WITH GLOBAL ASPIRATIONS AAKANKSHA EXCELS AS A BLOGGER

 

WITH GLOBAL ASPIRATIONS AAKANKSHA EXCELS AS A BLOGGER 

                                                   Mrs. AAKANKSHA JAIN                                       

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE BLOGGER/AUTHOR:

Mrs. Aakanksha Jain is a Book blogger, Content creator, You Tuber, Podcaster and Author of a non-fiction book, “How to Become an Amazon Influencer”. She is blogging from 2017 onwards and working towards making her blog “Books Charming,” a global brand. She started blogging to enhance her talents, but she continued it professionally, discovering this industry's scope. For her, the best part of her work is reading life-changing narratives. She was recently awarded a “Best Book Blogger of the Year award” and also interviewed by Sharing Stories magazine. She has been interviewed by other bloggers and authors as well. When not reading or writing, she spends her time, binge-watching. Born and brought up in Indore, India, she has recently moved to Pune. 

Social Media Links:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bookscharm

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bookscharming/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aakanksha-jain-980b766a/

Pinterest - https://in.pinterest.com/bookscharming/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aakankshajain22

Website - https://www.bookscharming.com/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGW5_vJvVTIiqoU2xgIRLBg

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Q Are you a professional writer?

Yes, I am a professional writer. Most of my income comes from the book-reviews, promotions and other connected activities.

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Q How many of your books have been published and blogs posted so far?

I have only one book published so far viz. “How to Become an Amazon Influencer”. It was published on Amazon in the year 2020.  My blog “Books Charming,” is running from 2017 onwards, with numerous reviews, guest posts, interviews of authors and bloggers etc.

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Q What are the specific reasons for choosing this particular field of blogging?

In the year 2017, I started blogging with a view to improve my language and writing skills, but with passage of time, I started enjoying it and also came across Goodreads. After some research, I thought that this might be a promising career for me. 

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Q How did you zero in on the name "Books Charming.com"?

For a very long time, name of my blog was “Simple Living High Thinking”, but it didn't define that on this blog someone can posts book-reviews etc. also. Therefore, I started brainstorming.  I looked up to the names, some I liked, but they were already taken by somebody. I needed the term that defined my work, available on social media and most importantly, no one should be using the domain with that particular name. “Books Charming” ticked all the boxes for me. 

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Q What has been the general assessment of the reviewers and readers for your blogging activity/contribution? What is your own assessment?

It's an exciting question. Well, I love my readers, and who doesn't? I think they appreciate my work and honest reviews are seen in my blog stats. My own assessment, hmmm, let me guess, I always work for being best or giving my best to any task, but never in my dreams I thought that I'll reach this position in blogging. Now I am well-recognized with a genuine readers' base, so I started dreaming big and I am working towards it. I have a long way to go.

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Q Did you receive appreciation/recognition/awards for your blogging contribution?

Yes, in December 2020, I was awarded as a “Best Book Blogger of the Year 2020”. 

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Q Who are your role models?

My role-models are: Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Nick Vujicic and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

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Q Do you recommend writing books and/or blogs jointly? In your opinion, what are the areas of benefits & problems in such joint ventures?

Writing comes from inside; and one can't force it. When I started blogging, I didn't think that I will write a book, but I did, because I felt like that.  A few bloggers are authors as well, while some are happy with blogging only and have no intention of writing books. So, it depends on the person. For me, the benefit of a joint venture is that I already have an audience to showcase my books. Those authors who write books and do not have adequate base of readers, suffer for reviews. 

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you record them immediately somewhere? 

There is no specific time for the ideas to come, but once they do, I note them in my diary immediately.

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of blogs?

In my opinion, after the quality of writing, S.E.O. and layout of the blog are the next most important factors.  

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Q Do you agree with the observation that many writers are keeping writing as a secondary occupation? What is it that draws them towards the field of "Writing"?   

Yes, I agree with this observation. The writers keep it as secondary occupation, because not every book can become an instant bestseller. It is hard for a writer to totally depend on writing to earn bread. But writing soothes and calms one's mind. That's why I write and I guess others too, hopefully.

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Q Which aspects motivate you to write "blogs" and "books"? 

Behind blogging, my motive is to showcase my writings. But regarding the book, I only had one goal viz. to help others. I remember asking many bloggers as to how they got the blue tick on their Amazon profile, and they simply lied by saying, oh, I didn't do anything. It just happened, or Amazon did it by themselves. I trusted them until I did my research and found that there is a process to follow. I don't want others to go through what I faced; that's the reason why I wrote the book “How to Become an Amazon Influencer”.

