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Benyamin says he writes novels in fragments rather than from first chapter to last. He may draft a passage without knowing where it belongs, then later rearrange chapters, connect them, revise, and add new material. His reference to a “300-page novel” illustrates this approach; it is not a claim that every novel he writes has that length.
What does Benyamin mean by writing nonlinearly?
In a February 10, 2024 interview with Diya Isha for Scroll, the Malayalam author described himself as “not a linear writer at all.” He said he does not write a novel in one continuous stretch or necessarily in the order readers will encounter it. As he put it, “If it’s a 300-page novel, I am not writing it sequentially.”
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A chapter he drafts early might eventually become chapter thirty-five. Sometimes, he said, he writes without knowing where a passage will fit. The point is not that the final book lacks order; rather, the order may emerge later, during arrangement and revision.
How does his process unfold?
1. Draft pieces as they come
Benyamin says he writes portions of a novel, pauses to think about the rest, and may turn to another form—such as a travelogue, essay, or article—in the meantime. When he has free time, he tries to write something, perhaps at least half a page. That is his account of his own practice, not a daily target he recommends to other writers.
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2. Rearrange and connect the chapters
Once there is material to work with, he says he moves chapters into position and builds connections between them. “The second stage is when I rearrange the chapters. Then I connect each chapter,” he told Isha. In this phase, the writer is shaping relationships and sequence among pieces drafted at different times.
3. Edit, cut, and add
Benyamin describes editing what is already there while adding new material. He also says he removes paragraphs or sentences that do not work for him and does not treat their loss as wasted effort. A passage can be useful during the process without surviving into the finished book.
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He compares the experience to knowing the destination—Trivandrum—without knowing the route in advance. That is his analogy for his own work, not a universal rule for novel-writing.
Where does experience fit into his fiction?
In the same interview, Benyamin says experience is necessary to his writing. A small element from something experienced may become the starting point for a more developed invention: “I take maybe a small element from an experience, and I elaborate it into something else.” He says the material’s scale and nature help determine its form: a brief experience might suit an essay or short story, while a broader narrative may call for a novel.
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He also describes trying different forms for the pleasure of the creative process and seeking a new mould for each novel. These comments describe his choices; they do not establish a single method that other writers should follow.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this account does—and does not—show
The interview offers Benyamin’s description of his process, not an independent study of how novels are written or evidence that nonlinear drafting is more effective. It establishes that he says he drafts out of sequence and later shapes the pieces; it does not show that this approach guarantees completion or suits every writer.
For readers who want to explore his work, the interview identifies Aadujeevitham, translated into English as Goat Days by Joseph Koyipally, and discusses Jasmine Days, translated by Shahnaz Habib. Benyamin also calls translation a creative process and says he gives translators freedom while remaining available to answer questions.
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