On the occasion of the launch of his third title, author Neil D’Silva interacted with Pratiksha Acharya of Spectralhues. Following are the transcripts of the interview:
Don’t you think that the horror genre is kind of unheard in India?
Well, that’s not true at all! Not just I, but several other Indian horror writers that I personally know, will vouch for the fact that there has always been a demand for good horror in India. It’s a different thing that the supply hasn’t met with the demand. If you ask around at the bookstores, you will find that the few authors who write horror in India, such as Ruskin Bond, always sell like hotcakes. Also, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and even Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft have a huge fanbase in India. So, we do have a huge horror fan following, but it is only lately that more Indian authors have chosen to write in this genre.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I have wanted to write ever since I can remember. My father was a huge bibliophile. In fact, I don’t think anyone could ever stack a room with books as much as he did. When browsing through those books, I would see the names of authors and feel a twinge of envy. Even when I was barely in my primary school, I’d hear my father mention the names of his favorite authors with such veneration that I wanted to be one of those names. I was introduced to novels, even when kids my age were learning how to hold a pen. I wrote my first book when I was in Grade 7. Since then, I’ve always been writing in some form or the other.
Are there any particular authors who inspire you?
I have been inspired by different writers at different stages of my life. I moved on from Enid Blyton to Agatha Christie and then to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle quite quickly. Then I breezed on to Jeffrey Archer and John Grisham and Frederick Forsythe. But it was Stephen King, who has inspired me the most. He entered my reading life quite late, but he’s one guy who won’t go away so easily.
What is your favorite genre besides horror?
I actually don’t think I am a horror writer. I write stories that deal with human relationships, and have a knack for delving into their complexities. My books, even Maya’s New Husband, are basically stories of how ordinary people would react in extraordinary situations. Once I have this core plot, I decide what direction I need to take the story in. The elements like horror, romance, fantasy, historical fiction, satire, etc. are added later. My recent Bound In Love is not a horror story at all; it’s a collection of several human-relationship stories. So, yes, I believe I am a multi-genre author. I don’t want to slot myself as a horror writer.
People have called you the Indian Stephen King. What do you have to say about that?
People have been too kind; that’s all I can say. My readers, who are mostly big horror fans, have come up to give me all these kinds of compliments, but I do think I have my own distinctive style. King is a master of his craft, but his stories are too alien for our Indian culture. But I think I can see where the similarity lies. Just as King does, I write intuitively too. I focus on my characters and let them drive my story forward. That helps in making the story real.
Do you write full-time or part-time?
Currently, I am also a teacher along with being a writer. But, I am going to enter into writing full-time soon. Having taught for 20 years, I think I have outlived my potential there, and writing is something that’s calling me with great forcefulness. I have kept that part of me suppressed for too long; it’s time to go with the flow.
Where do your ideas come from?
Basically, from people around me. Also, from things I read. I am a highly observant person. I am always interested in the where, why, how of things. That is what culminates into ideas, and they become my stories.
Do you work with an outline or plot or do you prefer to just see where an idea takes you?
I do have a core plot in mind, but it’s basically a one-line idea at the start. The idea has to hit me hard, and when it does, I sit down to outline it. I build the main characters first and give them all the necessary attributes. I keep the climax always in mind, and then I let my characters drive the story. I become them as I write them.
How do you research for your books?
The Internet has made researching very easy. When I have to research on something in particular, I watch all documentaries and films around the subject as I can. I try to read the reference material if I can get access to it. But mostly, my research is based on real human interactions. For an upcoming book titled Sapna’s Bad Connection, I have spoken with several patients with mental disabilities and the people who live with them.
Do you ever get writer’s block?
I can proudly say that I am immune to a writer’s block! That’s because I have a particular strategy. I have a habit of working on multiple projects together. So, if I am stuck with one, I move on to another. Usually, I don’t get stuck at all. When I can put myself into the shoes of my characters, all I have to do is to think how the character would react, and then the story comes alive to me.
What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
I am already writing a book series. Maya’s New Husband is going to have a Part 2 and a Part 3 as well. This helps immensely because the characters already have a recall value. There’s already a following of readers who want to know more. The author can also have fun entering that world again. I am thoroughly enjoying the process of continuing the Maya’s New Husband franchise.
How are you publishing this book and why?
I published my first three books — Maya’s New Husband, The Evil Eye and The Charm, and Bound In Love — on Amazon, i.e. I self-published them. However, the paperback version of Maya’s New Husband is published through Authors’ Ink Publications. Personally, I prefer self-publishing because it places more control in the author’s hands. We are able to monitor the progress of our book closely and understand what works and what doesn’t. Though the promotion becomes completely our responsibility, we also get better royalties through self-publishing.
What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book?
I always market my books, whether actively or inactively. I rely more on social networking through Facebook and Twitter and try to engage people through my website at http://NeilDSilva.com/. I also plan and participate in physical events, but they don’t work as well as online promotional methods do.
Any message for our readers?
I’d like to tell people to expand their reading horizons. Most Indians only pick up the usual romance stories and those too from the four to five well-known authors. However, we need to keep brand value and stereotyping aside and try to tap more vistas of our literary world. There are several authors who are equally good, if not better, than the bestselling authors. But, due to lack of promotion, they might fizzle out. We need to appreciate everyone who writes, and the best way to do that is to try out different genres and keep discovering more and more creative geniuses.
Tags: Neil D’Silva
