Here is my written interview that International Book Promotion published recently. You may also read it here: IBP Interview
Where are you from?
I am from Bangalore India
Why do you write?
I write to entertain and to provoke thought
What do you write about?
I write short stories and am the creator of the characters Jigneshbhai and Swami. My short stories are about urban characters and the hidden stories behind their apparently mundane lives. My Jigneshbhai and Swami stories and articles are topical, slice-of-life conversations between two friends that pack humor and wisdom
My writing is set in the real world of work and life, and my style is largely contemporary with a tinge of humor, satire and wisdom that leave you with something to think.
What’s the most memorable thing asked/said by a reader about your work?
When a reader told me that he could identify with the characters and relate to the situations faced by them in one of my works, it was a memorable experience.
How long have you been writing?
For five years, since it became one of my primary pre-occupations, and for over fifteen years off and on, part-time.
What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
I write for a couple of hours in the mornings most workdays in a week, have a break around lunch, and then after a nap and coffee, start writing again for an hour or two in the evening
How long does it take to write a book?
I used to try to finish a collection every 4-5 months earlier. I wrote my first four books in less than two years. But now, for the past three years, I have learnt to take my time and try to write one book every year
Do you have suggestions on how to become a better writer?
Practice, practice and practice. You become a writer by writing. Spend your early time writing to discover your style and voice, and then get better at the craft and sharpen it using words
What do you think makes a good story?
A good story must have strong, well-defined characters that the audience can identify with, and at least major conflict – with a person or a situation or anything – that he or she is trying to grapple with.
What does your family think of your writing?
My family is a big supporter of my writing. My wife is my first reader and critic, and my son perhaps my permanent audience. They have been big pillars of strength that a writer inevitably needs in the writing journey.
Do you see writing as a career?
I see writing as a hobby and a vocation that can become a second career. I spent over two decades as a corporate executive, which was my first career, and helped me make a living for myself and my family. Writing makes that living worth it now in my fifties and beyond.
What books did you love growing up?
I loved reading books by PG Wodehouse, especially the Jeeves and Bertie ones, and I read a lot of Chekhov, Roald Dahl and Indian writers like Ruskin Bond and PL Deshpande
Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?
I was born and brought up in Mumbai, spending my childhood in urban, middle-class India. As an adult, I spent over two decades as a corporate executive in technology and consulting, due to which I travelled a lot enjoying the cityscapes in America, blend of nature and urbanity in Europe and the sights and sounds of Asian capitals. I now live in Bangalore, which is often called the Silicon Valley of India. My writing is inspired from my experiences in the urban real world of work and life.
What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing?
Writing and getting published are relatively manageable for me. But I find marketing my work the hardest, partly due to the nature of the vocation, partly due to my introvert nature.
What marketing works for you?
I think engaging with readers who like my voice or style and those who identify with the characters and situations I write about, and providing them with snippets of my writing (from my blog, online or other channels) works for me
What else do you do, other than write?
I am an avid investor in capital markets and am passionate about financial independence. I like to travel to and explore new places as well as trek in the Himalayas. I am a student of spirituality and a reader of scriptures.
What other jobs have you had in your life?
I have worked as a corporate executive in the field of consulting and technology in the field of data analytics in different roles for over two decades. I also take up part-time consulting assignments in data analytics.
Tell us about your family?
My family consists of my wife of 27 years, my adult son and my elderly father. My wife is a doctor, and my son is a finance professional working in consulting. My father, now 84, is a retired government servant.
How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?
I write on my laptop and have a writing desk where I write. I used to write on my mobile when I started many years back but not anymore. I have a diary and a pen that I carry to jot down story ideas but expand on them on my laptop.
Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?
Success in writing to me is to create a meaningful body of work that I feel satisfied leaving behind – as something timeless that entertains and provokes thought, even if it is for a small audience of readers who resonate with it.
It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign?
Yes, it is vital – not as much for fame or money – but for the satisfaction of my writing impacting someone, and for the readers to resonate with it. I don’t have any marketing campaigns planned and would love any help on it 😊
If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
PG Wodehouse with Bertie and Jeeves, Chekhov, Ruskin Bond, Arjuna and Sri Krishna from the Mahabharata!
What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
I hope people get entertained on reading my writing, and identify with the character and situations I write about. I hope my writing provokes thought in them, and brings a smile on their face, makes them laugh at themselves, and sometimes gets a tear.
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