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You
see, I, a conventional person in various other matters, took to computers like
fish to water. Ever since I laid my fingers on the keyboard for the first time
in 1990-91, I took to writing...oops...keying in my writings directly
onto the hard disk. (Consequently, my already-illegible handwriting became
worse over the years.) I find it quite convenient and time-saving. With the
on-line support – dictionaries, thesauruses, (re)search engines - that is
available nowadays, I feel very comfortable keying in my documents directly
onto the hard disk.
The
preamble about computers is necessary, since I had to save my text under some
file name, book title in this case.
I
had already decided to begin my new avatar with an easy topic
that did not entail serious research and that allowed me to test my
alleged potential. I chose a love story as my subject. I even envisioned the key,
crucial scene and began hammering away on the keyboard.
When
it came to saving the text document, I was in a fix! I did not think about the
title! My Bollywood-conditioned mind worked overtime and came up with the
following brilliant (I thought so, at that time ) titles for my maiden novel:
- “Another Love Story” – I needed something to save it on my laptop. I knew I would eventually change it;
- “RASHI- Another Love Story” – RA from Radha, the heroine and SHI from Shashi, the hero made up for this variant. I thought I was damn innovative but I found it hackneyed and clichéd a la “What’s your RASHI”;
I preferred the former and saved my document
under it. As I was nearing the end of the story, and used a phrase to describe
a scene, a situation, it just popped up from the page and screamed, “I am here,
the title for your book.” Without a second thought, I accepted it. “DANCE OF LIFE”, the story, the flow, the
characters, and their feelings and sentiments gave me this final choice for the
title. Only when you complete reading the story, you will understand why, how,
when and where I got this choice.
The entire
nagging exercise of searching for a suitable title taught me one very
important aspect of writing a novel, which is etched in my mind indelibly. Now,
even when I write a short story or a poem, if I am uncertain about the title I
do not worry. I know, the story would offer it to me itself.
Psst,
I shall let you in on a secret. I started with the last scene first!
Initially,
I described and placed the crucial scene in the Epilogue and proceeded with
creating the remaining story. I made good progress and reviewed my work. To my
consternation I realised that the crucial scene was like a square peg in a
round hole! It was not fitting in the section where I placed it! I read,
re-read, and reviewed my story umpteen times and realised that I had committed
a mistake and that the scene belonged in the prologue; so, I moved it to its
appropriate position in the story and proceeded. Whether it will prove ominous
to the sales of my first-ever book, time alone can tell.
The
characters and characterisation did not cause much problem. They fell into
place and I passionately etched them each with its own individuality rather
than the writer peeping through every one of them.
The
dialogues, the conversation was a little tricky. I tended to go overboard with
long-winded dialogues but corrected my folly in the initial stages itself. I
pruned them and kept them crisp, elaborating only when needed. I think my
strong point is my capacity to describe things and situations, descriptive
prose as I call it. Here, I unashamedly admit the indelible influence of
the redoubtable Late Alistair MacLean, who was a master in this art, on me. (Except
a couple of his later-year novels, I read all his works. I consider “The Last
Frontier” his best for its content, form, crisp characterisation, informal and
flippant conversation and, above all, its immaculate presentation. Well, that
is by the way.)
I
shall come to another crucial part of the story. It is a simple letter, which
was my vehicle to convey many conflicting emotions - love, sadness, hope,
regret, romanticism, and pragmatism – in fact, the very essence of the story!
Let me admit it here that it was an extremely onerous task, given my emotional
nature. I took nearly four days to create it. I broke down every time I resumed
and attempted to write it, making my guardian angel regret and wonder whether
she had committed a mistake in coaxing me into writing. I explained to her that
God Almighty created me that way, emotional and sentimental. I went on to say
that the conclusion of every story of mine was, for me, a very emotional and
nerve-racking experience. It was like giving away my daughter in marriage.
Well,
folks, that’s it; my first-ever book, “Dance of Life” was
complete.
What
next?
