Today we were spoken to by our fourth speaker at writers fortnight, Mukul Deva. Entrepreneur, Author, and Soldier.
How to write a story:
Plot: Thriller, Romance or Mystery
Setting: Time/Period (Past, Present, Future) + Where (Location )
Characters: Quantity? + Point of View Characters
Incidents: POV Character at risk or danger – These moments define your character
Mukul Deva spent around 16.5 years with the Indian army and when asked how this had affected his writing, he said, “It taught me that the gun doesn’t solve any problems’. Saying this really brought to light (for me) how violence is used in many places to solve problems. Since it used so often, we can see why there continues to be a conflict after conflict. Another really inspiring aspect of him is his perseverance. After dropping out of school at the age of 16, he enrolled in the Indian Army. After 16.5 years of experience there, he knew that he needed a field change and started to work to becoming an author and entrepreneur. Since I take enterprise, it is really admirable to see how late in life he started his businesses yet they have grown quite large. Most startups today fail. But his will and perseverance are clearly shown through his field changes and his accomplishments in his new fields which he changed to.
I really like how you have made personal connections to your own life. However, I feel that you could elaborate more on how his interview stimulated your own thinking. Most people who read this would have already heard Mr. Deva speak, so maybe focus more on your own views (unless you want to turn this into a feature article, along the lines of “Man of Grit: Mukul Deva”). I like the idea of how violence is used to solve problems, why do you think this is? Why has this become one of the first things humans turn to? Does this represent impatience or the unwillingness to accept other points of views? Just some provocative questions.
Good post!
It is rather remarkable at how Mukul Deva managed to be so successful, even at so late a time in life. It just goes to show how perseverance can really take you to places