An IIM Ahmedabad graduate and IISc Bangalore alumnus, author Vibhor Tikiya has done a bit of everything. He has been around in many conventional fields before he took to writing his debut novel Dada. For him, the book signifies dreams that never fade away, friendships that go the distance and a journey that will take you back to your college days. As the author says, “One should never stop dreaming no matter what; because your dreams never die and they never burn, even if properties and your efforts do sometimes...”

How do you like to flesh out characters and plot lines for your stories Both my books (one yet to be published) have been outcomes of a central concept and based on that, I have fleshed out a storyline and built the characters. The concept has always been central and of prime importance.

One book you wish you had written I wish to write a book with Kiran Bedi titled I want to Live, based on the horrors of rape and the trials of the victim.

One tip for aspiring writers... It is important to figure out why you want to write in the first place. If it’s just for commercial reasons, the output is generally compromised. Also, if your concept is ready, don’t wait to check on potential market for the same. If it is meant to be, it will sell. What time of the day do you write the best Given the constraints in my job, I write whenever I get free time. The output tends to be better sometimes and is sub-optimal sometimes. But you can always revisit. This is not a one-time examination where you do not get to edit.

How do you deal with writer’s block Once your concept is ready, if you’re stuck with what to put on paper, start jotting down random thoughts and lines. You’ll be able to connect the dots later. It has to be coherent in the end and should make for entertaining reading.