An Interview with Abhijit Bhattacharya
1) I always like to begin my interviews with a challenge. If you had to describe your book in only three words, which would you choose?
Wow! That is a tricky one. Three words…erm….Short, pacy & young!
2) Some of the Whole is a collection of short stories. Did you start out to write short stories, are did your story manifest itself this way on its own?
I started writing them out as separate short stories. After penning down five of them, I realized that this was leading me somewhere. And that is when I decided to write a complete set. But yes, the I wrote the prologue the last because the prologue encapsulates the lead characters and the plots of each of the ten short stories.
3) What would you say was the most difficult part of writing this story?
Like I mentioned earlier, the most difficult part of writing the book was writing the prologue. Because I had to a) integrate the plots, b) integrate the characters and c) introduce the theme in one go. So, I had to work backwards and working backwards in never easy. At least, when you are writing a story.
4) One thing that struck me most about your writing was the vivid characters. Did you pull inspiration from people you knew in real life, or are your characters entirely fictional?
To be very honest, I have not pulled inspiration from anyone that I have known or come across. But yes, I have picked up certain nuances from various people that I have met in my life – from cleaners to bosses, from women in the park to businessmen at the airport – people who I know; people who i dont.
5) Do you feel that your background in marketing assisted with your character and setting creation?
Not really. In fact, not at all. I have been a brand and marketing guy in media for almost a decade now and that has neither influenced me nor inspired me to write or build characters and plots for the book.
6) What do you hope that readers will take away with them after reading Some of the Whole?
A few key things. a) Slices of life in the three key Indian metropolis – Kolkata, Mumbai & Delhi. b) A new genre of snack-in and snack-out writing. c) Every story ends with a bang – something that will completely undo what the reader has read till that point. Really, you should log on to www.authorabhijit.com to know more about the book.
7) What advice would you give to those who are aspiring writers?
I would advise the aspiring young writers to refrain from using flowery languages just for the heck of it. Just keep the plot and the language simple. Play around with words – use that as your weapon. Because, that is your one and only weapon.
8) Do you have plans for other books in the future?
Yes, I am writing my second book already. But this one would not be a collection of short stories. The next one is going to be a surprise. Like, all my stories. And my life.
