Exclusive interview with the author of ‘A Noise In My Dream’ Ranjan Kumar

About the author: At eleven, Ranjan Kumar wrote his first story for one of India’s leading children’s monthly magazines and later wrote short stories for youth magazines in Hindi. Also, he was a regular contributor to the Letters to the Editor in leading dailies in India and the Middle East. Occasionally, his columns appeared in the weekly magazine of Gulf News in the UAE. An avid reader, music lover, and traveler, he was actively involved with the most popular FM music channels in the UAE, including an Ad recorded in his voice and aired on FM radios. His current interest is in writing books in the realistic fiction genre. A postgraduate from IIM Calcutta and a graduate Engineer, he has worked in managerial positions across functions in leading large corporates in India and overseas. Having traveled throughout India and countries overseas, he resided in many cities in India and the Middle East. He has been associated with the education sector for the past few years, with higher learning and research Universities in administrative capacities. Currently, he lives in Jaipur.

& here is a glimpse of our conversation with the author Rajan Kumar. 🙂

Q1. As this is your first book, what inspired you to start writing? When did you start writing? And have you always wanted to be a writer?

In fact, my first story was published in the children’s popular monthly magazine in Hindi way back when I was two months less than 11 years! Years later I wrote short stories, again for Mukta and Sarika, both youth magazines in Hindi. Thereafter I had a long-nurtured desire to write a full book in English.

I wanted to be a writer always but alongside my main profession, not a full-time author. It is so because it needs a special mindset and mood which comes only occasionally, not always.

Q2. What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

Writing a book is a mix of several constituents. One needs to ponder upon multiple things before making a judgment on the choice of statements, framing of words, consolidation of thoughts, presentation of concepts, pushing in one’s personal beliefs and value systems through characters, and so on…However, a focused thought process, power of imagination, ability to write interesting narration, memory, clarity of expression, and an excellent vocabulary are essential for good and successful writing, in my opinion.

Q3. Please tell the readers a little bit about your book ‘A Noise in My Dream’. What inspired this story?

A lot of people who work across the world work hard in their jobs. They face multiple situations and pass through several upheavals in the course of their job, maintaining a balance between work and home. This book deals with the challenges they face and the various situations they come across. My own job experience coupled with the people around me, different cities, workplaces I worked in, and the co-passengers I met during my numerous journeys; have all contributed to the making of this story.

Q4. For this book, how did you develop your plot and character?

All my characters are a mix of various characters. Each character has emerged from multiple persons’ characteristics and personalities, in real life who happened to be around me. I am a keen observer and do notice even minute details of persons whom I meet. So you may say that all characters carry some of the other features of real-life characters.

Q5. Describe your writing space. And at what time of the day do you usually write?

My writing space is a normal wooden study table and a comfortable armed chair where I sit with my laptop, a scribble pad, and a set of pens and pencils. Normally, I prefer to write late at the night. I am the most productive writer between 11-00 PM to 02-00 AM.

Q6. What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk and how do you research for your Books?

There are many but the most prominent one is- getting into describing the appearance & personality of my characters in detail. The second one is- to relate my imaginary characters to someone I have come across in real life.

For researching I go through my past writings, old clips and descriptions, database on various topics available on the internet, talking to old friends to remind or confirm the old incidents and characters in our lives in common, and so on…

Q7. What message you would like to send your readers?

Nothing in specific, as my writing is mainly for the readers’ entertainment, not for any educational purpose or for moral advice. In general, I would like to convey to be original in whatever they do and try to be good human beings, kind and helpful to all.

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