Devdutt Pattanaik

A column on writers and their craft

Devdutt Pattanaik. Photo: K.K. Mustafah

WHEN : Early mornings… especially after a good night’s sleep. If I manage to sleep at 9.00 p.m., then I wake up at 5.00 a.m. I prefer writing in the day rather than at night. Writing energises me for the rest of the day. I am also a disciplined writer; a bit obsessive actually. My friends and my mother can figure out when I want to write; I usually get restless and irritable. They then leave me alone.

HOW : I type directly on the computer. But I do make notes on paper. I can’t use the ‘note pad’ feature on mobile phones yet. I usually write multiple books simultaneously. So when I have a writer’s block on one book or topic, I just change gears or I go out with friends. That energises me. Sometimes a simple happy movie, with not too much action or twists and turns, works well to unblock my mind. Sometimes when an idea strikes suddenly, I make notes on any paper available at hand and pin it on my notice board for future use.

WHERE: I have a study where I usually write and read. My kind of writing demands sustained research. I also need to read a lot. I read mostly reference books and encyclopaedias. I prefer children’s books for casual reading rather than fiction. I travel a lot and so I also write in airport and hotel lounges, and in hotel rooms and office rooms. I am comfortable anywhere I have silence and a desk to myself.

WHAT: I don’t listen to music, ever. I like silence when I am writing and the sound of happy friends when I am not. Also a good supply of simple homemade food (with occasional wafer binges) and a toilet nearby are critical.