If and only If
“If” is about poignancy of relationship, it’s about the angst borne out of social and cultural transition, it is about destiny’s hiccups in one’s life, its about opportunities missed and those gained, but most of all its about humans and their relationships with their environment in today’s contemporary life. "IF" is Neeru Nanda's collection of short stories and will be read by theatre and film personality Arjun Sajnani, at Crossword on the 2nd of March 2006 at 6.30pm. Puja Goyal caught up with Neeru over a cup of morning tea to find out more …
ON CONTEMPRORY INDIAN WRITING :
"Indian fiction is definitely coming up. Today, more Indian authors are getting published," says Neeru. "Our English writing is different from others because our writing is not layered; we're simple writers with a suggestive style. Unlike foreign writers we are not metaphorical."
The contemporary reader has also changed, gone are the days when readers spent time reading pages and pages of descriptions of what a blizzard feels like. We have the television and magazines to show us that now. Readers know the visual and that has definitely changed the form of narrative we write. The reader wants to connect with the protagonist instead of the scenery.
WHAT'S WITH THE WORD "IF"?
Our entire world is pegged on "IF". The whole mystery surrounding; what if the story deviated, what if we had chosen another path, what if the road ended there instead of moving on??? What if?? "If" is what tells us a story…
DEVELOPING THE STORY:
I believe that a writer should write in a way that it pierces the surface of the story. I am a visual writer and character building comes naturally to me. A short story is not about the history of an individual; it is about taking that sliver from the characters life, which has brought a conflict in his existence.
For any writer starting out, I would like to say that it is important for the character to writer his own story. Let the character lead you, instead of you dominating it. It is wonderful to step back from the story and let the character do the talking. I am fortunate that this is coming to me easily, and I would like to continue developing on this style.
Source: Vijay Times, BVT- Pg 4.
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal.
ON CONTEMPRORY INDIAN WRITING :
"Indian fiction is definitely coming up. Today, more Indian authors are getting published," says Neeru. "Our English writing is different from others because our writing is not layered; we're simple writers with a suggestive style. Unlike foreign writers we are not metaphorical."
The contemporary reader has also changed, gone are the days when readers spent time reading pages and pages of descriptions of what a blizzard feels like. We have the television and magazines to show us that now. Readers know the visual and that has definitely changed the form of narrative we write. The reader wants to connect with the protagonist instead of the scenery.
WHAT'S WITH THE WORD "IF"?
Our entire world is pegged on "IF". The whole mystery surrounding; what if the story deviated, what if we had chosen another path, what if the road ended there instead of moving on??? What if?? "If" is what tells us a story…
DEVELOPING THE STORY:
I believe that a writer should write in a way that it pierces the surface of the story. I am a visual writer and character building comes naturally to me. A short story is not about the history of an individual; it is about taking that sliver from the characters life, which has brought a conflict in his existence.
For any writer starting out, I would like to say that it is important for the character to writer his own story. Let the character lead you, instead of you dominating it. It is wonderful to step back from the story and let the character do the talking. I am fortunate that this is coming to me easily, and I would like to continue developing on this style.
Source: Vijay Times, BVT- Pg 4.
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal.
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