Interview with Edupedia Publications Pvt Ltd

Published 2016-10-30.
How you are able to write on so diverse subjects so easily in a lucid manner?
Being brought up in rural area, got educated in sub-urban area and now living in metropolitan city, Delhi, he has been able to gather a lot of experiences on diverse fields especially on political, cultural, socio-economic and environmental issues. His graduation in physical planning from School of Planning and Architecture (SPA, Delhi) added new dimensions to his thinking and writing. He is currently pursuing post graduation from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee.
When did you first start writing?
I started writing in year 2003 when I was going to appear for the Central Board of Secondary Education. The basic instinct for writing sprouted in me when my younger brother, Harish Kumar, showed me a poem written by his class fellow from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Saran, Bihar.
I started writing Hindi poetry and on getting positive feedback from teachers and friends, I started writing in English and Bhojpuri too.
What's the story behind your latest book?
There are many published books and there need to be some specification of the book before narration of the story behind the book. I would like to tell you about the 'Glance at World through Lens of Poetry'. The genesis of the book can be traced from the political and social changes that is happening in India. The increasing incidents of rape has inspired to write some strong poetic expression. The rise of Naxalism/Maoism in India is also a theme of the poem. During study at School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, I often heard and learnt a lot about the design and it became of the topic of poetry. The preparation of thesis is another theme. The various tastes of life has been expressed through many such poems which readers will surely enjoy.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
The strong recommendation of teachers and friends motivated me to get published and let other readers also have a taste of my poetry and prose writing. For last one year, I have been publishing some of my sample poems and articles on www.sureshotpost.com and other online sharing sites. The review and the recommendations of the readers strengthened my conviction of making my work public so that more readers can enjoy and learn from the spices of experiences and thoughts shared through the poems and articles.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
SmashWords is a wonderful online platform for publication and distribution of published book on a wide ranging platform. The wide exposure that SmashWords provide the young authors is unparalleled in the field of publishing and book marketing.
Earlier I had published in print only. This platform gave me the much needed exposure which in turn added to my increased sales in the print as well as the soft copy online distributions.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Writing itself gives me the greatest joy. I enjoy writing on any topic which is in news and which demand critical thinking. I have been writing a very popular blog on such topic which can be accessed at www.sureshotpost.com. You can visit it and have a look at some of the articles which might help you as well.
After having got published after a year long struggle in the field of publication, I have devoted some of the articles to young poets and writers who wish to get published.
Writing gives me immense pleasure as I am able to put forward the best of the ideas that might be an attempt to make a dent in the rigid wall of traditional thinking and thoughts. The reviews/comments of the readers is another source of great joy for me.
What do your fans mean to you?
My fans are my great assets. They are the source for my level best attempt to write better day after day to meet their expectations and to meed the demand of the publishing industry. Many of the fans are turning into good friends and often then join me on multiple social networking channels. In young age teachers teaches us to do well but in our later stages, it is the fans and readers who inspire us to do the best of your capacity.
What are you working on next?
After having got so many English poetry collection published. I am now working on my next Hindi poetry collection which will be available for the readers by a fortnight. The theme of the poetry is related to our experience of life, its various shades, flavors and tastes. The book is in print but the soft copy got lost in computer due to hard disk crash.
I am compiling the old poems and some new ones to give it a blend of taste which the readers will enjoy.
Who are your favorite authors?
Keats, Rudyard Kipling, T. S. Eliot, Yeats, Ruskin Bonds and many others have been a source of great inspiration for me to write in English.
Ramdhari singh Dinkar, Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, Makhan Lal Chaturvedi, Maithali Saran Gupt, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Mahadevi Verma, Sumitranandan Pant, Jai Shankar Prasad and Kabir have been a source of immense inspiration to write in mother tongue Hindi which is also the national language of India and contribute back to the great pool of diverse and rich resources of Hindi literature.
