Ishani Malhotra’s tryst with romance fiction
by Dilshan Boange
As the demand for romance fiction in English rises in the
subcontinent where a robust English fiction readership keeps growing,
new debutantes to the sphere of fiction writing are emerging with their
debut novels being picked up by publishing houses as Harlequin India.
Ishani Malhotra is an upcoming author from India who has worked as a
correspondent with The Hindustan Times newspaper, Kolkata Edition for
two years. Her tastes when it comes to reading include works of Jhumpa
Lahiri, Dan Brown and Shobha De.
She is a Commerce graduate from the University of Calcutta and also
holds a degree in Mass Communication. Amongst the fiction writing she
has published thus far is a short story titled ‘I’ll Be There’ which was
selected from a nationwide contest and featured in an anthology named
‘Uff Ye Emotions-2’. Painting, music, and social networking are
interests of this merging authoress who is originally from Calcutta, but
now residing in Guwahati in the North Eastern Indian state of Assam.
‘Until I met You’ is the title of Ishani’s upcoming novel to be
published by Harlequin India, and in her very first interview given to a
newspaper, she tells the readers of the Sunday Observer’s Montage about
how the path to fiction writing all began and how she developed her
craft, as well as what is at the heart of her debut novel set to be
released soon.
Creative writing
Question: What made you put your hand in romance fiction
writing? You have worked as a journalist. What was that experience like?
Is there any connection between your work as a journo and the choice of
taking up creative writing?
Answer: You can say writing happened to me totally by chance.
Initially, I did not pick up writing. It picked me up. Exactly one year
back, I even remember the day, it was May 13, Monday and I looked
blankly at the laptop screen wanting to write something. I started
writing and when it was done, it emerged as a beautiful short love
story. I wrote a couple of short stories more and each time I wrote, I
realised my lead characters were romancing each other.
Then I knew being already a die-hard romantic in my real life, it was
romance writing that interested and excited and thrilled me. A plot
struck me and I started writing a full-fledged novel.
I worked as a journalist for a leading English daily in India,
Hindustan Times for two years. The experience has been very enriching. I
loved my job. I loved meeting new people from different walks of life.
And of course, it used to give me immense pleasure when my story reached
to the masses.
While I worked there I did a lot of feature stories. I wrote about
people, places, music, films, food and much more. Creativity always
intrigues me. There are threads that connect me in my writing from my
journalist days till today. I have taken it all, good, bad and
everything in my stride and put it all together whenever I need them in
writing. So, one can say, it kind of helps me.
Debut novel
Q: You recently signed your first contract to publish your
upcoming romance novel with Harlequin India. How did that materialise
and how is the novel developing?
A: My debut novel publishing from Harlequin is an honour in
itself. For me, it’s a dream come true. I mailed my manuscript and the
story synopsis to Harlequin, India.
The publishers read the whole manuscript and two weeks later I
received an acknowledgement mail from them saying I am in with them and
they asked me if I was ready for editing or not? I immediately said a
yes. And there was no looking back. Harlequin is not only one of the
finest publishers but I would add that they are the fastest in this
slow-moving publishing industry. There working style is very smooth,
fast and easy.
I am working with my Harlequin editor and the revised manuscript is
almost ready. And believe me, the whole process has been so enriching. I
learnt so much in this editing phase.
Q: With so many streams of creative writing entering the fold
and being an emerging writer what in your opinion is saleable fiction in
our region in today’s context of commercially driven markets that
applies very much to literature as well.
A: I am first a reader and then a writer. So when I write, I
think from a reader’s point of view. What a reader is looking for. First
the story has to appeal. Realistic plots and realistic characters work
best. The plot is the king of the book and marketing is the queen. So
both works hand in hand.
Plotline
There are a lot of genres and kind of writings but every genre has
its dedicated readers as well. And as far as I know, nothing sells like
romance. What more, in romance you can punch a romantic thriller, a
romantic comedy, a historical romance and even a romantic erotica.
So romance covers a few genres in itself. Also social media is used
these days for aggressive marketing. Word of mouth is probably one of
the best medium to reach out to the readers.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about the novel that is due to be
published? What is the plotline like and who are the main characters?
A: Mine is a work of contemporary romantic fiction and the
plot is based in one of the major cities of India. I have tried to keep
the plot very simple yet pacy. My story explores that how in today’s
generation the youth has to go through several hindrances in their love
lives like cheatings, break-ups, taking short breaks in their
relationships in a very small span of time.
But then above all, love has the power to transcend us from every
complex situation that we face in life. And finally we find out that one
person who we can love, trust. Who we feel protected with and the one
who respects our smallest decision in life.
The story is written in first person and the voice narrating the
story is of a 23 year old gorgeous, intelligent airheaded girl who is
doing her Masters. She’s in love with the idea of being in love who can
get clueless at times.
She has her own fixation with relationships and marriages. All I can
say is her character is very realistic and almost every girl and even
the boys can relate to her. It is easy to like her.
The other lead character is of a suave and charming doctor who not
only happens to be a few years older than the protagonist but also
happens to be her best friend’s cousin.
There are a few more important characters in the novel who have their
share of ups and downs and point of views in life.
I like to keep the voice of the story young and upbeat. I use the
conversational tone of the contemporary generation. The book has some
genuinely laugh out loud moments as well as some scenes where the reader
cringes in embarrassment right along.
And obviously it has a happy ending. Being a die-hard romantic
writer, I can possibly never give my love stories a sad ending.
Inspiration
Q: How did you set about character construction? Where do you
look for inspiration and structures to create your own characters? Are
they from people you meet in real life or other works of fiction?
A: Precisely on August, 2013 a storyline struck me and
abruptly I started writing off having no idea where it would finally
end. Gradually I got myself a diary and I jotted down the characters and
divided the chapters.
I set the chapter outlines which made my work easier. Working this
way helped me a lot. I am disciplined as a person and as a writer.
While I was still writing the book and a few last chapters were yet
to be written, I was itching to write the last chapter because I had
planned to put a couple of very romantic scenes there.
The ending has a loop back to the dream in the beginning of the story
and is very romantic without going overboard. Since I had already done
the chapter outlines earlier, I wrote the last chapter first very
easily.
My characters are my very own and very real. It can be you; it can be
me or anyone.
Though the characters of my debut book are loosely based on a few
people I know and have met, it is not always the case. For example, I am
already halfway through my book number two and the characters in the
second book are again people who we can relate to.
They are no one I have met or known but I know there are people like
that who has a story inside them. And I want to plot a story against
their life’s backdrop and tell the world. So my character developing is
kind of a mixed bag. You can say that I want the best of best of both
the worlds.
Romance novelist
Q: How do you see your path as a writer developing in the
years ahead? Will you commit yourself solely to be a romance novelist or
will you venture into different genres and explore new themes?
A: I think the future is bright and sunny. Though today
writing and publishing is a big stiff competitive market, I still want
to write and tell the world a story.
Even if I have a few dedicated readers I’ll feel I have reached
somewhere. As for now, fingers double crossed.
Till one year back, I never thought that I had it in me to be a
writer and a romance writer. But here I am today, writing and writing
more. Writing had always been a pleasure but I never thought it was my
passion until I turned a writer.
And trust me when I say that if I don’t write for a day, I feel my
day is incomplete. So yes,
I’ll doing a lot of writing and as of now romance writing because I
think I can write that easily and very fast.
Writing romance comes naturally to me. But I will not restrict myself
to be a genre specific writer. This is just the beginning. Maybe with
time and more understanding of other genres, I will pick up one at a
time.
Ishani Malhotra may be contacted via Twitter: @utterlyishani
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