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Author’s Interview: Questionnaire with Kulpreet Yadav
So, for this month featuring author from Indian Literary World is Kulpreet Yadav writer of The Girl Who Loved a Pirate
Bio: Kulpreet Yadav is a bestselling author,
motivational speaker, startup mentor, and Founder-Editor of Open Road Review,
South Asia's leading online literature and culture magazine of literature
and culture of South Asia. After working as an armed forces officer for two
decades, I left my job in 2014 to pursue my passion of writing.
Kulpreet’s latest novel, The Girl Who Loved a Pirate,
is India’s first thriller based on marine piracy & hijacking. Passionate
about Creative Writing, Kulpreet also mentors aspiring writers at schools and
colleges and has spoken at many literary festivals in India & abroad
including Singapore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Goa, Bangkok, Gurgaon, Pune,
Panchkula, Lucknow etc. An ex-armed forces officer, he lives in New Delhi. More
at www.kulpreetyadav.com
Questionnaire with Kulpreet Yadav
I wrote my
first novel in 2006 and have been writing ever since. Reading books all my life
helped me to look at the world with the curiosity of a writer. Also, as an
armed forces officer I travelled far and wide, meeting different people and
getting introduced to their ways of life, to the uniqueness of their conflicts
etc.
2.
What do you find most challenging about your writing?
You need to find the right voice, one that
is original, and has the depth and intensity about life that the readers find
distinctive and relatable at the same time.
3.
What do you do when you are not writing?
I like to go for long walks. When at home,
I cook occasionally, and, of course, I love reading all the time.
4.
Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the
road?
I have got a new book lined up for release
in July titled “The Girl Who Loved a Spy”. I’m excited about this and we are
busy at the moment with the right marketing strategy for the book. Five years
down the line, I hope to be known as a writer people enjoy reading the most not
just in India, but all over the world.
5.
How do you keep coming up with material / content for your story?
By observing people. By reading newspapers.
Or by, sometimes, just closing my eyes. Every story begins with an idea of
someone caught in a unique conflict. I never write these ideas down, but when I
find a particular one lurking in the corner of my brain for far too long, I get
that on the paper and work on expanding it. Every such idea doesn’t become a
novel, though. Sometimes, I have to abandon it altogether or leave it as a
short story.
6.
Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big
in the world of published books?
Read as much as you can.
7.
What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?
Introduce the reader to people he is not
likely to meet, take him to places he is not likely to go, and show him
conflicts and problems that dwarfs his own.
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?
It’s hard to earn a living from writing.
But it is not impossible. If anyone believes he can write well enough, he
should write. Money always follows if you are true to your passion.
9.
What motivates you most in life?
The fact that I believe I can be the best
if I work hard and honestly enough. Where you will end in your life begins and
ends with you.
10.
The majority of the readers tend to take sides due religion and such
other considerations.
Not just for my writing, as a person, I
consider myself apolitical and without any biases.
11.
What is the story behind the name of your book?
It’s exactly what it means. But to
elaborate: this is the story of a girl who loves the bad guy (the pirate) but
knows that the good guy (the spy) loves her too, but can do nothing about it.
12.
What are your views on increasing plagiarism?
We should do more to raise awareness of its
negative impact on the publishing world and lobby for more stringent laws.