Famous Indian author Ruskin Bond has said that he always visualises the plot and listens to the characters converse among themselves before he puts it down in writing.
Bond, who was speaking at a discussion at the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet here on Sunday, was asked if he suffers from 'writer's block' any time and replied in the negative.
"I am often asked if I suffer from 'writer's block'. Before I write a story, I visualise, listen to the characters converse," 'The Blue Umbrella' writer said.
The Sahitya Akademi award winner said the story is already thought, conceived, and then it is put to paper "using good words and sentence."
"(It is like) You see a film and (then) transfer it into language," he explained.
Bond said if a writer suffers from 'writer's block', the best part could be putting the scrap into waste paper basket and coming back to the plot two-three days later.
The famous author said he had never thought about "touching up or editing" his first novel, 'The Room on the Roof' which he had written at the age of 17.
"The Room on the Roof' remains close to my heart and even though in later years I had thought about some mistakes in my first novel, I had never corrected these. I wanted it to remain as it is - representing an author of 17 years," he said.
The Padma Shri awardee, whose 'Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra' got the Sahitya Akademi award, said "my books didn't sell in early days. I used to visit book shops and see if they have my book.
The 85-year old, who has written several novels, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, said "I have been writing stories and I love writing which is fun."
"Not every writer gets an entire lifetime...I am fortunate...I am living, doing things I enjoy the most," he said.
He later told PTI, "Children are always fascinated by thrillers and ghost stories, as both (thrillers and ghost tales) have certain elements which hook readers."
Bond said he was aware of the popularity of fictional sleuth Feluda and Byomkesh in Bengali and plethora of ghost stories which have regaled the readers here for ages.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
