Writing without readers is like singing in the forest, says Arnab Ray

Blogger and writer Arnab Ray is better known by his online avatar, Great Bong. A prolific writer, Ray blogs on Bollywood, cricket, politics and pop culture at Random thoughts of a demented mind. Ray doesn't shy away from voicing his opinion on a wide array of topics. He has written for the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal , Times of India, Outlook magazine, dna and the Telegraph. Ray has also written three books. His first book, May I Hebb Your Attention Pliss, was a compilation of his writings on pop culture published in 2010.  In fiction, he seems to love explore writing in different genres. While The Mine is a spine-chilling horror story, with Yatrik he delves into fantasy.

In a candid chat hosted by dna, Ray took questions on Twitter on a range of subjects including a question meant for news anchor Arnab Goswami.

Here is what he had to say-

On how he started writing and why he writes-

@BabitOberoi @dna #ZeeJLF I just wanted to be. Came from inside. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@dna #ZeeJLF That someday I will be appreciated in the way I want to be. In other words, I meet my own standards. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@SujitPatel99 Out of my conviction. #ZeeJLF. This I do not compromise on. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

His writing process and how being a research scientist helps.

@souryadash #ZeeJLF I cant maintain schedules. Write in the evenings. Or for an hour. Not ideal of course. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@ssdatar @dna #ZeeJLF It helps me be structured in writing. A scientific mind helps constructing arguments and logical narratives. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@Heramb_Magdum Least to most. Bengal politics<Rohit Sharma<Pappu<Prabhuji (he is TMC now)<Sir Aggie<Bulla #ZeeJLF — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

On how being a parent changed his writing-

@sachdeva_pankaj @dna Absolutely it does. #ZeeJLF. Every sentence I write I think "I hope my daughter wont cringe when she read this" — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@sachdeva_pankaj @dna #ZeeJLF It also makes me understand human emotion much better. Mine would be a better book if I wrote it now. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Rays considers the age old question, can you write without readers?

@rucsb #ZeeJLF No. Its like singing in the forest. You cant keep it up. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

And can writing be a paying career? 

@GabbbarSingh #ZeeJLF Unless you are in the CB-Amish league you cant. Then also you make money mostly from other things (lectures etc) — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@enigma15in #ZeeJLF @rameshsrivats is of course the king of the medium. No two ways about it. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Does that make crowdfunding an option?

@svmurthy @dna #ZeeJLF A marvelous idea. Want to try it myself someday. Those that pay ahead get to read it as book is developed. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

On how he responds to bad book reviews-

@Bodhisatvaa #ZeeJLF I am tempted to counter it many many times but always desist. It is *not done* to reply to a bad review. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

On his favourite writers-

@anuraage @dna #ZeeJLF Lit role model would be JK Rowling. Awesome writer who makes loads of money and writes stuff I want to read. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@TeluguPanda #ZeeJLF Cant say I have any. Used to be Upamanyu once upon a time. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

He had a succinct answer for reviving regional literature-

@debakanta87 Translations. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Before the chat began Ray had to reassert who he was. Or more importantly, who he wasn't.  

Ok Caveat. #ZeeJLF. I am NOT Arnab Goswami of Times Now. I repeat.... — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

But that didn't stop people from directing questions meant for Goswami at him. Ray did obligingly answer the question though.  

@GabbbarSingh I would be a Liar if I said I didnt feel bad #ZeeJLF — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

On joining politics-

@BabitOberoi @dna #ZeeJLF Pretty much no. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

While he has no plans to be a politician, he did have comments on the current political scene. From Narendra Modi's goverment to Arvind Kejriwal.

@mayur1441 #ZeeJLF 5/10. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015 

@geetika_j #ZeeJLF A lot. Starts out as Deepak Tijori and becomes Amitabh Bachchan. Now that's admirable. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Ray had this to say on PK, Haider and Bollywood music today

@Tweet_Buddy4U @dna #ZeeJLF Good thing: One can make more money than Bang Bang. Bad thing: everything else. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@dna #ZeeJLF A3: Has to be Haider. I had some problems with its politics but as a film, very well done. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@abdullah_0mar @dna #ZeeJLF Well I said that in my review right? :-) — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@Dhyani1811 @dna #ZeeJLF Too much Punjabi Bhangra-remix nowadays for me. Little melody. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@anuraage #ZeeJLF Right now going with Yami Gautam. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@anuraage @dna #ZeeJLF Off hand, I would say Ring. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Ray first started writing on his blog and is one of the best- known Indian bloggers. While he blogs lesser than he used to, he did tell us what makes a good blogger- 

@dna #ZeeJLF 2004. Graduated with PhD. New city. No friends. Blogging was a way out of loneliness. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@rucsb #zeeJLF-->Sidin, Abhishek Mukherjee, Diptakirti (blog), authors many — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@mayur1441 I dont have time. With family, fatherhood, work. #ZeeJLF. Cant be helped. Dont make money from writing so... — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@dna #ZeeJLF If success be defined as readership, ability to be unique in whatever you write on. That and luck. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Ray had recommendations for books he thought everyone should read. But the conversation on books didn't stop there-

@guptas08 @dna #ZeeJLF All the HP and GoTs. For starters. Some of Stephen King's earlier works. Complete Mahabharata. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@ratheshIndia #ZeeJLF Don Bradman's autobiography. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@summitt_ #ZeeJLF Rajsekhar Basu's Bangla translation. Epic. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@kannankv @dna #ZeeJLF Of course they do. Religious books do change lives and I dont need to tell you more :-) — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Ray talked about living in the age of social media.

@BihariBritish @sidin I enjoy it. Its not distracting at all. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@RamrajviP The more you let them speak...#ZeeJLF the more they shoot themselves in the foot. That and screenshots. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@TeluguPanda #ZeeJLF I would say 30% gaming the system of retail and distributors. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

@rahulroushan @dna #ZeeJLF Valuable. There are some Twitter accounts I follow that seamlessly mix humor and horror, both unintentional. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

He had some advice for aspiring writers-

@dna #ZeeJLF Please read books. Whenever I hear "I don't read books, I like to write them" I cringe like Rohit Sharma came out to bat. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

Ray gave us a hint of what his next book could be about-

@QZMASTER #ZeeJLF I do have one planned some time in the future. :-) — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015

And will her return to India soon?

@mayur1441 #ZeeJLF I do want to. — Greatbong (@greatbong) January 11, 2015