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Q Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career, or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

A big yes. I got many projects because of Facebook. The book readers group on Facebook is super helpful and it has helped me to connect worldwide. After Google, the second largest number of views on my blog, “Books Charming”, are received from Facebook. 

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Q How are you able to divide the available time between your job, management of the home, and your writing career?   

Well, now I'm a full-time book blogger, so it eliminates the job part. I got married in December 2020, and recently moved to Pune, which changed the equilibrium, but my work is my top-most priority. Further, I'm very good at multi-tasking, so it won't be a problem. Also, management of the home is not the responsibility of just the women. My husband is a part of it too, so he has to help with the chores and supervision, and he did. 

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Q If you were not a writer, in what other way would you have expressed your creativity?

Many people don't know that I paint. I'm more into abstract ones; and I draw very well. So, if not writing, then I will show my creativity via abstract paintings. 

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Q Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way to your writing career?

I am very grateful to two persons and will always be, firstly my younger sister Aastha and secondly Prateek (my husband). They are with me from day one, supporting, encouraging, guiding and sometimes handling my work too. 

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Q What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in the future in jeopardy?

Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I don't think that printed books are in any way in jeopardy. Millions of readers love to hold the books in their hands, smell them, and feel proud to have paperbacks on their bookshelf, including me. So, they will not change, trust me, but yes, the main benefit of an e-book is that now readers can also read those books that are out of print or very rare. 

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Q What are your plans for writing blogs and books in the near future?

For the blogs, I have the understanding of a clear path of where I want to see “Books Charming” by the end of this year, and I'm working day and night for that goal. Also, I want to publish a short story this year.

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Q What is your advice to the budding authors? 

A. My advice for budding authors is that they should have trust in themselves and their writing. They should place their works in public and not be afraid of criticism. They should do what their heart says, connect and collaborate with like-minded persons and grow personally and professionally. 

                                             ----------vijaiksharma

AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER REVELS IN SCIENCE AND FANTASY WRITINGS

 

AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER REVELS IN SCIENCE AND FANTASY WRITINGS

ARMEN POGHARIAN

                      

                        

 BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR

Honestly speaking, Armen Pogharian didn’t voluntarily read a book until he finished The Hobbit in sixth grade, but later his interests grew in reading and writing.  First he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was an Honorable-Mention All-American swimmer. As a USAF officer he worked on classified ‘Area 51’ projects – he never saw a single alien (dead or alive). He later earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and spent more than a decade in the high tech & biotech industries. His stories mix elements of science and history with a healthy dose of fantasy. When not writing, he enjoys swimming, reading & the outdoors. He lives outside Rochester, NY with his wife & family.

Social links:

(a)                    Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorArmenPogharian  It provides more information about upcoming books & occasional nerdy post about maps, science & history visit.

(b)                    A website and blog: http://www.armenpogharian.com/        The website includes information about the Misaligned & Warders book series and reviews of similar books.  His blog covers science, history & writing and the popular Map Monday post.   

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

Yes, I am a professional writer. Eight of my books have been or are in the process of being published. “Misaligned” is a three-book series that’s being re-released through CamCat publishing, with new covers and minor edits. The first book came out in December 2020, the second in February 2021 and the third one is expected in March 2021. The “Warder” series includes five released books and a sixth completed book.

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Q What is your specific field of writing?  Are there any specific reasons for choosing this particular field?

Both series are young adult friendly fantasies. As a reader, I enjoyed fantasy and science fiction, so as a writer, I naturally gravitated towards that side. I refer to my books as young adult friendly because they don’t contain foul language, overt sex or graphic depictions of violence. While the Misaligned series aims at a little younger (10+) group, the Warder series is really for adults and young readers.

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Q Which particular book of yours do you consider as the best so far, and why?

That’s a bit like asking which of my children is favourite. I like all my books, but I do feel that the latest book in each series is the best. For Misaligned, that would be Penny Preston and the King’s Blade, and for the Warders, The Demon’s Debt.  

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Q Do you recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits & problems, in such joint ventures?

