WriterStory Interviews of Writers
Manoshi Sinha completed her MA in English from Pune University (2000 batch). She is currently working as a Senior Editor of New Delhi based ‘Business Sphere’ magazine.
She was a part of various authorship projects:
- DGP English Improvement Course
- A New Approach to Practical English Grammar
- Selected Latest Essays.
Her novels:
- Debut novel, Made For Each Other, published in 2002 by Genesis Printers
- Second novel, The Stigma of Womanhood published in 2005 by the Women Press, Delhi.
Let us know more about her writing.
What inspired you to start writing?
I started writing when I was 10. My father, Sri Mahendra Sinha, groomed me, instilling in me literary creative abilities, when I started learning the alphabets. So, even when I was yet to attend school, I memorized and recited poems composed by Rabindranath Tagore, William Shakespeare, Lord Tennyson, and Robert Frost unlike memorizing and reciting Nursery rhymes like ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’, ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, etc. Later, as I grew up, I wrote poems and short stories, which were never published. I wrote a novel called ‘Sea Voyage’ when I was 13. My childhood and teenage works were never published. My first book was published in 2002. My writing endeavor continued and will continue till my last breath!
What did you like to read when you were a girl?
I read Nancy Drew, Jane Austen, ‘Chandamama’, comics, and short stories. My father narrated to me and my siblings stories from the ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Ramayan’ including mythological stories related to Lord Shiv, Goddess Durga, and other Gods and Goddesses.
What is the greatest challenge in writing a book?
The greatest challenge lies in elaborating, describing and ensuring that the thread from beginning to end is not broken at the same time keeping the subject matter in tact.
How much research do you do before writing a book?
For fictional novels, no research is required; stories and characters just emerge from the imagination. For social novels like ‘The Stigma of Womanhood’, which was published in 2005, social problems are woven into the fictional story with imaginary characters. For ‘The Eighth Avatar’, I did a lot of research on Krishn. I have visited many places that are associated with the God of millions.
What motivated you to write the book “The Eighth Avatar”?
My mother-in-law, Smt. Sudha Verma, often narrated to me about Krishn as a Yogpurush, as a one-wife man, and as no beloved of Radha and gopis portrayed in folklores and many a book. Herself a postgraduate in Sanskrit and Hindi, she often acquainted me with the philosophies of life, depicted in the Veds in the coffee-table at home and during the evening stroll.
My husband Yogaditya also inspired me to write on Lord Krishn. All these motivated me to write ‘The Eighth Avatar’.
How did you come up with the idea of writing mythological fiction genre book?
Our culture is rooted to our mythology, rich tradition, and history. My objective is to dispel the many myths associated with Krishn. Reading about the Krishn I have written, readers will know about the Krishn they do not know yet!
Who are your favorite authors?
My favorite authors are William Shakespeare, Rabindranath Tagore, Jane Austen, and many writers of historical books.
How much time do you dedicate for writing on a daily basis?
It depends, ranging from one hour to four hours and at times no time at a stretch at all!
What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring writers?
If you are creative in writing, give shape to it. Get published. If no publisher publishes you, get self-published. There are numerous self publishing companies that will publish your book to your advantage. Let the world read you. Do not worry about the reader base; your readers may be just a few or may turn into hundreds, thousands or millions. Keep writing and continue to get published!
You can buy his book now:
My reading habits are very poor, I rarely read any book/novel etc. in my life. But I would like to read “The Eighth Avatar”. Congratulations to Manoshi and Yogi sir for your support and inspiration. God Bless You.