Author's Interview...Anjali Kirpalani,Never say never fame, Grapevine publishers by Sufia Khatoon
Author's Interview..Anjali Kirpalani,Never say never fame, Grapevine publishers by Sufia Khatoon
Welcome back...
Anjali Kirpalani is a twenty-six year old dreamer. Like the protagonist of her debut novel, Never say Never, she is 5’2 and has frizzy hair but has never fallen for her best friend’s boyfriend (Even if she has, she promises she’s never done anything about it). Born in India, she lived in South Africa for 8 years and finally came back to Mumbai in 2008. She has had various jobs ranging from Radio Jockeying, Business Management, Marketing, TV Reporting, Print Journalism and Voice-Over Artistry. Currently working with ET NOW, writing has been the one constant in her life. She grabs any opportunity she can to travel (This passion has led her to fifteen countries so far and she aims to cover the entire world). She also loves Reading, Eating and Watching back-to-back episodes of Master chef Australia as a guilty pleasure.
Her views on Being bookworms: "I think it is very important for people to read. Reading provides you with answers, entertains you, educates you and opens up your mind. It is said that with the influx of social media and other forms of entertainment, reading will die. But as long as blogs and bookstore like Being bookworms exist, I think that will never happen! People should associate with the Beingbookworms to know what they should read. Keep up the good work, Sufia!" - Anjali Kirpalani,Author
Q1: Tell us Miss Anjali, how did Never say never happen?
I had been writing for magazines since I was 19. I have written three radio drama scripts and my short story 'Destiny' had won two competitions. So writing a book was the next progressive step for me. I started writing 'Never Say Never' in the middle of 2010. I was unemployed and unsure of the direction to take career-wise so I started writing about Nikita Kumar- a twenty-five year old who doesn't know what to do with her life. Soon after that, I got a full time job and it became tough to dedicate time to completing the book. But I decided I had to finish writing it in 2012. I completed it last year, started sending the manuscript to publishers and Grapevine India called me back soon after that to tell me that they wanted to publish my book.
Q2: there are quite a number of chicklit writers emerging out and readers have seemed to like them and not term them too filmy, What is the reason behind this?
Chick-lit is a really fun genre. It was one of my favourite genres to read when I was in college. These books are about providing escapism from the daily drudgery of life, entertaining their readers and making them laugh- what's not to love? I don't know about other books, but with regard to 'Never Say Never', I ensured that the plot and characters were realistic. I made a special effort to have the characters speak and behave in a realistic manner. I didn't want my book to be 'filmy' and while there are certain situations in the book that could seem a little 'filmy', it is also likely these events could occur in real life.
Q3: If any of us feel to write today many think bout Romance. the believable fantasy of every guy and girl out there, as an author, do you think Chicklit novels are just like any other entertainer or it does have philosophical depth in them?
It depends on what the author wants. There's nothing wrong with complete entertainers. However, I have always felt that books with some sort of message/philosophical depth in them, become memorable books for readers. It's hard to forget a book that makes you think. Even though Never Say Never is light-hearted and humorous, there are some key messages at its core. One of them is that you can't control everything in life. The best thing to do is to just go with the flow sometimes. Another message is that we don't always know what's best for us. Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it!
Q4: You have lived in South Africa for so many years and have really tried everything under the sun, So what made you come to India and experiment with the publishing industry here?
I was born in India and had done 6 years of my schooling here. Mumbai is home for me. So while I enjoyed living in South Africa and enjoyed studying and working there, I always wanted to come back home. I had discovered my talent for creative writing in South Africa but if someone told me I would write a book back then, I wouldn't have believed it. I always thought writing a book is a really big deal and didn't know if I'd be able to do it, but once I got the idea for 'Never Say Never', I knew it was publishable.
Q5: What is your message for new writers? Is it easy to become a writer if one is really good or what else is required to be one?
I had joined a Creative Writing class at Xaviers in Mumbai just after I started writing NSN, and I found the advice that our lecturer gave us then extremely useful for all writers. She advised us to just get the story down. She said 'you can worry about the grammar and the editing later' but first get your entire plot down. So that's one important piece of advice. Secondly, I constantly asked myself if I as a reader would enjoy reading my story while I was writing NSN. I thought about the kind of stories I like and my goal was to ensure that my readers won't get bored for even a minute while reading the book. So I made sure the narrative is fast-paced. And I think it's worked because a lot of the people who have read the book have said that they couldn't put the book down and they finished reading the book in one go. And finally, practice makes perfect. So keep writing and you are bound to get better.
Q6: What is the daily routine of a writer,? Your tips to become a successful writer are?
When you want to make writing your career, it is important to treat it like a proper job. Most writers start writing in the morning and ensure that they write from 8am to 5pm everyday, for example. I, however, find it hard to have a system. I write when I feel inspired. And I can write when there is chaos around me. Once I am close to completing a book, that's when I really start disciplining myself- I set deadlines for myself and try my best to follow them. My tips are to 1. Believe in yourself and your work. 2. Read- it's important to know what your contemporary writers are writing about and what writers before you have written about. That said, make sure your story reflects you and your thoughts. Don't try to emulate any other writer's style.
Q7: Why did you choose Chicklit genre for your debut novel?
As mentioned earlier, I love the genre. I have read books by Chick-lit authors like Marian Keyes, Fiona Walker, Helen Fielding and Cecilia Ahern and loved them. I especially admire Marian's work because she tackles serious issues with humour. So I wanted to write a book that I would enjoy reading. I always use humour to deal with issues in my life and so writing chick-lit comes naturally to me.
Q8: How has been your experience in India and when you are told how one is loving your book?
Every time a reader messages me saying they loved my book, it is an incredible feeling. The best thing you can give an artist/creator is appreciation for his/her work. You write so that people can connect and relate to your work. Never Say Never has received acclaim from readers and the media, and I couldn't be happier :)
Interviewed by Sufia Khatoon
Hope you have enjoyed knowing Miss Anjali more.
Stay tuned we have more coming and keep reading and keep loving books,
regards,
Being bookworms
Lots of love and best wishes:Anjali Kirpalani
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