In Conversation With Laudeep Singh

About Laudeep Singh:

Laudeep Singh (born 27th August, 1990) is a bilingual poet and writer from Gurgaon (now known as Gurugram). A PhD dropout, he holds two bachelor degrees (English Literature & Education) and two master degrees (English Literature & Philosophy).

He is also a certified TEFL/TESOL trainer (Canada). Apart from that, he is a polyglot – can read, write, and speak four different languages: English, Hindi, Urdu, and Spanish. Currently, he is working with ‘Trusting Minds’ as a full time writer/editor in Gurugram. For those interested in ‘Ghazals’, his new book entitled ‘सूद-ओ-ज़ियाँ’ is scheduled for launch in Feb, 2022.

Laudeep believes in living on the razor’s edge by burning the candle of life at both ends. If he had not been a poet, he would have been a musician or a painter. After the age of 27, every year is a bonus year for him on this Earth.

LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content.

Laudeep: ‘Death is my only beloved’ is a collection of poems on life, death, and everything that comes to pass between life and death. The poems are ‘confessional’ in nature and uncertainty is their hallmark feature. The poems proffer no consolation to the readers who are looking for any sort of comforters to numb their pain. The readers are free to interpret the poems as per their inconvenience.

LiFT: Why you chose this title?

Laudeep: There is a poem with the same title in the book; I found it captivating, so named the collection after it.

LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a poet and what’s your inspiration behind it?

Laudeep: The thought of becoming a writer/poet never crossed my mind. I still do not know when, but I believe we can only become that what we already are. My genuine love for poetry was the inspiration behind writing the book. It was only when the poems reached a certain number, I got them published to preserve for posterity.

LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?

Laudeep: I cannot think of events in terms of space-time continuum. Each event in my life is a separate whole, one frame after the other. Till I survive, I will continue to contribute my share of experiences, by making myself available, in serving the grand narrative of literature.

LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?

Laudeep: Publishing a book is only 20% of the journey; the other 80% is marketing. However, if the content is powerful, sooner or later, it will make its way to the readers.

LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?

Laudeep: The only message is that there is no message. As I wrote it the blurb, the readers are free to interpret my works as per their inconvenience.

LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?

Laudeep: Apart from writing, I devote a lot of time to reading. Also, who wouldn’t enjoy different genres of music, especially Indian Classical Music? I also love to go on long walks alone, observing everything in the way. Being lost in reverie is by far my most passionate hobby.

LiFT: What are the activities you resort to when you face a writer’s block?

Laudeep: I drink and smoke to my heart’s content, sometimes for day, something for weeks, and sometimes for months. But I wouldn’t recommend that to others. Writer’s block only means one thing to me, that it is time for reading.

LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.

Laudeep: Yes, I had been working on a ‘Ghazals’ collection from a long time. The book is entitled ‘सूद-ओ-ज़ियाँ’, which is finally releasing in Feb, 2022.

LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?

Laudeep: Never stop reading, and if you think you can write, just write. There is no other way!

Click here to order Laudeep’s Book – Death Is My Only Beloved