I have never attempted to co-author a book. As a fantasy author, I can see the benefits of brainstorming with another writer, e.g., alternate world-building concepts. However, I can also see the downsides around the implementation of those concepts. Ultimately, in my opinion, a strong relationship with an editor works best for me. It’s analogous to recording music. I’m the songwriter who works best solo, but I need a producer (the editor) to help me polish the tune.

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you record them immediately somewhere? On an average, what is the timeframe to complete one book, in all respects?

Normally, I start with a question. For Misaligned it was, ‘what happens at the intersection of myth and science?’ That kicks off a mental process that can last weeks or months looking for something interesting or unique. Misaligned sprang from the idea of underpinning Arthurian myth with String Theory. At that point, I create a single page outline. Once complete, I move from the informal to the disciplined side. I set a word goal for every day and write until I finish the book. Continuing the Misaligned example, I wrote 1,000 words a day until I finished. Then I set the work aside to decompress. After my mind is clear, I give it an editorial scrub from start to finish. At this point, outside editors/reviewers and cover artists enter the mix, to finalize the things. The whole process takes roughly a year. It’s a little quicker to self-publish but a little longer with a publisher.

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

Assuming that you mean financial success of the book, a very important factor is its marketing. Readers can’t buy your book if they don’t know about it. With over 1,500 English language titles getting published every day, there are thousands of books competing for their attention. The big retailers don’t care which book, readers choose. A professional cover is critical. People may still say that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but buyers clearly do.

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Q Do you agree with the observation that many writers are keeping writing as a secondary occupation. What is it that draws them towards the field of "Writing"?

For an author, it is difficult to make living by writing and selling books. Some authors “keep their day jobs,” while others branch out into editing, blogging or other aspects of writing, to make both ends meet. Writing involves a lot of work, relative to the financial benefit. You need to love the process and the craft of creation. If you’re in it only for financial gain, you’re likely to be disappointed.  

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Q Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others? In your opinion, is there adequate scope for name/fame/wealth in the field of writing?

I’ve touched on some of this, above. To be successful, first and foremost, you need to love the act of creation and writing, which means continuously improving your craft. Adulation from others in the form of sales or great reviews is fantastic, but by no means guaranteed. If you can’t derive satisfaction from within yourself, you’re unlikely to remain a writer.

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Q Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

My blog is more effective in sharing information with followers, but it is easier to reach new people using Facebook. An important aspect of that comes from my fellow authors. Facebook is a great tool for us to share news about our friends’ works. Of course, you must be willing to help others. There’s a lot of potential in live Facebook events. On 25 February I’ll be participating in my first ‘Open Mic’ event on Facebook. I’ll be on a moderated panel with several other authors reading from our books and answering questions from listeners.

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Q How are you able to divide the available time between your job, looking after the family requirements at home and your writing career?

I’ve been blessed with a flexible schedule that allows me a lot of freedom to work on writing. I also have a very forgiving family.     Honestly, I don’t know how authors with dedicated 9-5 jobs and families make it work.

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Q Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing career?

Absolutely yes. I would never have gotten where I am, without them. My wife and children often read my early material. Besides giving encouragement, they’re quite free in sharing criticism. I also enjoy tremendous support from my friends both inside and outside the formal writing community.

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Q What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in future in jeopardy?

Several years ago, industry pundits were touting the end of printed books. It didn’t happen. Right now, audio books are the next big thing. Personally, I love the feel and even the smell of printed books. That said, I believe that any format that gives authors another way to reach readers is a great thing.

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Q What are your future plans for writing books?

Once I complete the re-release process for the Misaligned series, I’m going to turn back to the Warder series and publish the sixth book. After that, I’ve got plans for a 7th Warder book, as well as some completely new ideas. I don’t know which will take the lead, but I do know I’m not done creating.

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Q What is your advice to the budding authors?

Make sure you enter the process with open eyes. Fame and fortune are wonderful, but if that’s your prime motivator you’re likely to be disappointed.

                                                    ------------vijaiksharma

ELISE BROOKE SHARES HER STORY OF SURVIVING TO THRIVING IN NEW ZEALAND

 

ELISE BROOKE SHARES HER STORY OF SURVIVING TO THRIVING IN NEW ZEALAND

ELISE BROOKE

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Elise Brooke, grew up in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.  Her parents moved to New Zealand from England and South Africa, to create their New Zealand Dream, but this quickly turned into her New Zealand nightmare.  She writes with her pen name as Sheila. Her passion is creative writing. She has been writing for 24 years in fiction, poetry and content.  She has published many articles, guest posts and conducted interviews on her website, which she has built from scratch. She is a writing coach/mentor for those persons who would like to write and share their own stories. She considers that writing is a very powerful healing tool and that sharing the story can save lives.  She has written & published two autobiographies in her book series "The New Zealand Dream.” These books give her story from surviving to thriving, to inspire and give hope to others.

