Write A Book - Femina

Before you begin to look for a publisher, you must write the book! Nandini Mahesh, author of ‘The Invisible Cave — Adventures of Manu & Tanu’ shares pointers on how to write a book. The first and foremost factor required to write a book for children is undying passion.

Know You Have To Do It
You have to be really determined to do it. Invariably, there are distractions. It is so easy to get carried away and give up. You must learn to wrest yourself away from distractions.

Know WHY You Have To Do It
Second, the reason you want to write has to be clear. Once you know the reason, ask yourself: Is it worth the effort? In my case, it was the earnest desire to tell children a very Indian story. I had been a full-time advertising person, so writing could never become a priority earlier.

Later, when I joined my husband at Ninaad Music, there was even less time to do it. It seemed like a big luxury, too much of an indulgence to set everything aside and just sit down and write. Both Ninaad (the audio label) and Banyan Tree (the performing arts company) needed me badly. My absence would have definitely meant slowing down the two outfits. I had to justify my absence from the company to myself before I could take time off to write.

If you want to write a book, you must clear up issues of commitments elsewhere first.

Stick With A Schedule
The next step is to set a deadline for take-off and completion. Knowing how much time you have to spare for writing is important. In case one has all the time under the sun, the chances of the project getting accomplished are far smaller as compared to when there’s less time. I know this from experience.

Once you have decided to begin, remain focused. Fix a routine and choose a place that allows you to remain with your thoughts and imagination for long spells without any distraction. For instance, even after I pulled myself away from office, the tempo of my writing was not sufficient.

This was because while I was at home and trying to write, something or the other always pulled me away from the book. Often, I got pulled in to attend some presentations, meetings, to entertain... When friends find out that you are home, they drop by or expect you to chat on the phone. All these interruptions put together take up a large chunk of your time.

The best ploy is to set yourself a target and leave town. I was lucky to have my best friend living in Coonoor. I couldn’t have asked for a better deal. When I was certain I was ready to finish my book, I just packed up and went to her house.

Since I was with a family, I was not homesick during the two-month stay. At the same time, I didn’t have to think of instructing the maid about what should be prepared for dinner and all the small but regular questions that demand your attention when you’re around. So, once you’ve got the outline of the plot in place, find a space that will allow you to put in longer stretches of work, and just take off.

Work With Your Strengths
Plan your daily writing schedule carefully. Work out a routine that is best suited to your body clock. I used to get up at four, write straight up till 8.30 am, then take a break for a bath and breakfast, and start again at 10.00am. I would go non-stop till 2.30 pm and then break for lunch. After lunch, it was siesta time. Once I woke up, I would go for a long walk and on my return, by around 6.30 pm, start work again till 8 in the night. Quite often, I would read what I had written through the day, though not always. By 10.00 pm, I would be dead to the world.

There will be days when you won’t feel like writing or will not be happy with what you write. Take a break. Never force yourself. If you are bored, it’s bound to reflect in your work.

After you’ve finished the first draft, take a break and only then begin work on the final piece. Once you’re satisfied with it, do a test reading with your target audience. This I feel, is important especially for children’s books, because it helps you understand if you need to make any concepts or situations clearer.
Happy writing!

RESOURCE INFO
Addresses and contact details of children’s book publishers in India

Children’s Book Trust,
Nehru House,
4, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg,
New Delhi 110002.
Tel: 91-11-23316970
E-mail: cbtnd@vsnl.com

Scholastic India Pvt Ltd,
29, Udyog Vihar, Phase - 1,
Gurgaon, Haryana 122016.
Tel: 91-124-2438016, 2439250
E-mail: scholasticindia@scholastic.co.in
Branch offices at Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata

Rupa & Co,
7/16, Ansari Road,
Darya Ganj, New Delhi 110002.
Tel: 91-11-23266507
E-mail: rupa@nbd.vsnl.net.in

Navneet Publishers,
Navneet Bhavan,
Bhavani Shankar Road,
Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028.
Tel: 91-22-566 26565
E-mail: npil@navneet.com

Tulika Publishers,
13, Prithvi Avenue (First Floor),
Abhiramapuram, Chennai 600 018.
Tel: 91-440-24981639
E-mail: tulbooks@md4.vsnl.net.in

Anada Publications,
1756, Opposite Bala Hanuman,
Gandhi Road, Ahmedabad 380 001.
Tel: 91-79-2169956