This writer wears many hats

From writing novels, poems, to travel essays – there are only a few writing styles left which Martin Amanshauser hasn't explored yet. Born in Salzburg, Austria in 1968, the famous writer has published several novels, a book of poetry, and innumerable travel essays.

"When you are doing so many things you love; it is difficult to pick one or title any of them as your 'favourite'. Therefore, I have reasons for why I do each of them," says Martin for whom being a novelist gives money, poetry does not demand him to write much (As compared to writing a novel), and travel journalism gives him the opportunity to explore the world and share his experiences.

Talking about how working on each project is different for a writer, Martin shares that just like the works (poetry, novel, translation) are different, the experience of working on them also varies.

There are several 'raw' ideas which go through a writer's mind, so how do you mould such ideas into a plot for your book? "I don't think any artist can answer this question in any way. It just comes from within when it has to, and that is when we go forward with the work," he answers.

Being a writer's son, he always thought that he would never get into this field. "But you can say it was always within me, which naturally drew me towards this profession," says the writer.

Having been into writing since 1997, he has witnessed many changes in the industry and the world outside. But what worries him and makes him happy at the same time is the change he has seen in himself over all these years.

"On one side, I have become more experienced in all these years, which obviously makes me happy. Though, at the same time I feel that with more experience, the uniqueness, the out-of-the-box ideas and the quirkiness disappears in an artist," confesses the writer, who has been into travel journalism and does not quite understand blogging and Instagram influencing as a profession.

"I think travel journalism is dying out as a profession, as print in general is in big crisis. However, there are different branches of this profession – 'blogging', 'Instagram influencer' which are popular among the millenials in the contemporary world. In order to succeed here, the tip and trick is simple – do not get dependent on followers, use your creativity and do what you want to."

The much-popular author hasn't read many Indian authors, but appreciate the kind of writing that Chetan Bhagat does. "People who think that his kind of books are easy to write are wrong, it is not at all easy," said the famous Austrian writer, who read Chetan's book 'Half Girlfriend' around three years back, and loved it.

Apart from Bhagat, Martin met other Indian writers as well during his visit to India at the 'Long Night of Literatures' in Delhi and earlier at the PILF festival in Pune.

"I think India has a great bunch of contemporary writers who are experimenting with content. Hence, as a nation, India has a great potential on the global level."

He recently attended the fifth edition of 'Long Night of Literatures', which was held at the Instituto Cervantes, New Delhi.