Sobhan Udgata interview
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
A little introduction:
Hi, I'm Sobhan Udgata, 20, a young author on the internet reading and writing platform Wattpad who resides in India. All my works are on Wattpad and they are free to read. I am still new to the writing world and I am presently trying to establish myself on Wattpad before officially publishing any of my works.
When did your love of books begin?
To be honest, my family has reading in its blood, from the maternal side. Both my grandmother and mother are ardent readers and perhaps my genes got me interested in books right from my childhood. As a child, the books which fascinated me the most were the books related to Indian Mythology. Mostly, the epics -- Ramayana and Mahabharata. I would read books related to them for hours and I would complete every book at least thrice. Later, it was short stories that impressed me the most. And then as I grew up, I started reading more about the Western culture. On the whole, reading books have been an integral part of my life far before my interest in writing arose.
When did you start to have the wish to become an author?
I was in fourth grade when I started writing some fantasies or horror -- all of them short stories. All of which are still unpublished. I wrote almost a dozen short stories before getting to High School when I stopped writing on a constant basis due to academics. I wrote only two short stories back then. But yes, I was a kid when I wished for the first time that I should be an author. 'Even if I don't become a full-time writer, I must write', is what I would tell myself.
How have you found the process for becoming an author?
It was not until the time of Covid I started reading some novels (mostly by Stephen King) and they inspired me back to the writing world. Not particularly as a short story writer but also as a novelist. It was when I got to know about Wattpad and seeing it as an opportunity, I decided to join it. Soon, I started writing my first novel, No Way to Escape, which finally got fully published in May this year.
What would you say to those wanting to become an author?
Just follow your dream guys, and never lose faith in yourself. Although I am still a rookie as a published author, I have been writing for a decade now. With that experience, I can tell you that there will be times when you contemplate -- "Why am I writing?" or "Am I a good author?" or "Should I still pursue my dream or give up?". My only answer to this question is -- "You should never lose hope". I understand not everybody can be a brilliant writer. I still even doubt my writing abilities every time I write something. But the doors to knowledge are always open. If you think you are weak at some points of plotting or writing, don't just give up on it but try to improve it with determination. Whenever I get into such a dilemma, I start some research and read different articles.
And you should always read to be a good writer. That's the only syllabus for this course.
Tell us about your book/books:
I have three published works on Wattpad -- A short story named 'Ambush' (War drama), a novel 'No Way to Escape' (Mystery-horror) and a novella 'The Cathabella Diary' (Literary fiction). All of them are available exclusively on Wattpad. 'The Cathabella Diary' is being published serially and it hasn't been fully published yet (by mid-September, 2022).
As of now, it may seem I am a multi-genre writer, but I usually prefer to read or write thrillers and horror has a special place in my heart. As publishing on Wattpad gives me more freedom to write, I like to experiment before I get into the official book publishing world.
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What do you love about the writing/reading community?
It actually does feel so good, you know, like having like-minded people gathered together, providing you a space to share your thoughts and help each other. As Stephen King says, 'Writing is a lonely job', having a community of readers or writers around is a good thing. As writers, we always seek mutual respect and support.
If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?
First of all, I don't have a big readers' base but I am grateful to all my readers for believing in me and giving my works a chance. 'Readers are the pillars of a writer's success' -- is what I believe. So, I would like to thank each and everyone of my readers for being my prop and I hope I get more pillars for my edifice in future.
Where can people connect with you?
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