SDK PENS
About Me
When Sthitaprajna Debadutta Kar decided to start writing fiction despite his cushy and demanding job in marketing, it was because he knew that more people than his colleagues and clients needed to enjoy his rare gift of storytelling. Hailing from a simple, God fearing, and well-read family of Cuttack in the heritage state of Odisha, he found unbridled joy in any literary work ranging from Tintin to Tolstoy and Archie to Archer. His vivid imagination brings his characters to life on paper. Writing fiction comes so naturally to him that he detests calling it merely his passion. ”Muffled Screams Of Buriganga” is his second creation after his last “Thank you IR”, which was widely appreciated by readers. Switching from the comfortable (yet complicated) genre of romance, Sthitaprajna tries his hands at a twisted thriller with this piece of work.
When he is not cooped up weaving literary pieces in his study, he loves to travel and is also an avid quizzer. He lives with his wife and son who, in his own words, are his pillars of strength and sources of inspiration.
In Conversation with Sthitaprajna Debadutta Kar
Answer: I was fortunate to be born in a family where literature was a way of life. From my early childhood, I was surrounded by books. We were a voracious reading family. So, the writing looked like a natural progression. Writings were not only encouraged but celebrated in my family. I started writing small stories and poems when I was in school. I even edited my family magazine while I was in my teens. I always had a vivid sense of imagination but lacked the confidence to articulate it. Once my earlier writings got appreciation from peers and family members, I got the confidence to pen bigger literary pieces.
Answer: Reading has been my primary hobby since childhood. As a child comics really fascinated me be it stories of Amar Chitra Katha or tales of Archies and veronica. As I grew older, I was exposed to various genres of literature from various languages, and that fascination with books still persists. Apart from reading, I love traveling. Fortunately, I am in a profession which demands frequent traveling. I love to soak in the sight and sounds of different places. Experiencing different cultures, languages, and foods, is one of my favorite thing to do. I also love to interact with people. Hearing of their pains and anxieties, hopes, and aspirations intrigues as well as inspires me.
Answer: Ideas are sourced from events happenings around you. A small event somewhere can ignite an idea. You need to have a receptive, open mind to realize what stirs you beyond the mundane. Ideas also germinate from what you read. The more you read and the variety of literature you read goes a long way in the formation and development of an idea. I am no different, I also get ideas from the above-mentioned sources.
Answer: Please don’t be like me. Be yourself. Every person is unique in his own way so why should he/she try to retread the steps of some other person. You can always get motivated by a success story or get lessons from a failure. Always carve your path out of your own experiences which are unique to you.
Answer: Like any other facet of life, a disciplined approach can make your writing tasks easier. Create small small goals for yourself and try to achieve them. This way you can get motivated to write every day. You must read a lot. You should read 100 pages before you even start writing a page. Then practice and practice till you feel perfect. As Stephen King would say “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
Answer: The only ambition I have is to write till I can hold the pen or type and hopefully, I can have an audience for whatever I write. Otherwise, I don’t want to burden myself with imposing a specific ambition with regard to authorship. I just want to enjoy the process of creation.
Answer: I love to write. Be it a love story, a thriller, or a crime mystery. Genre does not matter if you enjoy the process of writing. But, one thing I would definitely love to try is non-fiction. Maybe I will start with a travelogue.