Once upon a novel

“While writing ‘Eating Wasps’ I was thinking about Vikram and Betal stories because I wanted to do a book where stories are interrelated,” said Anita Nair in an engaging session ‘Once Upon A Novel’ at the fourth edition of the

Times LitFest Delhi

2018.

The session was about how novel reading has affected our lives. The panel was graced by Upamanyu Chatterjee, Kiran Manral, Anita Nair and

Carlo Pizzati

.

“I write memoirvels which is a combination of a memoir and fiction novel elements, also known as auto-fiction across the world. I like to tell my stories which are based on my personal accounts but I fictionalize them because I enter my characters to give their life in the novel a shape,” said Carlo Pizzati during the session.

Taking forward on how the auto-fiction genre is growing popular, novelist Upamanyu Chatterjee added, “Mostly fiction writers draw inspiration from personal experience.” He also agreed that self-publishing is a very good thing as it is gives opportunities to everyone who wants to write and get published.

Anita Nair did not agree that self-publishing is a great way forward as there is no filtration process happening. Publishers focus only on enhancing the good parts of your writing and with the efforts, a great piece is churned out.