Do you consider yourself a better writer than five years ago?
It's only natural to have improvements. I have been constantly writing. There was no hiatus after Karnali Blues. On the second day of its release, I remember I had ideas that I wanted to work on and that is exactly what I have been doing. I think there is more maturity in my writing now. For instance in Karnali Blues, the protagonist didn't evolve throughout the book but in Firfire, I believe my characters are more developed. I have built them better, and as the story progresses the readers might be in for a surprise. I have had time to work on my phrasings, flow and word play. Further, I think I have succeeded in presenting the society and the community based on this story in a fair way. Even though it's fiction, readers might actually learn and understand a lot about them from this.
I hear you spent three years researching for this book?
I don't like raising subjects that require 100% research. We don't have the sources or the database for that. So my personal rule is to go for topics that I already have some knowledge about and take it from there. This way I was confident that I would be able to do justice to the issues and characters. Karnali Blues was more about sentiments, but this time around I wanted the book to be more authentic thus the facts were necessary. I researched about certain diseases in the medical field, superstitions, witch doctors, and so on. It was a good experience.
Also this time around, you move from the mountains and base the story firmly in the Tarai region. Are there any reasons behind the geographical change?
I grew up in the Tarai. That's where my roots are. You know how they say the things you see and experience in your childhood have an impact on you, well, that is the case here as well. I am well familiar with the Tarai area yet there are many aspects that I still find fascinating and that's where many stories come from. Besides the main problem that I have based the book on, I believe, is still relevant.
Let's talk about the stress of bringing out a second book. How did you handle it?
Things began smoothly enough but once the story writing process picked up pace, as always it gets tricky. But I'd never complain because there is pleasure in the pain and vice versa. I had anxiety at one point. My doctor told me that most creative people go through it at one point or the other. It's just that I became so immersed in work, the process of writing, that I didn't pay attention to anything else. I don't like being disturbed while I'm working, even if it is for a good cup of tea. When you put yourself through so much pressure and not pay attention to eating and sleeping patterns, your health suffers. I went for a full body check up after the book was finished though and just in case anybody is concerned, everything is fine.
So after all that agony, how did you know it was time to release the book?
I definitely didn't rewrite Karnali Blues as much as this one but apart from the slight pressure, I genuinely enjoyed writing this book more. I guess it is because as a writer I felt slightly more competent. There were many ways to tell the story and I didn't mind playing with it. I enjoyed writing the many drafts. But there comes a point where you rework and analyze your work so much that you become incapable of self-evaluation. That's the time to rest, restart with a fresh mind and move on to the next step.
Do you like getting input on your work?
I give my manuscript to people who might help me spot my mistakes. Good comments aren't really a priority. That's my main intention so I specifically pick people who can help me with that. I usually give it to people who are from the professions mentioned in the book. For example, this time around, I actively sought a couple doctors for feedback.
So you take criticism pretty well then?
It's impossible to make everybody like your style of writing. Some will read the entire book and then comment while some will read just the first ten pages and decide the book isn't for them. I don't know how to handle comments from people who fall in the latter category. However, I listen to people who read the entire book and then comment on it. I know my book from cover to cover so I can often judge if a critic was justified or not. I take the ones that might help me to heart.
What was the latest helpful criticism you received?
Somebody recommended that I should continue writing poems. When I mentioned I didn't do that anymore, he insisted that I do it for myself because he thought I was using the same kind of style at some point in the book. He said writing poems would help me on that front. On hindsight, I agree and I shall do that.
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