On Writers

And their female fan following.

I recently met Jeffrey Archer in Landmark, Gurgaon and thus this post.

Like most of the avid readers, I am also a fan of Archer. “Kane and Able” gave me goose bumps while “The Prodigal Daughter” made me pretend like Florentyna Kane for days – Independent, ambitious and adamant. This was way way way back when I was in school though, when I was in a different world altogether. However what I still carry from that world is a desire to know a writer closely. Maybe date one. Yes. I am fascinated by writers because I assume a) they are extremely witty (which is a major turn on) b.) they are curious (which is a good thing if I dated one, if you know what I mean) and c.) they are someone I can look upto (which my friends, is the first step for me to fall for someone). But noooooo. I never knew even an ounce of a writer.  I could date none. And then I became so intimidated by those things that I found solace in this writers-are-boring-and-self centred-maniacs-who-are-insensitive-in-real-life theory.

I realized how much I still love writers when I met Jeffrey Archer. And I wondered why girls are drawn towards writers and artists so much...there were OOOOHs and AHAs all over the crowd from girls when Archer made any joke. Not to mention me and my girl group that hooted endlessly, clapped stupidly and shouted shamelessly to draw his attention towards us (and he did notice us, I think he even smiled) This interest in writers is maybe because your regular men completely lack any interest in even reading. And writers are not your ‘regular men’. I think, this can be because writers are perceived as free spirits, liberated and intellectual beings, which is a charm we ladies are not armed against. And today’s young writers have exactly the same traits.  Lets talk about a few writers I know and their female fan following I don’t know of, but will assume.

My claim to fame is I now have a few friends who are published writers and have a book or two in paperback with their names on top of it, resting casually on their coffee tables. Or carelessly on top a pile of clothes in a hostel room, in case of a special writer friend Sachin. Sorry. Sachinn (Notice the extra 'n'). Sachinn Garg of the Sunny Shady Life fame.  I met him before he was this big celebrity who is now on MTV ticker and on Radio channels and on Page Three.  Umm...Okay not on page 3 maybe, but he soon will be, he has all the tricks up his sleeves ladies. Heehee. And gentlemen too.  He showed me this amazing American Chopseuy place in a local Gurgaon market and snorted when I expressed my disbelief on how a place like that can have such yum food (This is a diehard foodie, I later realized and they come with the firm belief that detailed menu list of all restaurants and names of all the 14 year old waiters in the hidden-local-food joints around the city are casual information known to all).  Anyway, he has a lot of potential, you know, in the female fan following field. He’s witty and is thus charming. And I can safely assume he is getting a damn lot of attention these days. But I think his MBA might come in his way of the ‘follow up’ process. He is always writing some paper, or working on some case study or something equally unnecessary. Seriously. Why work up your ass to achieve something when you already are a writer? I mean he’ll sure write more books, no?

Then there is Durjoy Datta, co-author of the much talked about “Of course I love you...till I find someone better” who I know socially. Digital socially, that is. Facebook, G-talk, Orkut. He’s quite cute. My only thing was – why a co-author? That too with a girl? Uuhu. Immediate put off for teenage girls - his primary TG (going by the fact that all my cousin sisters and their friends are were discussing his book nonstop when it was released and find him oh-so-cute) He should write independently is my smart ass suggestion. His picture is still a hit in my house hold anyway. An entire book will be a major add on.

There are a few more. But don’t know if they’ll like being the subject of my theory. So lets leave them. I’ll share more gossip once I have the disclaimer on my blog right. Or maybe I’ll let my other schizophrenic self write about it explicitly. Hehe. I’ll get going now people, I’m gunning to finish “Shall we tell the President” tonight. Yes, it is a signed copy. Yay!