Author Interview: Rauf Khalilov

What is your favourite thing about writing books?
I like writing because it presents me with an opportunity to create beauty. I love creating beauty, whether in the form of music, poetry or novel, because it enables me to make a positive impact and bring about change. I enjoy the process of transforming thoughts and emotions into art and making people comprehend them through it. I believe this is the easiest way to bring about change.

Who is your favourite character in your book and why?
My favourite character is probably Sidri. The reason being, he has a unique personality and he fights against injustice and helps people in need. He is a role model and a carrier of hope. A selfless revolutionary who sacrifices everything for the greater good.

What is your favourite drink to consume while writing?
Probably coffee. It helps me stay vigilant.

Do you have any bad habits while you’re writing?
No.

How do you research your books?
I mostly use Google. When I invent a name, or a theme, I google it to ensure it has not been used before.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
It is very hard to say, probably a bit of both. The way it works with me is an idea will come to me and I will then record it. I will then revisit it at some point and explore it further. Sometimes, I will not have the inspiration and I will leave it to moor for a while. Sometimes the inspiration will come suddenly, and I will finish something that I could not finish in years within few hours. When ideas come to me, I mostly visualise them in my head. I then develop them step by step. I first build the skeleton and then add the flesh. The procedure can be very complex and longwinded. I often end up somewhere far off from where I had originally started.  

If you could live in any fictional world, which would you choose and why?
Probably Greek pantheon. I would probably be someone like Prometheus. I would help people leave darkness and reach light.   

If you could befriend any fictional character, who would you choose and why?
It would be Prometheus. Prometheus is a patron of science and arts. He helped mankind reach progress. He defied authority and sacrificed himself for greater good. So, I would love to be his friend.