Story comes first, says Samrat Upadhyay

By A Staff Reporter,Lalitpur, Dec. 24: The third edition of ‘Shangri-la Sambad,’ a dialogue series of the Shangri-La Literature Festival, concluded recently in Lalitpur. The dialogue featured renowned authors Samrat Upadhyay and Prawin Adhikari, who engaged in a profound discussion on the various dimensions of fiction writing, craft, and methodology.

Professor and author Samrat Upadhyay spoke candidly with writer Prawin Adhikari about his writing process and literary philosophy. Upadhyay emphasised that a writer must first be clear about the story they intend to tell. When Adhikari asked whether he writes within the boundaries of a specific theme or discovers it while writing, Upadhyay replied, "I don’t think about the theme at least until the first draft; I discover it as I go. For me, the story is what matters most. I only refine the theme after the first or second draft." He added, "Theme is a second or third consideration; story comes first."

The second session of the programme transitioned into a grand poetry recitation featuring eight poets. Dr. Naba Raj Lamsal, Bhuwan Thapaliya, Haris Adhikari, Rajnimila, Rami Priya, Asmita Badi, Dev Brat, and Kripa Khanal created a vibrant poetic atmosphere over there.

According to Ken Subedi, Director of the Shangri-La Literature Festival, the Kathmandu Shangri-La Foundation is set to organise its inaugural festival in the coming months. The main festival aims to bring together artistes, writers, thinkers, and intellectuals from both home and abroad for in-depth discussions on various contemporary issues.