An interview with Jeevanjyoti Chakraborty.
When did you write you first ever written piece? What was it and what was it about?
The first ever “proper” written piece that I remember was a little science fiction story I had written for the weekly children/young adult supplement of a local newspaper (The North East Times of Guwahati) back in 1996 or 1997. If I remember correctly it was something about a manned space trip to Mars. It’s been so long I hardly remember the details! But I do remember that at that point, writing a story along those lines felt like the natural thing to do. Like many other boys my age (nope, don’t know what girls my age were interested in, back then!), I had a fascination for space travel. Two of my favourite leisure time readings were “An A-Z of Cosmonautics” (Mir Publishers, Moscow) and “Orbits of Peace and Progress” (Raduga Publishers, Moscow) – both written in a language which kids could understand. Needless to say, the real-life stories and pictures from those books made a deep impression on me.
You are one of the few writers we have seen writing science fiction with such ease. How do you work on the story ideas in this genre? Does it require quite a bit of deliberate plotting or is it more about flowing with the story?
Thanks! Science fiction is, after all, fiction; therefore just like any other genre there is the necessity of a spark (what could be a better word?) of a creative idea to begin with. Personally, however, I think it is sometimes easier to “generate” an idea in this genre than that in others because of two reasons. First, the very nature of this genre gives so much room for free thinking unshackled from the mundane confines which determine our current sense of physical reality (it is for this same reason that I also like fantasy!). Second, given my own educational background, sometimes it is easier to write these stories as I feel a sense of confidence in giving myself certain liberties of imagination.
Subsequent to deciding on what to write about, yes, the stories often require a bit of deliberate plotting. Probably it’s not the best practice in the creative process (is there any such?), but I can go with the flow only when I am more or less confident about where I want to go.
Among the Sci-fi stories that you have written for Spark, which one do you think has good chances of being made into a movie? And if it does get made, who would you think you would cast?
Oh my – there’s only so much fight one can put up against the narcissist in oneself in the face of questions like these!
Probably “The Grid Breach” (from December, 2010). For the main character, I think I would go for Anton Yelchin or Justin Timberlake (before you go all judgmental on me about the second choice, watch “In Time”). But I would be more interested in seeing who would direct – probably J. J. Abrams?
However, I think there is more meat in the series of stories I have been able to connect with some common threads: “ ‘Autumnal’, heard of it?”, “The Dream Bandit”, “Requesting an Extension”, “Nuovo Spark” and “Return for Spark”. And to direct this, who else but Christopher Nolan!
What is that one book (any genre) that made you think, ‘Damn, I have to write a book like that!’?
This one’s easy! “The Foundation” series by that grand master of science fiction, Prof. Isaac Asimov. I think they have plans to make movies on these. (What a mouthwatering proposition!)
What do you believe is the biggest reward for a writer?
To know that people have actually read and enjoyed one’s creation – obviously! Sometimes, however, I do get the feeling that there is the pure personal joy of knowing that one has created something intelligent, something truly new, to have been able to identify an emotion and to lay it bare in all its rawness in an appropriate context – overall, something which I do not have to go about convincing myself that it is worth putting out there for others to potentially enjoy; it’s a bonus if they actually do.
How critical are you about your own writing? What are some of the ways in which you evaluate a piece before you send it out for submission?
Sometimes very critical, but most of the time not too much! I try to keep the self-assessment simple: I just read it a few times, sleep on it, read it the next day, touch it up a bit, and then send it out for submission. It helps that both the editors are so very meticulous both with the actual language and the content that I don’t have to worry too much!
Lastly, you have been with Spark over the last five years. What do you feel about this journey?
Oh dear … don’t even get me started on this. The last time I had started saying something similar, I ended up writing an entire piece on my experiences with Spark, “A Spark-ling Journey” – it was for the first anniversary back in the ancient time of January, 2011.
My journey with Spark started with the second issue of Spark in February, 2010 which almost coincided with the start of the second semester of my doctoral studies at IIT Kharagpur. So my memories of my PhD days will always be inextricably mingled with the “Spark” experience – always and forever! Honestly, it is hard to faithfully convey such a deep, personal feeling – perhaps only somebody like my good friend, S. Maheswaran, who has had a similar experience would be able to truly appreciate this – it was he who had first introduced me to this wonderful magazine (just sit back and take a look at his photo essays over the years!)
I have seen Spark grow all through these five years, and it has been such a delight to have been able to contribute, however little, to this growth (although I have not been too regular with my contributions!). This journey has given me the freedom to dabble beyond science fiction in various other genres – non-fiction, “normal fiction” – including, interestingly, cute, romantic ones which I think I have found a taste for! Since I myself have grown (I dare say) through this journey, it almost feels like growing up with a dear friend!
Lastly, no word of thanks will ever be enough for our two editors, Anupama and Vani, who were able not just to maintain the initial momentum but who have also been able to sustain and build on it over the years, adding incremental but important additions and changes slowly and surely. And, always … always sticking to the 5th of every month for the timely release of the new issue. Imperceptible though it might be during each localized snapshot of any given short period of time, there is immense strength in anything that maintains a sustained growth over long times. Five years is definitely long and Spark’s growth has definitely been strong. Well done both of you (and well done to all of us)!
