AuthorsDen.com   Join | Login    
Where Authors and Readers come together!

SIGNED BOOKS    AUTHORS    BOOKS    SAMPLE CHAPTERS    AUDIOBOOKS    eBOOKS    STORIES    ARTICLES    POETRY    BLOGS    NEWS    VIDEOS    SUCCESS    TESTIMONIALS

Featured Authors:  Glen Schulz, iBrendan O'Brien, iBob Boze, iWilliam Manchee, iCharles Keller, iPatricia Sims, iKarin Adams, iStephen Murray, iGary Caplan, iValerie Boggess, i

  Home > Inspirational > Articles Popular: Books, Stories, Articles, Poetry      Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z     

Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan

 Follow Me  

· Contact Me
· Success story
· Books
· Articles
· News
· 11 Titles
· 6 Reviews
· Save to My Library
· Share with Friends!
·
Member Since: Aug, 2009

Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.


Qualities for any Aspiring Author - My Story
by Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan   
Rated "G" by the Author.
     
Recent articles by
Venkataraman Gopalakrishnan

• An Introduction to the Fascinating World of Gragodon
• The Magical Armour of the Warriors of Gragodon
• Tribute to Authors of Yesteryears
• Another remedy for Writer's Block
           >> View all

Discipline, Dedication and Perseverance.

It was some ten years earlier that I had attended a motivational training program held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. On my way back to Singapore in the coach, I pondered deeply over what I had achieved in life. The painful truth struck me hard that there was virtually nothing that I could claim to having achieved. The only intrinsic asset I possessed was a good command of the English language. I had read many a novel - crime, thriller, adventure and western, to name a few.

The idea suddenly dawned upon me that I could also contribute to the writing fraternity. Thus began, in that bus, the seeds of my first story, 'How It All Began." I decided, then and there to finish writing my tale - no matter how long it took. The passing days, weeks and months proved more to be challenges to my determination to continue writing my tale. To put it squarely, just like the vast majority of people on the planet, I had to work to support my family and myself. It is therefore not so easy to stay on course in the matter of authoring a book.

In fact, six months after my return from Kuala Lumpur, I had not written another single word to continue with the story I had started on the bus. It makes you think about what is important and what your priorities ought to be. Of course, a hobby can never take centre-stage over the more pressing demands of raising and maintaining a family. Many a midnight oil was burnt in the process.

My wife, Raji, took it in her stride, wondering when I would just call it a day and never again think of writing another story. It was always easier to read somebody else's story than write one yourself. By the way, my wife reads avidly.

When two years passed into the background, I found that my story had lengthened to 150 A4-sized pages. This was a real feat by my standards and it gave me that much-needed drive to continue with my writing efforts. Another two years were to pass before I completed the first part of my story. In the meantime, the title of the tale had changed from "How It All Began" to "The Mythical Emblems of Gragodon - Part 1"; coming close to 600 A4-sized pages. By this time, I received lots of literary knocks, pun intended, from friends and professional critics, learning more about the art of writing a story. Six more years were to pass in this fashion before Parts 2 and 3 of the intended trilogy came to a completion.

An Americanized, printed, hard-cover version of Part 1 of the story was published in 2010 and a British English version of the same was released during the Singapore Writers' Festival in 2011. A total of around 1,670 pages of written matter, combined with 10 years of sustained writing, is not a joke. I therefore decided to resize this epic story into 6 readable ebook volumes and the last four ebook volumes have just come into being.

I would also like to add that Raji has become the greatest support in my authoring journey. With an understanding and supportive spouse by your side, the journey towards one's dreams and goals becomes a very much smoother ride.

I have learnt that for success to be handed to you, Discipline, Dedication and Perseverance are the three values that any author should embrace. I am also encouraged to learn that very few in Singapore have accomplished what I have achieved in the field of Adventure-Fantasy literature.

 

 


Want to review or comment on this article?


Need a FREE Reader Membership?
Reviewed on November 11, 2014
Hi Ron,
There was something about your comment which I could not put a finger to. As I pondered about it, I realized what had intruded upon my thoughts these past days. For me, it is not so much as wanting to leave a legacy as to doing something concrete, finding meaning in all that takes place around me and leading a life of fulfilment.

Now, fulfilment can mean a lot of things to different people. For me, it is the reality that I have accomplished something truly unique in coming out with a tale of epic proportions. Many other writers have also done similarly. Aside from the ego boost, I feel a sense of accomplishment and blessing for having taken the challenge to complete my story, no matter how long it took.

Gopal

Reviewed by Ronald Hull
Reviewed on November 6, 2014
Successful writers need those three qualities. You are right about the legacy. We leave this world without a legacy if we have not accomplished something great or, written down something that others will read. Your wife is interesting because I've known so many, like my grandmother, who read every book they could find, but wrote very little. I have read far too few books, but I have always had a desire to write. Therefore I write much more than I read.

It appears you've taken on a massive project that may still be unfinished. I did that originally when I wrote my first novel. But somehow I crammed 6000 years into 65 pages by leaving out everything but the essence.

Ron

Popular Inspirational Articles
  1.  September 11 2001 Memories
  2.  What Makes a Poet Authentic...
  3.  What the VFH?!?!?
  4.  Field Notes on the Species 'Homo sapie
  5.  Finishing the race
  6.  Gift of Tears
  7.  LAZINESS AND SLOTHFULNESS
  8.  America's Strengths and Commitments
  9.  Take Back Your Home
  10.  Broken and wounded
  11.  WHY...A FLY?
  12.  Deep Waters
  13.  Our Significance
  14.  Framing and Forming Your Future
  15.  Free Thinkers
  16.  Divine Compassion
  17.  WHERE IS THE...LOVE?
  18.  Who Is Really our Healer... Anyway?!
  19.  Do Not Complain: Continue to be Faithf
  20.  How Writing Can Heal
  21.  The Woman
  22.  Sitting with the Chief
  23.  The Hidden Treasure
  24.  My Platform
  25.  Perseverance

Free Book Review Program
Select a book to read and review today!

Reflections and Treasured Wonders by Margaret Evans

From the Caribbean Sea to Machu Picchu in Peru, and from birds to flowers and butterflies, Reflections and Treasured Wonders offers a collection of images gathered from around the world.  
Member BookAds

2033, Poetry Inspired by The Lion of Judah by Michael Jones

This book consists of a 150 pages of Christian poetry about the end of time and the Second coming of Jesus Christ not as a servant but as a King, the King of kings. To bring righteousness and peace to the earth and restore the government of God! Peac  
Member BookAds

Gifts from God: An Alphabet of Florals and Reflections by Margaret Evans

Gifts from God is a collection of Margaret's floral watercolors and her spontaneous reflections of gifts.  
Member BookAds