A writer in the era of Coronavirus

The lockdowns that have been imposed in India and around the world, have turned out to be a blessing in disguise for authors. For some, it has given the time to go ahead and pen their next works and for others it has cropped up as an opportunity to reflect on what has been unfolding around them. Numerous authors have released or are working on their upcoming works.

“My job is set up for lockdown,” William Dalrymple says, who considers his next work to be his magnum opus. Divided into three parts, it will decode the diffusion of Indian ideas in the millennium following 250 BC. Moreover, British author Zadie Smith, last week, announced her collection of essays and reflections in the Covid-19 era and the subsequent lockdown.

“There will be many books written about the year 2020: historical, analytic, political and comprehensive accounts,” wrote Smith, adding, “This is not any of those—the year isn’t half-way done. What I’ve tried to do is organize some of the feelings and thoughts that events, so far, have provoked in me, in those scraps of time the year itself has allowed. These are above all personal essays: small by definition, short by necessity.” The book will be out by the end of the month.

But with travel restrictions in place and the inability to walk freely as one did just few months back, the question of the quality of research can take a hit and in turn, affect the quality of writing. Author Amish Tripathi says that when it comes to fiction, or historical fiction, as he writes, secondary sources can be of great help. “A storyteller’s job is to use secondary sources, add in his/her own imagination, and write a story that is captivating, while carrying the main philosophical message,” he says.

What I’ve tried to do is organize some of the feelings and thoughts that events, so far, have provoked in me. AUTHOR

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK (From left) Amish Tripathi and Zadie Smith