AUTHOR'S INTERVIEW : THOSE WERE THE DAYS BY N.S. RAVI

Author’s Bio

                                                 

   N.S.Ravi holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Delhi University. He has had a distinguished and challenging career in senior positions in public and private sector enterprises dealing in jewellery, infrastructure and textiles and apparel with exposure to working in Europe, Africa and India. Ravi now focuses his time in writing.

He speaks English, Hindi, Tamil and French.

Till now Ravi has five books to his credit.

His first book titled ‘Those were the days’ was a non-fiction and published in 2014.He followed it up with a fiction titled “Khan Vs Kahn Vs Kanh” in 2016, using Indian film industry as the theme.

In 2017 he had two books to his credit. First aninstaread (Pocket book style), titled ‘Marriage Made in Mumbai Local’ followed by  ‘Different Shades of Women’ a collection of eight short stories as a tribute to Indian women.‘The Leader’ is his fifth book published in 2018 and is the authors take on the famous Bombay textile strike of 1982.

Ravi is married with two children and lives in Delhi.

He can be reached at –nuranisravi@yahoo.co.uk

QUESTIONNAIRE :

1) When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Honestly I do not think I ever knew that I could to be writer till I wrote my first book which was quiet late in my life. Writing was always a passion for me but I had never thought of writing a book or writing as a career. But the encouraging feedback I got for the book made me look at writing as an option to keep myself occupied by indulging in writing since I had decided to take retirement. I had time in hand , a lap top which made writing and correcting easy and lots of stories and experiences which I could modify to be used as plots for my books. Since I had the advantage of not having to look at writing career to feed me I was blessed to do what pleased me.

2) When did you write your first book and how old were you?

I wrote my first book after crossing sixty and having decided to stop pursuing a professional career.

3) What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating your books?

Initially it is easy to start off but as you go on it becomes taxing unless you properly plan the book. You cannot write at random and then try to fit it. You have to prepare a rough outline in terms of how you plan the story to pan out. Create the flow chart and then start attacking each segment so that the flow of narration is smooth.

4) How many book you have written? Which is your favourite?

I have five published books to my account and two more in the pipeline which if everything goes as per plan should be out within next six months.

My favourite is the first book titled “Those were the days” which is a non-fiction. Besides the contents which touches on everything which concerns our day to day life in this great country it gave me the necessary impetus to carry on with my choice of writing as a sincere occupation.

5) do you have any suggestions to help any budding writer become a better writer ? If so, what are they ?

Simple formula: If you have passion to be writer go for it and remember there is always scope for improvement and doing better. Don’t think success will be overnight. Patience is absolutely necessary since disappointments are thick and fast. It is not a job where you can draw and bank on success of others. It is lonely but the satisfaction in doing what you want to do is entirely yours, with no need to share. As far as possible initially make it a secondary occupation so that you can earn enough from your primary occupation to take care of your requirement. Just remember a day has 24 hours and you need to sleep six hours only to stay healthy. Balance 18 hours is long enough for you to do justice to your employer and yourself.

6) do you hear from your readers much ? What kind of things do they say ?

Few and not many. Generally the response and comments has been encouraging.

7) tell us something about your newly released novel/book ?

My last book was titled “The Leader”. It was based on the now forgotten famous Mumbai textile strike of 1982. The strike lasted nearly a year killing the city’s textile industry and affecting livelihood of nearly ten lakh people connected with the industry. More than 90 percent of textile mills closed creating a scarcity of jobs in the textile city of the country. “The Leader” is my take on why the strike took place and who the beneficiaries were. Though drawing its idea from reality it is an economic fiction.

And, 

8) What do you think makes a good story ?

The author’s passion in telling it in such a way that the story remains good. There is nothing called a bad story. It is only bad narration.

INTERVIEWED BY :

MR. SUMAN PANDA

TEAM BOOK RACKOON