For our first interview, we’re featuring Namrata a.k.a. Privy Trifles. We’re excited to welcome her and discover a bit of her writing process. I will tell you that I’ve checked out her blog… if you’re ever feeling down and need a pick-me-up, that’s the place to go. Enjoy and remember to share!!

1. Tell us about yourself. May include links to Facebook, twitter, blogs, websites, Amazon author page)

Hi! I am Namrata. Having been investment banker for close to a decade I recently gave it up to pursue my childhood dream of being a writer. I am a prolific blogger and ardent reviewer since past 3 years under the name Privy Trifles. I have been a contributing author to various anthologies with my short stories and have recently released my debut book called Metro Diaries – Seventeen LOVE classics. I believe in making a difference one word at a time. I would love to connect with you through social media.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wingstomywords
Twitter: @Privytrifles
Website: http://www.privytrifles.com
Blog: http://www.privytrifles.in
Reviews Blog: http://www.privytrifles.co.in

2. How do you choose names for your characters?

I choose names for them depending upon the story. A particular quality I am highlighting in the story or a special connect with the name, there has to be some connection with the story as a whole for a character to be named. Having said that I have many times kept them nameless not because I wanted to give them a more universal appeal to the reader by saying this could be you or me.

3. Do you talk about your book/characters as though they are real?

Yes absolutely for that is what makes them connectable for a reader as well. My characters are usually your next door people, ones whom you would bump into while walking down or someone you know closely… at times it could be you too. They are confused, good at heart and vulnerable people just like you and me who only desire to be loved.

4. Do you listen to music when you write or edit? What kind?

When I edit yes I do listen to music. It depends on the time of the day and also the feel of the story. Like if it some light fun story then some loud dance numbers and if its romance then soft romantic numbers it is.

While writing I prefer complete silence around me, though noise doesn’t bother me. As when I begin to write everything else goes on a mute.

5. How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since the age of 11. My first poem was published in a school magazine from where I went on to get my poetry published in the London Society of Poets when I was 17. I never realized when I forayed into writing fiction and earned a tag of The Yash Chopra of blogging world ( Yash Chopra is the father of romance for Indian cinema). And today I cannot imagine a day without writing.

So to answer your question, I have been writing since the time I can remember!

6. Tell us about when you realized you were ‘meant to be’ a writer.

It was when I received an email from a reader who had read my entire blog till wee hours of the morning. The things she mentioned, the way some of the things written by me touched her that moment was out of this world. I could have never imagined I could do this. She through her email indirectly told me that day that I was meant to write.

I still keep getting such reminders from many people who read my work and take out the time to let me know how it made them feel.

7. Do you have a muse?

Life is my biggest muse. It inspires me to keep writing by showing different facets of its own every time.

8. How do you improve as a writer? (Workshops, conferences, reading)

I have attended a couple of writing workshops and I believe it has helped me a lot in terms of my thought-process. But the two things that help the most are reading and the feedback you get on your work. Good and bad both feedback are actually to be worked upon and it that which helps you improve as a writer.

9. Writing quirks or superstitions?

It isn’t a quirk or a superstition but it is a habit which has not become indispensable. I have a diary which I carry with myself all the time and whatever it is I have to write it down there. Small or big, anything before entering it into a word document on my laptop it has to be there.

10. Tell us about your current work-in-progress.

My current work in progress is a romantic novel about two lovers who have met after a decade of parting ways only to realize that things weren’t what they were. The story is all about will the truth now change what they felt for each other then.

11. What book are you reading now?

Currently am reading The Book Thief.

12. What genre do you write in? What about POV?

I usually prefer romance and drama as a genre for that is something that comes naturally to me.

When write a story the first thing I do is get it out of my system completely. The way it is with its spelling mistakes, tenses, grammatical errors, typos, everything. For me that is a skeletal. Post that I take a break of a day and then start working on it again.

Now the work is to polish this skeletal. Rearrange the sequences to ensure a gripping read, make it more descriptive in terms of places and peoples, add more emotions, bring out the pathos etc. This helps in beautifying the whole work and this is when the POV is also considered; like I have had an instance where I wrote a story from a character’s point of view and just 2 days after that I had this sudden desire in the night to change it to the other character’s POV. And that instinct paid off, people loved that story for through that POV it brought out its rawness very aptly.

13. Tell us about writing preparation. Character Profiles? Outlines?

My writing preparation usually involves outlines after which I proceed to characters. My outlines are mostly gibberish, very difficult to decipher for anyone else. I very strongly believe you don’t choose a story, a story chooses you. So I wait to be chosen before beginning my work on that story.

14. Do you know how your stories will end?

Most of the times, no I don’t! I just start writing whatever has formed in my mind and then go with the flow.

15. Do your books have a message or theme? Or are they purely for entertainment?

I usually write on love and relationships. Through them I want to tell my readers that despite all ugliness around us life is still beautiful because there is love. Just because someone didn’t love us the way we wanted them to doesn’t mean we question the very existence of love as whole.

16. Do you have any favorite snacks or drinks that you eat/drink while writing?

Might sound weird but when I am writing am completely lost to even think of my thirst or hunger 🙂

17. Tell us about your other passions.

I am very passionate about reading, music, dancing and sketching. These all things help me stay connected to my creative side. There have been instances where I have got some amazing ideas while sketching or dancing. And then it is further developed as a story.

18. What’s something interesting about you?

There is always something cooking in my mind and that is the reason why people call me observant. I gather a lot of things in one outing at a coffee shop with a friend, like what is happening at the other table, how are they dressed, the way they speak etc. These things help me describe my characters in detail. I use their behavioral attributes or clothing habits to make one of my characters come to life.

19. Share a small sample (limit to one paragraph, please) of your writing… can be a WIP or already published.

These are few lines from one of the stories in my book called Metro Diaries:

He was a born dreamer and his dreams always came true. As if the Universe was by his side always. He never had to ask for anything, was that why he never asked her to stay back? Off late his mind had started asking questions for which he had no answers. This is what happens when you reach your destination as suddenly you have nothing to do. Everything seems lost, for a moment. But then his heart knew this was not his destination. He had taken a break in between the journey as he was tired and he would begin soon with a renewed vigor to reach where his heart was. Amidst the plethora of unknown identities his eyes were lost like that of a stranded sailor in the sea. He kept walking looking at them with a deranged look when all of sudden his eyes met hers. ~ A thing called Love

20. Anything you’d like to say to your current and future readers? All I would like to say is a huge THANK YOU! – You are, and therefore I am. Thanks for all your faith in my abilities and so much love that it resonates from within.

Thank you so much for featuring with us today! We wish you continued success with your blog and your books.
E&M