Interview With Subhodeep Mukherjee
Interview With Subhodeep Mukherjee
Author of “It Ain’t College, it’s war!”
Subhodeep Mukherjee, a first class B-Tech in Mechanical Engineering, works in Tata Projects Limited, Secunderabad. Originally from Jamshedpur, where he completed his schooling in Little Flower School, his work keeps him in Secunderabad though his family lives in Kolkata.
His writing is his passion, and he calls it the ‘oxygen’ of his life. He wants to become a full-time author. His grandfather and father being artists, he is a fine painter in his own right. An alumnus of Kalyani Government Engineering College, the events in his college in his final year gave him the inspiration to write the first book of his It Ain’t’ trilogy. Besides his It Ain’t trilogy, he is also working on other stories concerning human dynamics, magic, horror and satire.
Chit Chat Session
Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I was born in West Bengal but due to my father’s frequent job change (he is a Chemistry teacher), I did my schooling in De Nobili School, Dhanbad till Class 3 and then in Little Flower School, Jamshedpur till Class 12. I obtained my B-Tech degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kalyani Government Engineering College, West Bengal as the department topper. Presently I am working in Tata Projects Limited (a construction company) in Secunderabad. I am quite a frank person and I believe in speaking the honest truth irrespective of the situation. My writing reflects my frank disposition. Since my late grandfather was a painter and my father is also a good painter, I have developed this talent too. My book contains some of my sketches. I am the eldest of three siblings, the other two being sisters.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Actually, till Class 6, I was quite atrocious in English. Then in Class 7, my English teacher read my essay aloud to the class. Needless to say, the essay was terrible and I became the laughing stock of my class. I felt really bad. However, this insult stoked my inner fire and I vowed to improve my vocabulary. I began reading a lot of English novels and newspapers and gradually my English improved to the point where I became the best writer in English in my class. I have won several prizes in English essay competitions in school. However the thought of becoming a writer never crossed my mind until I started working. I was quite happy to have got a job. In 2010, the idea of becoming a writer first crossed my mind. It so happened that after a difficult day in office, the events of my college in my final year came rushing to my mind. I wrote a few lines of the prologue and that is when I discovered my inner spark. Since then, there has been no looking back.
What have you written? Give us an insight into your book
My book ‘It ain’t college, it’s war!’ (Book 1 of ‘It ain’t’ trilogy) is the first book of my trilogy. As the name suggests, it is a college campus story, specifically an engineering college story. Written in first person, it tells the story from the viewpoint of the protagonist, Rahul Arora, who is an outspoken Delhi boy. Whatever he feels, he says without any inhibition. This frank nature catches him on the wrong foot with his seniors, his professors, his batchmates and even his father. To top it all, he becomes infatuated with a beautiful senior who has a nasty boyfriend; creates a huge ruckus after he becomes drunk for the first time and unwittingly becomes involved in a bloody inter-hostel fight with tragic consequences. Will Rahul mend his ways or will his attitude spell doom for him? Will Rahul find true love that he has been looking for? My book explores the meaning of career, love and friendship as seen through the eyes of Rahul in the highly competitive and politically charged environment of an elite engineering college.
How is your story different from the other stories available in the stores?
Since the climax of the novel has been inspired by actual events that took place in my college in my final year (2008), the plot of the novel is unique. Also there are other incidents in the book that have been inspired from actual events. People who have been to college can relate the incidents in the book with their college days. Unlike other novels of this genre which focus on 2 or 3 main characters at the same time and a few minor characters, my book tells the story of the protagonist Rahul Arora whose life is affected due to the actions of several other characters around him. In a sense, even though Rahul is the protagonist of this novel, he does not quite become the hero in the truest sense of the term. He is always the fall guy. As in real life, our destiny is not always in our own hands.
How long it took you to write “It Ain’t College, it’s war”?
