ALSphere Foundation
Mr. Manoj Krishnan is the founder of the Asian Literary Society (a community of thousands of readers, writers, and artists from all over the world). He is an M.Tech from BITS Pilani, and PGDIT from Symbiosis, Pune. He is a prolific writer and artist. He has compiled and edited many national and international anthologies. He has also authored six books.
Here’s a tete-a-tete with the dynamic personality!
Vandana Bhasin: Mr. Manoj, what is the driving force for your unrelenting efforts in the space of literature and arts?
Manoj Krishnan: I have been passionate about literature and art since childhood. I firmly believe that writers and artists deserve an engaging and truly world-class platform to showcase their talent, hone their skills, get appreciation from a wider audience, and an opportunity for recognition and get awarded for their incredible work. I think the earnest desire to create such a vibrant platform kept me devoting my energy and time to this mission.
Vandana Bhasin: We have seen ALS expand tremendously over last five years. From literature to arts, photography, people with special needs, and indigenous languages, ALS has expanded in diverse directions. What is your vision for ALS in the next five years?
Manoj Krishnan: All these are verticals of ALSphere Foundation. I am glad that all these verticals are highly engaging communities. In the next five years, I am expecting expansion in membership base, more collaborations with reputed institutions and corporates, and to be part of many success stories of our writers, artists, and women entrepreneurs.
Vandana Bhasin: Writing is impactful if it comes from the heart, and truly resonates with the feelings of the writer. What is closer to your heart- poetry or prose? Which genre gives you more liberty to express your true feelings?
Manoj Krishnan: Though I have written a lot of poems in Hindi and English, but novel writing is quite close to my heart. I think that I express emotions quite well in my writings and am good at weaving plots. Novel writing gives me the opportunity to live the life of each character and I really enjoy the arduous yet fulfilling journey of novel writing.
Vandana Bhasin: All writers seek inspiration for writing, no matter how seasoned and skilled they are. Who or what instigates your pen?
Manoj Krishnan: To be honest, as far as my poetry or prose pieces are concerned, I never sought inspiration from any other writers or poets; although I had read many books by noted writers. I had spent a lot of time in solitude in my childhood and I used to observe people and watch their habits, demeanor, and temperaments and then weave stories in my mind. I think it has probably helped me to evolve as a writer.
Vandana Bhasin: Writing space has seen an immense transformation in the last few years. From physical space to the digital world, from classics to youth with slam poetry, from print media to Facebook and Instagram, we have made a lot of progress and adjustments. What suggestions do you have for contemporary writers to create a place for themselves in this progressive world?
Manoj Krishnan: If someone is pursuing a career in writing, set a realistic plan with answers to questions like what is your preferred genre, what skills you need to possess before writing good quality content, identify your target audience, and then engage and expand your followers with relevant and engrossing content. It takes time but it is rewarding. Remember audience or customers do not come from Mars. You and I and common people like us are audiences and customers. Whatever we think is completely worth spending money on, most others do also feel the same.
Also, it is important to decide what is your purpose of writing, is it passion or money? Both are equally important. If you are writing for your passion, pour your heart and soul into your work and invest in great experience and recognition. If you are writing for money, identify sectors where the profit margin is high and chances of new project opportunities are more but remember that your passion for writing poetry or story, or some art or craft, need not necessarily result in making money often.