“The New Zealand Dream” is a story and account of her life so far. You take a journey from birth, growing up in a beautiful country town. Moving to the suburbs, discovering New Zealand’s underground, in book one "The seeds are sown." Life has been a struggle and a uphill climb, she was born with learning difficulties that caused her challenges every day. Her mother, who single-handedly raised her brother, and she suffered from mental health problems. She dived into the drug and alcohol scene at a young age, growing up surrounded by violence and gangs. She escaped a religious occult, got married and had children. In book two "Growth and destruction," before she hits the age of thirty, she is a divorced single mother. Her support network passed away and she sank into the world of abuse. She stayed trapped in an abusive relationship for over eight years, until one night he nearly killed her and then she escaped. She leads the readers into the world that surrounded her and nearly killed her. The readers will meet characters one may relate to and characters that will shock them. In book three (which is expected) she will show as to how she changed her world, escaped the traps, leading her way here to tell her story.

Her website is https://www.mynzdreamblog.com One can follow on Instagram at mynewzealanddream, and on Facebook at fb.me/mynewzealanddream or one can join in the group “A journey of transformation.”

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

Yes, I am a professional writer. My pen name is Sheila. I have a diploma in Creative writing and over 24 years’ experience in writing. I have two published books viz. my autobiography series called “The New Zealand Dream”. I have also published many articles on different blogs and websites including my own.

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Q What is your specific field of writing?  Are there any specific reasons for choosing this particular field?

I write in many different genres like nonfiction, fiction, creative fiction, poetry, children’s books and script. I also write content and articles. Further, I believe that everyone has a story to tell and that I want to help them heal through writing, inspire and gain hope. Therefore, I am also a writing mentor, for others to write their book/story. 

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Q What has been the general assessment of the reviewers and readers for your books? What is your own assessment?

I write because it is my passion and I have a unique style, but I have always had excellent reviews, 5 stars on Amazon. Readers enjoy my work finding my autobiography to be “engaging,” “intimate,” “heart breaking,” “relatable,” “raw,” “riveting,” “courageous,” “healing,” “descriptive” and “lifesaving” to name a few.  Readers have found my writing to be “detailed,” “descriptive,” “a real page turner,” “keeps them wanting more,” “heart felt,” and a “birds eye view” into New Zealand’s unique culture, a reminder “they are not alone.” In my own assessment, I am a natural story teller and I write honestly & informatively, keeping the reader entertained.  

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Q Which particular book of yours do you consider as the best so far, and why? 

In my opinion, “The New Zealand Dream, Growth and destruction” is my best. It provides lot of details, holds readers interest and makes them feel as if they are there with the author. The book has unforgettable & clear characters and scene descriptions, which stick with the readers. This book really draws the readers into my world,

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Q Do you recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits & problems, in such joint ventures?

As an author, I am open to writing jointly and I have contributed to anthologies like this. The benefits in such ventures are the costs of publishing & editing etc. can be split. However, a problem in such ventures is finding the right match of authors, which complement each other.

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you record them immediately somewhere? On an average, what is the timeframe to complete one book, in all respects?

I may get ideas randomly at any moment in time, sometimes even in the middle of the night when I may wake up with idea(s).  I write these ideas down, in a note book and transfer them to a story outline put together in a word document.  On an average, my books take a year to complete.

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Q Could you share with us an interesting event/incident/experience faced with the other writers/publishers/readers in your writing career?

When I was looking for a publisher for my first book, being new and a little naive at that time I hired a hybrid (Xlibris) company. I paid this company for services such as editing and marketing, but the editor missed some obvious errors and the company had not done any effective marketing. For marketing of my books, the company created a website for me, to which I wanted to make small changes, such as adding a reviews page. But I was told that I would be charged excessive costs for a 2 minute job. Then I created my own website, learning everything from scratch. I recommend doing this. I use Wix and find this excellent. But in my opinion, self-publishing or traditional publishing are much better. 

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Q Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the financial success of a book?

In my opinion, the various factors are marketing, visibility, finding your target audience, beta readers, feedback and reviews, collaborating, networking and building relationships with other authors/bloggers.