As I am working in a full time job which entails me to sometimes complete my assignments even at home, it took a little more than four years to complete the novel since I could only write a few lines at night and over the weekends and holidays. There were many times when I was stuck with an idea for several days and could not find the appropriate words or sentences. Even after completion of the manuscript, finding a publisher was not easy. I was rejected by 13 publishers and 17 others did not even care to send me a regret letter in spite of several follow-ups from my end. After two years of intense publisher hunting, my book has finally been published.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
My ambition is to become a full time writer since writing is my passion and I have a great many stories to tell. But it would all depend on the success of my book ‘It ain’t college, it’s war!’ Hence it is my request to all readers to read the book and make it a success. You will definitely love it. Since ‘It ain’t college, it’s war!’ is the first book of my ‘It ain’t’ trilogy, there are two sequels in the pipeline. I am currently working on Book 2 which explores Rahul’s professional life. Also I have jotted down the plot of 9 other stand-alone novels which I will write in future, the subject of each novel being different from the other. Besides novels, I have written an anthology of short stories and poems which I hope to get published soon.
What does your family think of your writing?
My parents being avid readers of literature are very supportive of my passion and have constantly encouraged me in my endeavor. My sisters have also supported me throughout the writing process and in promoting my book. They have all read the book and have loved it.
What difference can your book create?
Besides being a story which has in its ethos the universal themes of love, friendship, unity and sacrifice; my book is also a social commentary which touches on social issues that plague our society currently like the ill effects of ragging, drugs and alcohol. The inhumane treatment of elderly people at the hands of their children is also touched upon in my book. The fact that education has become so costly nowadays and can be afforded only by the affluent also finds mention in my book. Besides the nostalgia factor, my book will strike a chord with both young and mature readers alike.
Which writers inspire you? Why?
Any author who has had to struggle in establishing his/her identity inspires me. I have been deeply moved by J.K. Rowling’s life story. In a way, her life story resembles mine. We have both faced countless rejections and disappointments. I only hope that my writing can become as popular as her writing. As for the literary content, I have read the works of Leo Tolstoy, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Guy de Maupassant, Mark Twain and Jack London. The list is quite long actually. The human values and feelings they have portrayed in their books have moved me deeply. I also love detective stories and Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Byomkesh Bakshi and Feluda remain my perennial favorites.
“It Ain’t College, It’s War” is available at?
The paperback version of the book can be purchased from Amazon, Infibeam, Shopclues, Flipkart and Paytm. The ebook version can be purchased from Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Google Play, Rockstand and iBooks.
What is the hardest thing about writing?
Loneliness. I personally feel that loneliness is the hardest thing for a writer. Writers generally tend to be social since they have to study people and their characters and put it into writing. However, writing is not a social activity. A writer should be prepared to lock himself/herself away from everyone else and dive into his/her writing; otherwise, he/she cannot put his/her heart and soul into it and do justice to the writing. Since writing is purely a personal activity and there are no set norms or regulations for writing, it depends solely on how the writer feels about his/her writing. And for this to happen, the writer should be in a good frame of mind which would only happen if he/she is willing to sacrifice his/her social life. It is oxymoronic but that is how it is.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Never give up. As a writer, you will face many criticisms and rejections in life. There will be huge disappointments in store. There will be many naysayers who will say that it is impossible to make a career in writing given the cut-throat competition, but if you are truly passionate about your writing, you should just ignore these condescending voices. Sometimes the people close to you will ignore you and will not give you importance but you should just follow your heart. Have a clear goal in your mind and continue writing. It will be incredibly difficult to find a publisher the first time. I have faced this, trust me. But you should not give up. If your first book fails, write your second book. If your second fails, write your third, but at any cost, do not give up. One day, success will definitely be yours. There is an inspirational speech in the boxing movie Rocky Balbao which I keep in my wallet in the form of a card to inspire myself – ‘The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!’ And one more thing, to become a good writer, you must be a good reader. My best wishes to all the aspiring writers out there.
Say something about Writing Geeks
Writing a book and getting it published is just the first step. However, if you do not promote and market your book, readers will not come to know. Ultimately, for a writer, all that matters is getting people to know about the book. This is where the role of Writing Geeks becomes vital. It is one of the best online platforms for promoting and marketing your book.
