Ask the Author: Nilotpal Roy
Answered Questions (6)
Nilotpal Roy
Actually, the idea of the present novel I am writing now, came from my last book 'Pastiche of Angst'. 'Pastiche of Angst' was about the spiritual death of the protagonist, and when I wrote that I never thought that someday in future I would write a sequel of this book. After that, 8 years passed, and through self-introspection, I realized that death is not the end. In my personal life, I also once experienced my own spiritual death; but despite that I didn't cease to exist, and I fought back to life. So I thought that if in real life, I can have a spiritual rebirth after my spiritual death, why can't my protagonist have a spiritual resurrection after his spiritual death! Therefore, I felt like writing the story of my protagonist's resurrection.
Nilotpal Roy
Very simple. When I began to see so many legendary creative people cerebrally so superior to me, I began to feel myself as inferior as an insect. I didn't like that at all, and I wanted to equal myself to these genii, or even surpass them. I felt that every individual's life is as meaningless as the life of an insect when born; and only a very very few among them, can make their lives meaningful, when they make themselves 'self-taught', by extraordinary dedication and perseverance. So I refused to live the meaningless life of an insect, and decided to attribute some significance to my life, by doing some deeds, which can make me immortal. Then I questioned myself what I am capable of doing, or, to be more meticulous, what I can make myself capable of doing. There are so many creative forms of art --- singing, painting, sculpting, acting, and so many more. So, I began self-introspection, and discovered my instinctive knack and flair for writing.
Nilotpal Roy
Presently, I am writing a fiction in 2 different languages --- a Bengali version, and an English version of the same book. The motif and orientation of the theme, and the form, remain same in both versions; but the narrative technique, is different in English and Bengali. Therefore, it's not a mere translation. Actually, I felt like writing a fiction again, after a hiatus of more than 8 years. I finished writing 'Pastiche of Angst' in April 2005; and then in August 2013 I began to prepare the draft, which took me 1 year and 3 months to complete. After that, I started writing the novel since 29th October 2014, and I really don't know how long I will take to complete it.
Nilotpal Roy
If you want to be one of the best writers in the world, first try to be one of the best readers in the world. Make your Reading-Thinking-Writing ratio 300 pages : 15 days : 1 page. The quality of what you are writing depends on the quality of what you are reading. If you read trash, you will write trash; and if you read cult, you will write cult.
Nilotpal Roy
I can speak to myself tirelessly, incessantly, and endlessly; which is actually self-introspection. In fact, it's vice versa. The best thing about being a writer, is that you can speak to yourself; and the best thing about speaking to yourself, is that eventually you become a writer.
Nilotpal Roy
To me, this phrase has no meaning at all. It never happened to me. I write only when I feel like writing. Writing is a spontaneous act; and you can never initiate it forcibly. You must be self-taught before you try to write. Writer's block happens only to inferior writers, who are like those kids, that go to sit for the exam without even knowing the syllabus. You need to realize that here quality matters; quantity is insignificant. Writing is not trading, and literature is not commodity.
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