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Q Do you agree with the observation that many writers are keeping writing as a secondary occupation? What is it that draws them towards the field of "Writing"?

Yes, I generally agree with this observation, but there are exceptions to the rule. A writing career is a marathon not a sprint. It takes a lot of hard work and time to build a reputation and get audience. What drew me to the field of writing was the freedom to work to my own hours anywhere as per my choice, the ability to be heard by the world and to create passive income.    

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Q Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others? In your opinion, is there adequate scope for name/fame/wealth in the field of writing?

The aspects which motivate me for writing are helping, inspiring and giving hope to the readers.  Further in my opinion, it is possible to become well known but there is limited scope for fame and wealth in the field of writing.

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Q Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

Yes. Facebook has helped me to market my books, make the brand to be visible and to build relationships with readers and others in my field. I would recommend being on as many different social platforms as suited to your audience, e.g. LinkedIn, Insta, Pintrest and your own landing page/website.

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Q How are you able to divide the available time between your job, management of home and your writing career? 

Yes, there is a point here. Earlier I used to schedule regular time for writing, in the evenings and the weekends, after my work as a nurse. Then I quit my job to concentrate on my writing career on full time basis. 

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Q What are the reasons for the general success of the concept of “Agents of writers” in some countries?

An agent is necessary to approach traditional publishers and he/she can be really helpful in marketing.

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Q Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing career?

Yes. Some have supported me, encouraged me and believed in me, especially my fiancé. Some have read and reviewed my books and some share my work on their social media.

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Q What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in future, in jeopardy?

I believe that certain readers will always have a preference to hold, touch and smell a physical book and the market for paper and hard back books will stay open. However, the world is becoming faster paced and spans of attention of persons are far less than what they used to be earlier. E-books are becoming the preferred method of reading, as they can be read right away from any device and are more affordable for authors and readers.

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Q What is your advice to the budding authors?

The budding authors should never stop learning, never give up and always work on improving their craft. The reason of their efforts towards writing should be their love and passion for it but not necessarily to become famous and rich.

                          ---------------vijaiksharma

DOCTOR SHALINI MULLICK SUCCESSFULLY DELVES IN THE FIELD OF WRITING

 

DOCTOR SHALINI MULLICK SUCCESSFULLY DELVES IN THE FIELD OF WRITING

DOCTOR SHALINI MULLICK

 

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Shalini Mullick is a Doctor specializing in respiratory pathology. She is also a writer of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. She has won the prestigious Orange Flower Award 2021 for her writing on LGBTQ+ issues.  She has published an e-single “Happily Divorced” and is co-author in two anthologies, “Sharing Lipstick” and “Women.mutiny”.  She has won the monthly short story contest “Muse of the month “by Women’s Web on numerous occasions. She has been selected as a Juggernauts selects author. She won the #tellastoryinsixwords challenge by Crossword book stores and was one of the winners of the “eShe short story contest” in 2020. Her work is regularly featured on many platforms like Women’s Web, Penmancy, Artoonsinn, Mompreneur circle etc. Her poems have found homes in prominent Journals related to Medical humanities; an area she is keenly interested in.

Shalini is relieved to find that she doesn’t have to give up any one of the several hats she wears. She has decided to let the hats figure out, how to share space, as she lets the parts sum up the whole. A late entrant to the parallel universe of writing, Shalini has discovered that writing helps to take her towards silence, away from the noise. A permanent excuse to avoid hitting the gym is a bonus. Shalini has lived in Delhi and Bangalore before rooting herself in Gurgaon. She can be found at www.shalinimullick.com; and reached at authorshalinimullick@gmail.com

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Q Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

I am a practicing Doctor and out of interest, I devote my spare time to writing. I have published one e-single “Happily Divorced” on Juggernaut publications. My two short stories have been published in the anthology “Sharing Lipstick” and another two short stories have been published in the anthology “Women.mutiny”.

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Q  What has been the general assessment of the reviewers and readers for your work?

It has been encouraging for me to receive good feedback for my work. My e-single, “Happily Divorced”, is a laugh out loud, humorous read and is an entirely different genre. It has been received very well on the Juggernauts platform. The short stories published in my anthologies and other platforms have found resonance for their strong female protagonists.

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Q Do you recommend writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits & problems, in such joint ventures?

