Writing is about experiments in truth: Sudha Murty

Author Sudha Murty, interacting with an audience of book lovers at PageTurners, the recently-opened bookstore on MG Road, said that she could swear by the truth. “I write truth and only truth,” said Murty.

Adding to her writing ‘rules for writing’, the author advised aspiring authors, and many of those gathered in the bookstore were young people, that a writer had to be honest and true to the subject at hand.

“Be honest, original and tell the truth. Real-life experience, true to the core, makes interesting reading, be it non-fiction or even while writing a novel,” smiled. She answered a series of queries during
the hour-long interactive session.

There were many young people and parents of little children in Murty’s audience. Noted author and Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad was also present at the interaction. A book signing session followed the interaction.

Murty, a prolific writer, has written many bestsellers, dealing with everyday life and its associated struggles. She is the author of 13 books, two of which are travelogues. There are also technical books, six novels and three educative books in the list. She writes both in her mother tongue, Kannada, and English.

Among the more popular books by Murty are Mahashweta, Wise and Otherwise, Dollar Bahu, Paridhia, Gently Falls the Bakula, The Magic Drum and other Favourite Stories, How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and other Stories, The Old Man And His God, A Wedding In Russia, Yashaswi, a book based on her experience at Indian Institute of Science, and the meaning of success. Many of the books originally written in Kannada are
now available in English translation.

Murty rued the fact that reading as a habit is a dying one. “Probably because of the fact that internet is ruling over us, people seem to be giving up reading. However, people in the villages still read and enjoy the addiction. They have no access to electricity to enjoy internet services,” smiled Murty.

Pointing to the role of the culture in which a child grows up as one aspect that encourages the reading habit, the prolific author said, “Parents have a huge role to play in getting children to read.”

Talking of her own upbringing and the encouragement that reading received in her home, she said, “I come from a teaching family, so reading came easily to me, since an early age.”

Murty is at present engaged in writing a children’s book. However, she is not terribly driven or disciplined as an author, Murty admitted: “I am lazy as a writer, so I hope the book will be released by next year.”

Writing books for children is tougher than writing for an adult audience, Murty opined.

“We have to be honest with children. As an author, I have to be careful with words. I often go back to children to take their feedback. Children are often honest readers. They’ll never lie to you, if they don’t like the book. Moreover, I make it a point not to give sermons to children, as I too don’t like giving sermons, I write what I believe in, and I don’t offer sermons,” she said, adding that she took to writing at the age of seven. She wrote her first story when she was 12, she said.