A New Story

The process of creating a new story is shrouded in mystery oftentimes. There is the germ of an idea in the beginning. This may take birth from an incident heard from a friend, an article in the newspaper, a memory, an impression, anything really.

Someone once told me, "Oh my, you're a writer, so perhaps I should be careful what I say around you. You may put it in a story!"

I can understand her concerns, but the fact is it's not that simple. A writer doesn't just relate straight facts. That's a journalist's job. I have 'been there, done that'. At J-school we were taught to stick to the facts and make sure our viewpoint did not colour the story. That is one kind of writing.

When I'm writing fiction, I have the creative license to imagine. I take the bare facts and start my embroidery. Some of it involves putting myself in my character's skin, and getting a feel of what he may think and feel. It's exciting because you get to be someone else. I imagine it must be something akin to what an actor feels when he performs. However improbable the situation my character is in, I feel a deep bond with him/her.

There is a certain slow pleasure in the writing of a story, which equals no other. At the moment I am finding myself in the skin of a 57 year old man!

Meanwhile, here's something to celebrate - read my interview published in this gentleman's blog:

http://kriswampler.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/moushumi-chakrabarty/