Each author is different and has a different voice. I think it is difficult to write books, especially fiction, jointly. This is because writing is an introspective journey; deep into ourselves. No two people can have the same journey. Research or fact-based manuscripts like nonfiction can be more easily handled jointly.

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Q When & how do you get the ideas & do you record them immediately somewhere?

Ideas can come from anywhere and at any time. I write the ideas in a small notebook or use the keep app on my phone.

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Q In your opinion, besides the quality of writing, what is the other important factor for the success of a book?

I think it is important that a book and its readers find each other. These days, with a large number of books being published and the reading habit decreasing, this is the biggest challenge. Hence marketing of the book is the most important factor.

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Q  What is it that draws the writers towards the field of "Writing"? 

Writing is a wonderful means of self-expression and self-discovery. In addition, the community of writers and readers is very welcoming and encouraging.

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Q  Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others? In your opinion, is there adequate scope for name/fame/wealth in the field of writing?

All fields come with challenges and struggles. My motivating factor is self-expression and the journey within. That is accompanied by the pleasure that comes when our emotions and thoughts find resonance. Yes, there is enough space for all of us to carve our own individual niche and get visibility.

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Q Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

Facebook has played a very important role in bringing me closer to the readers and the other writers.  

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Q How have you been able to divide the available time between professional life, management of home and your writing career?  

That is the biggest challenge, for any writer. I have had to be very strict with myself about the time that I spend on writing because my work as a Doctor takes up a major part of the day. I wake up early, so that I can write for about 2 hours before I get busy with my morning routine. I try and write again for an hour or so in the evening. Often evening time is interrupted by other demands on my time, and focusing becomes difficult. In that case, I re read or edit the morning’s work, so I feel that I have achieved a good output for the day.

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Q What are the reasons for the general success of the concept of “Agents of writers” in some countries?

Writing a book is a lot more than just completing the manuscript. To take a book to its final form, many more things from editing to finding the right publisher and marketing are needed. Agents fill up many of these gaps.

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Q  What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in future in jeopardy?

I think e-books have made their place in the world of publishing. They definitely have some advantages for the readers like portability and easy availability. For writers and publishers, they have opened up the option of shorter pieces, which is difficult in print. E-singles and novellas have been possible due to electronic formats and are being enjoyed by many. I don’t think they can ever pose a threat to the printed books, which are the most enduring form ever.

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Q What is your advice to the budding authors?

The most important thing is developing the writing habit. Therefore they should be consistent in writing and they should write every day, even if it is a small portion only. They should read a lot and above all, connect with the other writers. If possible, they should devote some time in learning the craft of writing. There are many training courses, workshops and books available for this purpose.

                                                -------------vijaiksharma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUCCESSFUL COMBINATION OF FICTION & HUMOUR IN THE WRITINGS OF ANUPAMA JAIN

 

SUCCESSFUL COMBINATION OF FICTION & HUMOUR IN THE WRITINGS OF ANUPAMA JAIN 

 

ANUPAMA JAIN

 BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR

Anupama Jain is a popular and noted author and blogger in the field of humour and is called Queen of Wit. She has conducted Workshops on “Writing realistic fiction with dash of humour”. She is the author of books 'Masala Mix: Potpourri of Shorts' and ‘When Padma Bani Paula'. She is also the Founder & Admin of -SeniorSchoolMoms, Admin. of - Stories From The Peninsula and also Head - Content, Collaborations and Marketing, Incredible Women Of India

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Q  Are you a professional writer? How many of your books have been published so far?

I wouldn’t call myself a professional writer because I don’t earn my living through my writing. But I’m extremely restless and I take my writing very seriously, until those agitating words within, do not find an outlet. I have been part of 9 anthologies, one of which is India’s first composite novel (LIMCA record holder 2016). I have published ‘Masala Mix: A potpourri of Shorts’ a short story collection about the myriad manifestations of love and ‘When Padma Bani Paula’ a breezy novel listed as ‘One of the 5 best books of 2018 - Fiction’, by readwriteinspire.com

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Q  What is your specific field of writing?

I write across topics. I have written hundreds of blogs, short stories, novels and a novella. I have been branded a social commentator. I have won major awards for humour and many for my blogs on parenting.

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Q  Are there any specific reasons for choosing this particular field?

My years on this planet as a wife and a mother, have given me enough perspective. I feel that it is better to laugh at a problem rather than to get overwhelmed by the problem. Hence I consider that ‘laughter is the best medicine’.