Bhartendu Harishchandra, Bhikhari Thakur, Manoj Bhawuk, Rahul Sankrityayan, Viveki Rai, Parichay Das, Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi and Munshi Premchand are major writers of Bhojpuri language, spoken in many Eastern parts of India and island nations of Jawa, Sumatra, Surinam, Fiji etc.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Studying books that interest me and enhances my understanding of the social, political and economic issues of the world. I enjoy the nature in all its form. Morning is the best time to enjoy but late night trolling on the roof or on the grass also gives me immense pleasure. I meet some friend and call some of the old friend whom I miss sometimes. Chatting with small kids is also a good way of enjoying the leisure time and I usually spend hours in playing with kids.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Searching Google and other online publishing and distribution channels are great source of unearthing the treasure of knowledge. Sometimes I get mails of my friends and fans who wish to get their books reviewed and hence I get a chance of reading them and reflecting on them for improvement or for writing literary reviews.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes, I can remember that short story which I wrote for a monthly magazine 'Student' published in India which game me needed exposure in the world of contemporary English poetry. The story I wrote was meant for a contest in which you have to write in exactly 100 words. I wrote a short story on the mischief of a cute comely girl at India Railway station.
What is your writing process?
There can be many process of writing. One should keep exploring which suits him. I usually read a lot and sometimes some stories ignite the fire of imagination for newer ideas and stories which I pen down. Everyday I write at least a page of prose or poetry. The art and skill of writing needs continuous practice and sometime the write up need to be re-written to enhance the quality of the output. When I am fresh and lonely, I get tempted to write. I have adapted myself for reading in any situation but writing need some sort of ambiance that suits you best.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
Yes, every story that leaves an imprint on your mind, you are bound to remember that for a long time. It was a short story about the King Akbar and Birbal. Their stories are well known and some are crafted by newer generation writers. The witty Birbal kept me spell bound through out the story. The story is about punishment by King in which Birbal manages to get Scot free by sere dint of his wit and wisdom.
How do you approach cover design?
Cover design need a lot of skill of the sofware and sense of art and aesthetics. I usually use software to design book cover. First of all, I think about the theme of the book and accordingly I choose a photograph or sketch that reveals the essence of the book. I keep cover simple yet elegant in look that exhibit the professionalism in the book. I never miss to put the bar code of the ISBN no. and some brief about the book and author at the back cover of the book.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
'Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay' by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar is one of the all time favorite book that I have ever read. This book gives you the true essence of the Indian society. The biography of Vivekanand is one of biography which I think never let you get bored. You keep on learning from his experiences and you feel that you are living his life. 'Development as Freedom' by Amartya Sen is one of the recent book which has become my favourite due to its in depth thinking and concerns about the development of India.
'Karma Bhoomi' of Prem is the first novel that I read which I got in form of prize for a speech competition held at Sonpur, Bihar. The book is written in a well defined manner and the writer has nicely portrayed the socio-cultural condition of the time that existed.
'Mahabharat' by Surya Kant Tripathi Nirala is a epic of poetry written to derive the hidden and deep rooted emotional feelings of the well know Indian epic 'MahaBharat'
What do you read for pleasure?
I read newspapers and magazines for knowledge as well as pleasure. Yet I prefer poetry and novel for pleasure reading. I have a large collection of books which I have read and I am thinking of making it a public library in coming days.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Kindle Fire, EzPDF Reader and Google Book are my favourite reading sofwares. I prefer to read on my Tab or on Laptop which is more convenient to carry and utilise the time during the travel in bus and Metro rail.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Peers review and online marketing techniques like discussion on the social forums. Sharing on the social networking sites. Engaging readers in the discussion on the topic of the interest which has got published in some book so that you can give reference to the readers for reading it further.
Describe your desk
My desk is one of the most active space in my room. I usually keep my laptop and tab on the desk. The book that I start reading will be found on the desk. The other items that are always available there is the pen and notebook. In the morning, the newspaper decorate the table as I usually read the newspaper in night after finishing top priority works. Water bottle is another item which find its due place on the desk. I don't decorate my table to make it some fancy item but try to keep it neat and clear for it helps in keeping me focused on the study or writing which I start at any time after returning to my room.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
The desire to do better and utilise the time and resources keeps me ready to leave the bed as soon as I complete the due course of sleep which is usually six to seven hour. Sometimes, new ideas comes in mind during dreaming and when I get up, it makes me leave bed soon.
Which publisher publisher your first book?
I got my first book published with Edupedia Publications Pvt Ltd. You can also get published your book from them. You can access them at https://edupediapublications.org/
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