkest places in hell are
reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.’
21.
What genre attracts you the most and which genre
you avoid?
I have a very eclectic
taste when it comes to books, writers, and writing.
22.
Your Views on increasing plagiarism?
It’s just plain ol’ fraud.
It’s a crime! And writers who indulge in that are just plain ol’ criminals -
lazy and uninspired!
23.
What’s the best thing a writer can give to his
readers?
Honesty!
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