THE MAKING OF THE BOOK THAT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS READING

by | April 12, 2017, 14:34 IST

How did a 23-year-old turn into a publishing phenomenon? We invited Savi Sharma who’s out with a new book - This Is Not Your Story - after her debut one went off the charts, to decode the bestseller algorithm

Bestselling author Savi SharmaBestselling author Savi Sharma

Two books. 1,00,000 copies sold in 100 days. A 28-city promotional tour. You might not have heard of Savi Sharma, but all the statistics point to the fact that she’s not just a published author but a box office hit as well. The 23-year-old released her book – This Is Not Your Story – earlier this year, her second one after her debut – Everyone Has a Story – which turned out to be India’s fastest-selling debut novel. We chatted up the Surat-based author to find out how we (and you) can churn out a bestseller:

  • Put your face-in-a-book instead of Facebook

“I’ve always felt like you need to read 100 good books before writing one. I like to read motivational books because my mission is to inspire as well.”

 

  • Remember that believing is everything

“You must really believe in your story and then do everything you can to convert it into a reality. I believe in the law of attraction, that if you have faith in something, it will come true. And so, my first book was about courage, hope and dreams.”

 

  • Scrap if required

“While I was in college, I had worked on a chick lit plot for four years. My friends liked it but I wanted my book to be inspiring and not just meant for leisure reading. And so, I decided to start all over again.”

 

  • Find your meditation

“I find it important to be able to disconnect from everything, even writing, and find something that gives you peace. Mediation might work for some but for me, it’s the ocean and spending hours by its side.”

 

  • Reevaluate your risks

“I stopped working on my Chartered Accountancy degree to pursue my passion. I realised that I needed to listen to the call of my heart else I would never be truly happy.”

 

  • Think of the process

“I first think of a message and theme that is relevant. Then I decide who my characters will be and I flesh them out by thinking of their nature, profession, etc. Then comes the storyline, and then the final destination of the plot. I first write small chapters and then elaborate them. I think of how I would react in a situation and make it as believable as possible. Once a story is complete, I reread and redraft it. I also bounce it off friends who are voracious readers.”

 

  • Should you self-help for starters?

“I decided to self-publish my first book because I didn’t want to wait till a publisher read my manuscript. I went to a bookstore, found out where the publishers got their books printed, and contacted a couple of printing companies. Thompson Press got back to me, and I got 2,000 copies of the book printed. They charged about Rs 35 a copy. I then opened a seller’s account with Amazon, and started selling them.”

 

  • Harness social media

“I realised that non-readers – who are essentially the ones who are converted into readers and pick up my book – get hooked through quotes which are so popular everywhere. Someone suggested I pull out some motivational lines from my book as quotes, and that’s what got people interested. I would personally request people I knew to write online reviews so that others would know about the book.”

 

  • Find an agent/editor you adore

“If you’ve bagged a publishing deal, make sure it’s with an editor you love and who believes in you. I feel I am on the same page as Deepthi (Talwar), my editor. At times, going through a literary agent really works. Look them up online, write to several, and if someone shows interest, make sure you instinctively like them before signing a deal.”

 

  • Don’t get obsessed

“Some people can’t move beyond their first work because they are so obsessed with it. Being connected to your story is different from being obsessed with it. Move on.”

 

This Is Not Your Story (Westland Ltd) is out in stores now.

 

This Is Not Your StoryThis Is Not Your Story





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