Sharjah (UAE) – Bestselling Indian writer Ravi Subramanian has cautioned young upcoming authors that there is no right time to write a book.
Speaking at the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) on Monday, the Indian banker-turned-author said he found it tough to explore new genres of writing as publishers often advise him to stick to thriller-writing, with which he has already found success.
“Publishers have an urge to play it safe and this could come into conflict with a writer’s aspirations,” Subramanian said.
“I wanted to explore children’s writings, one of the toughest forms of writing. It is hard to keep kids engaged and the language needs to be as simple as possible.
“To write for children, you need to become a child again and unravel mysteries with their age-appropriate knowledge levels.
“There are still very few Indian writers who choose to write for children. In a country with such a huge population, it is regrettable that books for children are still relatively small, and I wanted to contribute my bit to expand it.”
Subramanian was speaking during a session titled “Fact or Fiction: Thrillers set in the World of Finance“, which was moderated by journalist Nasreen Abdulla.
The crime thriller author, who has written popular thrillers about banking and bankers, including an award-winning trilogy — The Incredible Banker, The Bankster and Bankerupt, said he often absorbed real-life nuggets into his characters and this helped to keep the readers hooked.
He said curiosity and story-plotting happens 24/7.
“I use flowcharts to create complex strategies while engaged in writing. The shock value keeps you going in thriller writing,” Subramanian said.
“And when I sit to write in the 25th hour and writing flows within, I tend to cut out socialising activities in order to concentrate.”
The master storyteller and author of “I Bought the Monk’s Ferrari” said his biggest critics were his wife and daughter as they were “not obligated to keep me happy”.
“I often share manuscripts for immediate feedback and it helps get a different perspective.”
Advising young aspiring writers at SIBF 2022, Subramanian said: “No matter what style of writing you choose, try to be authentic. Think of yourself as becoming a trendsetter and tell a story you have never heard before.”
