The thrill of writing poems and telling stories

A 14 years Arnav Deshpande is an aspiring writer, who has been writing short stories and poems since the age of six.

An avid reader, he enjoys reading fantasy, horror and thriller. He likes to travel and experience the natural wonders and fascinating cultures. LIke all young readers, his favorite authors include J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl, Stephen King and Enid Blyton. In his book 'Little Monsters Ran Away', he tells his stories in the form of poems. 'Where Fear Prowls' is a collection of horror stories.

Excerpts from an Interview

How did you come up with the poems in Little Monsters Ran Away?

These poems began as stories from my childhood, when my mother was trying to teach me the good habits. She made up this character called "Bittu" who wouldn't follow habits such as brushing his teeth, washing his hands properly and eating healthy food. Eventually, he'd learn his lesson the hard way, and these stories really made me learn the habits fast! The idea for these was proposed by my mother around the end of last year and I wove the stories in the form of poems.

Where Fear Prowls is a collection of 13 horror stories. Tell us about them.

Where Fear Prowls is in fact the first book I started writing. It took me nearly five months to complete it! It was fun concocting the characters in them, and which dangers they faced. Like the person who gets trapped in an endless cycle of fantasized death or the spirit that steals you away in your dreams. Also, as you may know, 13 is a number to be feared in the world of horror. So, why not write just as many stories, to add to the chill! Horror is my favourite topic of writing too.

Which format of storytelling do you prefer to write? And to read?

I prefer to both read and write fiction. That is, because I am fond of imaginative writing. I also like to do storytelling in the form of poems. That is what you would find in my book Little Monsters Ran Away.

You have 2 books out now. Out of them which is your favourite?

My favourite would be Where Fear Prowls. I love to read (however not exactly watch!) horror, and I have always wanted to try my hand at it. The thrills and chills are what makes a horror book special. I was fond of Goosebumps when I was small and now I am reading Stephen King.

What do you think makes a good story?

For a good story, I think that each character that you as a writer include should be well developed. Second, the obstacles in the character's path should seem challenging, so that a reader would want to know what happens next and stay with the story. Thirdly, I think that the climax of the book should gradually build up, not too fast, not too slow. When it builds up, the reader should be totally into the story. And then, of course, a twist. A plot twist that's so unexpected that it catches a reader by surprise and keeps him/her engaged.

What do your friends and family think of your writing?

My friends and family have been supportive of my writing! My parents' are the first critiques. My parents' friends have helped out in reviewing the stories and also helping us understand the publishing process. This surely was very encouraging! One of the family friends read the Little Monsters book to their tiny tot and he was really imagining monsters running away while brushing the next day. This makes me feel very good and I value their feedback .

What was one of the most surprising things you learnt in creating your books?

I was truly amazed by the effort that goes in getting the book out. Not only the writing, but many other processes such as illustrations, book cover designing, editing each story and all the other changes that were involved in making the book as it is now. Having a good team really helps. Thanks to Author's Channel for taking us through this.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Besides writing, I have other hobbies such as reading and playing the guitar. Above all, reading is the one I employ most frequently. My parents have been reading to me since I was 3 months old. Starting from books with only big colourful pictures to the ones that spell 'cat' and 'rat', and then moving on to likes of Enid Blyton, J.K. Rowling and Stephen King, I have taken a natural liking for books.

Do you plan to publish more books anytime soon?

I am working on another book. This time around I'm aiming for a fantasy fiction. I really want to try out writing longer stories this time. Let's see how it unfolds.