Friday, July 30, 2010

Ganga Mail

The archive-list in the new template of my blog gives a year-wise breakup of the number of posts written. And I find that in 2008, the year I wrote Chai, Chai, I had only 15 posts. Fifteen posts in an entire year!

When you are working on a book, especially doing the writing part, it is difficult to keep updating a blog such as this on a regular basis. It takes me about three hours to write a post, and another hour of thinking and drinking before I start writing it. In those four hours I can add at least four hundred valuable words to my manuscript.

I feel sad for Ganga Mail: it is going to be subjected to neglect for the next few months. The blog has been my conscience-keeper, my only channel of communication with people who care for me and read me. But the book is more important: as long as I don't write a second one and then a third one, I can't call myself a writer. A writer, in my definition, is someone who has written at least three books and shows the promise of writing many more -- may be till the time when at least the state government acknowledges your skills and honours you with a minor, local award. Right now, I am only a journalist working for such-and-such paper, who is expected to polish other people's copies so that the paper reads better and who, in his free time, pursues his literary ambitions. What a pain -- to nurse such ambitions.

I get to work around 4.30 in the afternoon, 10 minutes plus or minus. I return home precisely at midnight. I pour myself a drink and start writing. And then I pour many more drinks. By the time I go to sleep, it is usually daybreak when the birds are chirping. I often wish I had woken up just then and gone for a walk in the neighbourhood park -- but such lifestyles are meant for saner, more sober people.

I wake up around noon and go through what I have written the night before. A lot of rewriting to be done, which takes a couple of hours. At around two in the afternoon, I head to the gym to exercise my heart. That's the time when Desperate Housewives are at the gym, wanting to look good, but they only exchange glances and not words. Suits me fine, because once I am at the gym, I am blind to the people until I have finished my quota of cardio -- a two-mile walk under 24 minutes. Lunch is at three -- that's the only time I watch TV -- and by four I am preparing to head to work.

That's my life these days. Ganga Mail should take consolation in the fact that my third book, which is yet to be written but which has been thought out, would be called by the same name. On The Ganga Mail.

9 comments:

Sepiamniac said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sepiamniac said...

Between till you get back to Ganga Mail, eager readers like me will savour the archives...:)

And, why do you say you are not a writer as yet? Remember Margaret Mitchell and Anna Sewell? Both wrote just one book each and they were still writers. You have one to your credit already, one underway and another that will shape as the third book in a while :)

Rushina said...

I know what you mean. A Perfect Bite is suffering as well as I struggle to finish my book. But our blogs become so much a part of us that they are like forgiving friends who accept that sometimes life makes it difficult to meet. And yet, when we meet, they are all encomapassing in their welcome, giving us whatever succor is the need of the moment. Don't worry BG, there are rich pickings for your fans of your writing here that will sustain us untill your next book is published as a prize for our patience!

Anonymous said...

So book is more important than the blog...hmmm...leaving old for new...very unbecoming of you, Mr BG!

margee said...

occasional drop ins like this will also work for your fan readers like me....! thanks ! All the Best for your forthcoming book....waiting eagerly...Nice time ahead....

Soumya said...

Understandable - one has to prioritise. Best wishes for the books.

Anonymous said...

...........was just mentioning to a friend that you haven't written any from 12th June was wondering if its a relapsed viral fever...thank god its not so...glad to see your write up.....i so look forward to your posts....the book is more important given...please do blog once week atleast....Take care

Ardra said...

May be you could blog once in a while,just a few lines...
Meanwhile Best of Luck with On the Ganga mail....

Anonymous said...

You inspire me. :)