Author Highlight: Deepa Agarwal Discusses her New Book ‘You Cannot Have All the Answers’ and Stories from her Life
It’s time for
another author interview. Today, with us, we have Deepa Agarwal, who currently
lives in New Delhi, India. She entered this profession by contributing general
interest pieces to newspapers and magazines but eventually found a comfortable
niche in the world of children’s books. Now, her writing career is more than
thirty years old. An avid reader from early childhood, Deepa firmly believes
that all the books she read made her into a writer. She loves to travel and
among her most popular books, the historical adventure novel Caravan to Tibet
is set in picturesque Munsiyari and nineteenth century Tibet.
Why did you decide to write mostly for children?
It happened by
chance. I was free lancing for all kinds of magazines. My children were young
and I used to subscribe to a magazine called Target for them. One day I decided
to try my hand at a children’s story. It was not accepted but I received a very
encouraging note from the editor, Rosalind Wilson. My third attempt was
successful and little by little I was drawn into this field. After I made my
reputation as a children’s writer, my articles and stories for adults became
fewer and fewer.
Why is it important to inculcate the reading habit in children?
Reading is not
only one of the most rewarding leisure activities for children, but opens up
the world for them in many different ways. They are exposed to a variety of
experience, discover new cultures and acquire language and communication
skills. Reading develops creativity and an imaginative and empathetic
worldview. A reader will never suffer from boredom or loneliness since she can
find diversion and companionship in a book. She will also be more understanding
about other beliefs and ways of life.
Many writers stick to one genre of writing but you write in different genres and for different age groups. Explain why?
Well, this is
a little hard to explain. Many writers stick to a specific genre and it becomes
their signature brand. Or they feel comfortable writing for a specific age
group and become known for it. My reading habits are partly the reason why I
write for different age groups and in different genres. I was so addicted to
books as a child that sometimes for want of anything else I passed my time
reading dictionaries and encyclopedias. My taste in reading still ranges from
poetry to popular detective stories, horror fiction to classics and
contemporary literary works. My work reflects this variety. It’s also because
different kinds of stories take root in my head at different times. So, it’s not
really a conscious decision to dabble in different genres but just the story
that takes hold of me.
Do you think writing a book from the comfort of bedroom or study-room is better? Where do you prefer to write? Do you go to some specific place, like the beachside or into the hills?
Actually, I
have learned to adapt and write almost anywhere. On journeys, airport lounges
and doctor’s waiting rooms. Mostly, however, I work at my desk or in my
bedroom. Quiet is important, so a library is the ideal place but it’s not
always convenient for me to commute to a library. I enjoy writing in the hills,
but solitude is the most important thing. If I can have complete solitude, my
output is much better.
Did you do extensive research before penning down this book or was it something based on personal experience?
My recent
short story collection did not require much research except for one historical
story. Many of the stories are based on incidents I witnessed or were narrated
to me or a chance remark overheard. Some of them have roots in some event or
conversation that puzzled me as a child. Caravan to Tibet is the book that
demanded most research, many years of it. My biographies too required
considerable research and even some of my early children’s books. I feel it’s important
to present facts as accurately as I can.
Do you always keep your audience in mind when writing?
Not
necessarily. The organic flow of the story is interrupted if you keep wondering
how your audience will respond. When writing for children, you do have to make
sure you maintain a child’s eye view and live in a child’s world of experience.
That usually comes quite naturally when your characters have taken shape and
you have entered the head of say, an eleven-year-old girl. I usually deal with
issues like child friendly language and dialogue while revising.
An author always runs the risk of being rejected by publishers. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers about coping with rejection?
This is
something that you have to understand and accept when you decide to take up a
writing career, that rejection is an occupational hazard. Since it feels like a
direct blow to your self-esteem it is very hard to cope with. But it’s not the
end of the world. You have to learn to recognize that there are many reasons
for rejection and some may not necessarily reflect on the quality of your
writing. An editor’s response could be subjective, your work may not fit into
the policy of the publishing house, it may not be marketable—there are numerous
reasons. A good way to cope is to remind yourself about all the famous works
that were rejected several times before they became famous. Again, do study the
publisher’s submission guidelines and try to find a beta reader to give you
honest feedback to spare yourself heartache. Don’t be lazy about revising
thoroughly. And if you get several
rejections, put it on the back burner and move on to another work.
At present there are a lot of creative writing courses and workshops to help aspiring writers, as well as a great deal of material on craft and technique on the Internet. How did new authors learn the techniques of creating good fiction when you began writing?
We learned on
the job! This is where avid readers have an advantage. You absorb the basics of
story writing, like the elements of plot construction, developing characters,
pacing the action in the course of your reading. It was also very helpful that
I found an excellent editor when I began writing. She would discuss your story,
take it apart, analyze its strengths and weaknesses. That was a real learning
experience. Not many editors in our country do that. I always feel that a good
part of the credit for a successful book goes to the editor. And when there
isn’t any editorial contribution, it shows.
Should authors write with a particular purpose in mind? Tell us something about ‘You Cannot Have All the Answers’ your short story collection for grown-ups which has been recently launched by Niyogi Books.
It is not
essential to write with a purpose in mind. The idea should be to tell a story
that a reader will always remember. If it conveys values or explores social
issues all the better. You Cannot Have All the Answers is a collection of
stories written over a long period of time. Many of them explore women’s
concerns but I did not write them because I wanted to focus on women’s issues.
It was more of a natural response to everyday situations and contemplating the
hypocrisies of middle class life. The
title story is about the innocent romanticism of youth when you feel even heartbreak
would be an uplifting experience. “Cradle Song” is a partition story based on
an incident a neighbor narrated to me. It was supposed to be a tale of communal
harmony but became the story of a neglected girl child. “The Path” is about a
group of defeated soldiers compelled to flee the battlefield. Some of the
stories are about girls and women taking radical decisions or coping with
adverse circumstances in their own way, sexual exploitation and same sex love.
Since they were written at different times, there is variety in theme and
style.
What inspired you to write this book? Any stories to tell…
As I mentioned
earlier, I was trying to make sense of incidents I had witnessed both as a
child and as an adult, to find answers to the riddles of existence that baffle
many of us. Why was a girl who had made the mistake of eloping permanently
branded as a bad character, for example? What happens to a family when a
middle-aged father abandons them? Why must a girl always bow to the wishes of
her parents? I had written these stories
for magazines at different times and wanted to put them together in a
collection. Since publishers are not keen on short story collections I was
rejected several times. When I learned that Niyogi Books had recently brought
out some collections I felt encouraged to approach them. I was overjoyed when
they accepted it.
Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in?
“Breaking in”
was very gradual and far from dramatic when I began. It was more like slipping in. I think I had already developed a good
writing style in my school days. That is the most important thing for a writer.
Also, I persisted and didn’t let the rejections defeat me. It definitely helps
if you are passionate about writing and have not taken up the profession just
to acquire fame and mint money. That was simply not possible when I began my
career. I became a writer more because it was something I enjoyed doing and was
content with the small rewards it brought me. Of course, the scene is very
different for writers now. If you are not ambitious you won’t get anywhere.
Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?
Since I write
in English, people might be surprised to know that I learnt to speak English
only when I was seven years old, after my parents sent me to boarding school. I
could read well but could not converse at all. And after nine months in school
when I returned home for the holidays I had lost my Hindi! It came back later,
of course. But language can be a strange thing. Many people have reported this
kind of experience.
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Deepa Agarwal:
Thanks very much for the insightful interview!
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