Author Focus - Anilson (Author of Observational Spirituality)

 

1.What motivates you to write?

Ans: There is this urge to reach out to as many people as possible to share my experience and lessons I have learnt. I feel books are a good medium to share such experience and lessons.

 

2. How did you feel after publishing your books?

Ans: It feels nice to be able to complete a book and even better when you have published it. But the major task is to promote the book and get good reader base.

 

3. What are some of your favourite novels and authors?

Ans: Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari; God Speaks to Arjuna by Paramahansa Yogananda

 

4. Is there a specific reason for naming your novel?

Ans: The name of the novel summarizes what the novel consists of. The book is a compendium of lessons which can be learnt from observing your immediate surroundings.

 

5. Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beachside or the hills? 

Ans: I usually write from my workstation at home.

 

6. What inspired you to write the books (in general)? Any tales to tell…

Ans: Books are a good medium to reach out to people and share your experiences. Best thing about books is that the delivery of the lessons is self-paced, and the readers can adjust the speed according to their requirement. Non- fiction books should be able to keep the reads engaged and try to deliver the lessons/content is the shortest and simplest way possible without sounding repetitive and verbose.

 

7. What was your biggest learning experience throughout the writing process?

Ans: I realized how thoughts flow into your mind. You have no control over it. You do have control over how long you want to spend time on a thought, but the initial spark just comes on its own. Ideas come to you. You are just a medium through which those ideas are spread to a larger audience. Nobody should take credit for the artifact that they helped manifest.

 

8. Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?

Ans: My appetite for reading spiritual books and the guidance I got from authors helped me reach the state of mind wherein I can start writing my own book.

 

9. Any best piece of writing advice that you would like to share with new or struggling writers? 

Ans: Don’t worry about the writer’s block. You might feel that you are not getting that spark to start writing. Nevertheless, keep scribbling and the creative spark will come on its own.

 

10. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

Ans: I was born in Assam and brought up in Arunachal Pradesh All my formative years were spent in Arunachal Pradesh, in a distant town near the India – China Border.

 

11. Any future books that you would like to discuss now?

Ans: I am working on the second book of ‘Observational Spirituality’. The second book will delve deeper into the realms of spirituality. The first book was meant for beginners, to get them initiated in the processes of self-evaluation and learning through observation. In the second book, we will try to explore further avenues through which we can learn and try to mitigate the daily struggles of our life.

 

12.What other profession excites you the most?

Ans: I am an ERP consultant by profession. Supply Chain management Consulting as a profession excites me a lot.

 

13.Any special mention about your reader (be it with reviews/feedback or anything else)

Ans: Yet to encounter.

 

14.Do you write the story at a stretch or you take your time to complete it? If you take a longer time, wouldn’t you be forgetting the story? How do you tackle it?

Ans: It was difficult to write the entire book at a stretch, considering I have a full-time job as well. I took my own time to complete the book. It was easier to do so since my book is non-fiction and each chapter dealt with different lessons.

 

15.Traditional or Self-Publishing? Why?

Ans: Self-Publishing as there is less monetary commitment and its convenient for first time authors.

 

16.How is the response so far for the book? 

Ans: Got many amazing reviews for the book and readers have appreciate the simple and concise take on spirituality. Readers liked the fact that the book is short and can be completed in one reading.

Anilson is the author of the book Observational Spirituality. You can read the review here