Dr. Ravi Prakash Tiwari recognised as a king of puns, newspaper columnist, and Global Human Rights Trust member has written 7 highly acclaimed books. He has enshrined his name in the India book of records, Asia book of records, and the Harvard book of world records for having composed 2100 puns compiled in a book, Pun Is Fun. He has 3 world records to his credit. The Guinness world records mailed to him, regretting that it did not have the category to recognise his enigmatic talent.
In an interview with Prof Dr Shiv Sethi, Dr Tiwari spoke about his experiences. Here are the excerpts.
1. When did you write your first book and how old were you? What have you accomplished as an author?
Ans. I wrote my first manuscript in 2021 and got it published in February 2022. I was 33 years old. As an author I have been in the limelight for more than a year. Various newspapers and magazines have written about me and my books. Pun is Fun enshrined my name in the world record book. I have been recognised as a promising author of the future.
2.How time-consuming is it to write a book?
ANS. It depends upon the subject matter. A novel usually takes six months. A storybook takes 2 months. Pun is Fun took one year. There is no definite fixed duration for completing a book. It depends upon the intensity of pursuing a task.
3. What is your routine like when you’re writing?
Ans. When I am authoring a book, I am so engrossed that I get oblivious of my surroundings, especially while embellishing my creation at the last stage. I prefer to write at night and think in the morning, when I have full liberty to get my teeth into creativity.
4.What is your writing quirk?
Ans. My interesting writing quirk is that whenever any intriguing or piquant idea creeps into my mind, I put them down on paper even at midnight or outside my house. I always carry a diminutive diary and a pen. I always endeavour to improve each sentence skilfully. One sentence is written many times, before I am eminently satisfied.
5.How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Ans. It made me more attentive towards editing a book. It made me realise that a book needs to be edited many times to make it error-free. It made me more patient and predisposed me towards more research and profound study.
6. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Ans I have authored seven books. I delve deep into a medley of books to create one book. I go to various libraries and get riveted on books. One has to be a voracious reader of books and magazines to create innovative ideas.
7. What made you first realize that you could be a writer?
Ans: After three years of extensive study, I realized that my hard work will come to fruition only when I spread my acquired knowledge to the young generation. But transmuting thoughts into words required ample time. I got a shot in the arm during the lockdown which compelled us to live aloof from others. I started penning down my thoughts. This activity imbued me with immense satisfaction. Only then it dawned upon me that I wanted to become an author.
8. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
ANS. When I am not writing, I teach students of slum areas for a few hours. I distribute books, notebooks, and pens to them when required. I, along with social activists, visit slum areas to preach the dregs of society, and surprisingly, some get reformed.
9. Do you have any suggestions to help others become a better writer? If so, what are they?
ANS. I have only one suggestion for others to aid them to become a better writer. Don’t plagiarise other writers’ books. Take inspiration from their creativity, but create your own identity as an author.
10. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
ANS. They appreciated my books authored in ornamental English which was a novelty to them. They admitted to have learned novel things through my book. They asked me to write in simple terms.
11.How did you conceive the idea of publishing a book on puns? Elaborate on it.
Ans. Once my eyes fell on an Advanced oxford dictionary. I just took a glimpse of a few pages of it. I got intrigued by it, as the usage of words were explained in sentences. I learnt many words. I was pleasantly surprised to see 7 meanings of the word Study. But in spite of repeated endeavours, I could not memorise those meanings. I had a sudden brain wave. I formed a single sentence, using study 8 times. I memorized 7 meanings of study in a few minutes. I employed this technique to learn many words with multiple meanings. Having written more than 50 such sentences, I realized that I had written puns. Having compiled more than 2 thousand puns, I told a professor about this. He suggested to me to get them published as a book on puns.
12. What are your current projects?
ANS. I have put my shoulder to the wheel to pen a book on articles on a plethora of topics and auto-biographies which call for a lot of research work. I would like the world to know about our obscure heroes to whom History hasn’t done justice. I always think to compose something which will break fresh ground.
13. Do you want to be a full-time author in the future? Give reasons.
ANS. I aspire to be a full-time author as authoring books gives me immense gratification. It delights me to imagine my books in the hands of hundreds of youths. An author is deemed salt of the earth in society. I aspire to write an out- of -the- box book for young minds.
