Student’s Guardian – An Academic Writer
As I was passing through a group of students circled around their academic books, I noticed that they were attentively reading, discussing the diagrams and flowcharts to understand the various concepts related to their subjects. I instantly wondered, how the academic authors simplified the complex terminologies of the subjects to the level of the student’s understanding without tutoring them personally. To put rest to my queries, I rushed with a set of questions to meet eminent authors Dr Ramadas Nayak, Dr Anil Kakunje, Dr Manjunath Shenoy M, all of them federated with Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University). As I slink into their cabins with an “Excuse Me, Sir”, they greeted me in with a smile on their face. This welcoming gesture assured me instantly that all my inquisitiveness about the process of academic writing will be put to rest. I began by asking,
Dr Ramadas Naik
Professor & HOD
Department of Pathology
Dr Anil Kakunje
Professor & HOD
Department of Psychiatry
Dr Manjunath Shenoy M
Professor & HOD
Department of Dermatology
Nenmanikkara Geoviya George (NGG): As you juggle between your personal and professional commitments, what are the methods do you adopt to find time for writing your academic books?
Dr. Ramadas Naik (RN): I make it a point to set myself for writing every day after 5pm.
Dr Anil Kakunje (AK): No method, it’s an urge. When you realize that your knowledge is beyond you and time, it’s for the societies welfare, this thought gives me the energy to pool time for writing books.
Dr Manjunath Shenoy M (MS): Method! “Sleepless nights” and of course as the submission deadline nears, you have to take a few days and hours off your work.
NGG: What are the challenges involved in selecting and constructing the chapters for your book?
(RN): I haven’t really come across any challenges.
(AK): Well… before I start deciding on the chapters, I keep the target audience in my mind. I try to read and understand what would the audience expect out of my book. I also make it a point to incorporate the latest knowledge into the chapters.
(MS): The two challenges for me are firstly preparing skeletal of the book and secondly to choose the apt authors and co-authors for the book.
NGG: Sir, how do you make boring chapters of your books interesting and difficult chapters easy for the students to learn and understand?
(RN): I first scribble the points, diagrams, pictures that I want to address and then I use my style of writing to make the content simple and clear for the readers understand.
(AK): Before I plunge into writing, I ask myself a question, “How can I make this topic interesting?” The answers could be anything like adding figures, concise tables, coloured pictures, recent literature, case studies or humour for that matter. I also spend some time with my friends to get their feedback on improving my books.
(MS): I add to my books a bunch of case studies, demo models, hyperlinks. I do add practical examples for the students to understand the concept better.
NGG: Before the book is ready to be published there are multiple corrections involved in this process, when do you decide that the book is ready for publication?
(RN): I just read the draft three times and I think that the book is ready for publication.
(AK): Hmm… I don’t really set any numbers. I basically try to reach near perfection.
(MS): Pre-published book has to go through numerous stages of review processes before it is published. So the author has to be very patient until the final book is published.
NGG: What is your aspiration to write scientific books?
(RN): I stepped into writing because of my students. They have strongly aspired me to be a better author every single time.
(AK): To pass the legacy of knowledge to the community was the sole aspiration that got me to writing.
(MS): The need to fill the gap in the existing literature, thereby expanding the horizon of knowledge has aspired me to start writing.
NGG: How do you make your book unique and original in spite of having many books available in the market?
(RN): The book is said to be unique and original by the style of presentation. I invest ample time and effort to present the content in my books in a unique manner I try to write in a very simple and clear language using diagrams, flowcharts and so on and this is what makes my book stand out from the rest.
(AK): I first try to fish into the lacunae of the literature, check for the recent advances which I then incorporate in my books which is the unique feature of my books.
(MS): I pack my books with pictorial presentations and diagrams that a self-explanatory for the students to read in the last minute.
NGG: How do you motivate yourself to keep writing?
RN: When I think about my students, I somehow get fuelled up to start writing.
AK: I get motivated when I think a small contribution of my writings will benefit young and old alike.
MS: I get motivated to write for my fellow academicians and students.
NGG: How do you come to make a decision of selecting a publication house?
RN: I think the popularity of publishing houses is very important for reaching the target population. I basically look for the popularity quotient of the publishing house.
AK: I choose the publishing house if they are addressing the target readers. I also suggest my aspiring writers to consider their society publication firm.
MS: I surely look for the credibility of the publishing house.
NGG: How will your books encourage the students to read your book when there are e-books available on the subjects?
RN: I make it a point to include silent features in my books, this will help the students to get a glimpse of the topic that I will be covering in my book.
AK: In this e-connect lifestyle, I feel it is very essential to have both hard and soft copy of any book and I have my books in both these forms. I leave this choice to the readers.
MS: Students should be given the freedom to choose which form of books they would like to read. Basically at the end what I see is that students should follow the subject irrespective of which form of the book they are reading from.
NGG: Please share with us your experience when you were venturing into this field of writing academic books?
RN: I still remember the time when my students came and give me positive feedback on my book I felt a sense of accomplishment.
AK: The day my first book was released, Oh! What an epic experience it was. I still remember that day so clearly I was experiencing a mixed feeling, a feeling of joy on one end and on the other end a sense of accomplishment. I also learnt the technical process that is involved in getting your book to the bookshelf.
MS: I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of publishing a book. It was so exciting.
NGG: What advice would you like to suggest to young writers who wish to enter this field of writing academic books?
RN: Absolute hard work and dedication is the success mantra. In the initial days in your publishing career, you may see disappointment but continue to strive to make your dream a reality.
AK: Setbacks, denial, refusals are common in the initial phase of writings but this shouldn’t dampen your spirits. You should take the feedback and reviews very constructively and if you do so, I am sure you will succeed in this field of publishing academic books.
MS: Always keep yourself up-to-date in your field and develop the art of creative writing. I would suggest you try your hands firstly as a co-author and then climb the ladder as an author.
by Nenmanikkara Geoviya George
I, Nenmanikkara Geoviya George have completed my Master of Physiotherapy in Neurological and Psychosomatic Disorders from Dr M.V.Shetty College of Physiotherapy, Mangaluru, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore. I am doing my PhD program under the guidance of Dr Ramadas Naik, Professor & HOD, Department of Pathology, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India and Dr Abraham M Joshua, Senior Associate Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
You can reach me at geoviyageorge@gmail.com.