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Q  What has been the general assessment of the reviewers and readers for your books?

It has been very favourable. I have found a good deal of resonance.

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Q  Which particular book of yours do you consider as the best so far, and why?

I consider ‘When Padma Bani Paula’, my debut novel, as the best, because many readers have identified with Padma’s journey to Paula and back. The best compliment for a writer is when the readers find a bit of themselves in the protagonist.

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Q  Did you receive appreciation/recognition & adequate sales for this book or any other book, in the world?

The heart is never content with what destiny bestows. It always wants more. As a writer, appreciation and more is always eagerly awaited. Though I must confess my debut novel ‘When Padma Bani Paula’ received loads of love.

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Q  Which other author’s books, do you feel, come close to your style of writing? Who is your role model?

People have often told me, my writing style resembles that of Mrs. Funny Bones, Twinkle Khanna. In fact, on amazon.in my debut novel ‘When Padma Bani Paula’ and Twinkle Khanna’s ‘Pyjamas are forgiving’ got often bundled-sold together. I consider my mother as my role model.

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Q  Do you promote and recommend the writing of books jointly? In your opinion what are the areas of benefits and problems, in such joint ventures?

No, because you will end up harming both, writing of a book and promoting of other. The mindsets required are completely different. To write, you need to step away from the cacophony. For promoting you have to make enough noise, create a strong buzz, to make your book stand out.

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Q  When you get the ideas, do you immediately note them down in a diary or elsewhere? On average, how many months do you take to complete one book, in all respects?

Regarding noting the ideas, I leave myself voice notes. As per my experience, completing a book from start to finish takes at least a year

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Q  Could you share with us, an interesting event/incident/experience faced with the other writers, publishers or readers in your writing career?

Once for my book launch at a book store, a reader made her husband, who worked in the same complex, miss his office for an hour and collect an author-signed copy of ‘When Padma Bani Paula’. As proof of his presence, the poor husband had to immediately click his picture with me and send it to her

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Q  Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

The timing makes for a very important factor. A great book pitched at the wrong time could sometimes fall flat. Timing of the launch, out of the box marketing and a great cover are the major factors.

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Q  Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others?. In your opinion, is there adequate scope for name/fame/wealth in the field of writing?

Writer’s angst to tell a story, self-satisfaction and readers’ appreciation for my craft and publicity motivate me as a writer but very few actually make money out of writing. In my opinion there is enough scope for name and fame in writing, but wealth for only a few.

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Q  Has Facebook helped you in any way, in your writing career, or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

An author had called me a Facebook Phenomenon. I don’t know if that is a compliment but about seven odd years ago, I started writing little notes to overcome a particularly tough year - a year of loss and its attendant ugliness followed by a major illness. I am not formally trained in the nuances of the craft. I would write random posts on the daily humdrum, current events, or on anything that caught my fancy. The ‘likes’ on my posts became my energy boosters, gave me the strength to cope with life by putting the smile back. Through my writing, I found a release. One thing led to the other.

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Q  What are the reasons for the general success of the concept of “Agents of writers” in some countries?

These days, writers are expected to be complete packages. Not only do they have to write, but also have to sell their books. Not all writers are great communicators. It takes relentless pursuit and a thick skin to find a publisher who will back the project. An agent is a bridge between a writer and the publishing houses, taking the load off the writer.

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Q  Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, to your writing career?

With their collective quirks, they give me an unending supply of anecdotes for me to pen. They are my muses, my ego-boosters and my pillars of support.

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Q  What is your opinion about e-books? Due to this concept of e-books, is the survival of printed books in the future in jeopardy?

E-books became the flavour of the pandemic. As the virus recedes, eventually the market will adjust; each form of storytelling will find its space. Both forms will continue to enthrall the readers. That said, nothing beats the smell of the freshly printed books.

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Q  What are your future plans for writing books? If you were not a writer, in what another way, you would have expressed your creativity?

I want to write many more novels, to tell stories that will resonate and make readers happy. Further my other ways to express creativity, could have been Painting and singing.

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Q  What is your advice to the budding authors?

There are more authors per square inch than readers! How does an author grab the readers’ attention in this frightening scenario? By being different, that too constantly! One must read, update skills, 24/7. There is no short cut to success. Believe in self, keep at it and learn as much as you can from others. Cherish feedback. Also, we should remember that we cannot please all.

                                                   -------------vijaiksharma