Turning Pages: An Interview with Author Nand K Agarwal
I had the pleasure of delving into the world of a talented author Nand K Agarwal, who has already made waves in the literary realm with not one but two remarkable books. His debut work, "Shorts: Small Tales, Big Fun," captivated my imagination, leaving me eager to discover more of his literary prowess. Recently, he unveiled his second creation, "Chirps: Small Concepts, Big Impact," a title that promises to continue his tradition of thought-provoking storytelling. Join us as we delve into the mind and experiences of this two-time author, exploring the inspirations and insights that have shaped his literary world.
1. Tell us about yourself, how you developed your writing passion, and what inspired you to become an author.
A: I am a proud alumnus of Hampton Court-Mussoorie, Scindia School-Gwalior, College of Business Studies-DU & IIM-K. I come from a small town Muzaffarpur-Bihar but I’m now settled in the NCR region.I started my career in the BFSI sector. Currently, I serve as the Founder & CEO of Atmoz Industries & Contrarian Ventures LLP. The group has interests in HR Technology, Actuarial Consulting, Risk Management, Content Creation & a lot more. Vocationally I love to teach needy kids & engage with upcoming Entrepreneurs. I love to travel & explore. I am an ardent supporter of plastic-free green & clean cities. I have been writing & publishing my work right from class 3 onwards! My teachers were kind to identify this trait & mould it. Short stories, poems, jingles, scripts, memos, speeches, debates & a lot more. I even wanted to take up writing as a full-time profession but that was not an easy & secure choice when I was graduating. Content creators have a lot more respect today. Becoming an Author was a natural transition.
2. Tell us about your first published book. What was the journey like?
A. My 1st Novel 'Shots: Small Tales, Big Fun' is a small independent tale about love, self-discovery, and overcoming mental & societal barriers. Each story will excite & leave you asking for more. Quick reads for the generation in a hurry! The protagonist in each tale is a female. The narration takes you closer to what ‘she’ feels & how ‘she’ decides to take her life ahead. Shots is about women's empowerment & freedom in ways not many have imagined.So, when I decided to write my 1st book, I was juggling with topics & genre. After much deliberation, I decided to go with “love stories". They are easier to relate to & find acceptance over a larger reader base. There weren’t too many narrations in the market that had ‘female’ in the lead. I wanted to ‘entertain’ & keep things simple & short. Thus, Shots was conceived!As it happens with most debut Authors, even my book was rejected by most established publishing houses. Many didn’t even bother to revert to the mail. So, I had to go the self-publish way. Wordmill was conceived as a publishing division within my company. My team stood up to the task & after many trials & errors, the book is finally out for you to read & enjoy! Shots has achieved over 7000 in global distribution since launch.
3. Could you please share some insights about your recently launched book, "Chirps - Small Concepts, Big Impact!"?
A. Shots was written to excite but Chirps will IGNITE. Chirps is a collection of 4 chapters (chirps):
•1st Chirp: Ramayan & Business: This story draws amazing parallels between the life of Prabhu Ram & how we do Business today. The narrative is crisp, non-preachy, and non-religious & with a dash of humour.
•2nd Chirp: Teki- Meki: I use 2 Punjabi words Tennu Ki (Teki) & Mennu Ki (Meki) to solve a lot of routine & complex issues in human life. This chapter is a laugh riot.
•3rd Chirp: Start-ups: I myself am a surviving, boot-strapped Entrepreneur (9+ years now!). I quit my job to start out on my own 10 years back. Those days ‘starting-up’ wasn’t that cool! Normally, if you are successful- you make a lot of money & people want to listen to your ‘gyan’. But if you are a consistent Failure with patches of success you have ‘patches’ of money but “lots of Gyan” to give which apparently nobody wants!! Some really relevant, easy-to-use concepts that will help any budding Entrepreneur to avoid pot-holes. Dekh lo bhai 😊
•4th Chirp: Great Bharath: Chirps was published on April 23 & written almost a year back. I have been using Great Bharath in all his posts on social media ever since. There is a reason to do so. This chapter is a must-read for any Indian anywhere in this world. Don’t want to spill what’s in this chapter but I guarantee this Chapter will leave your soul moved forever.
We felt ‘money’ should not be a constraint for anyone who decides to pick up Chirps. We’ve made it FREE for Kindle users Globally & the hard copy is only 299 INR delivered anywhere in India.
4.Please tell us what you enjoy most about writing. What is your favourite part of being a writer?
A. Writing is a release for me. It's liberating, transformative & progressive. I just love writing un-conditionally- True Love!
5. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
A. I run a business & that keeps me busy. Apart from work, I love to read a lot, travel, work out & spend time with my kids.
6. What is your real-life work schedule like when writing? How many hours a day do you write?
A. I’ve been able to integrate writing into my daily life. On average about 1 hour every day in general. When I’m completing a Book or a content project I can sit for 4-5 hours as well.
7. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
A. I’m an excellent observer (sponge!). My work allows me to meet a lot of people & travel. So this is enough fodder for ideas to throb.
8. What does literary success look like to you?
A. Readers’ acceptance is a big high for me. If my content can connect with you & leave an impact then that is literary success for me.
9. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
A. Research is very important. The characters in Shots took over 8 months to build. The concepts presented in Chirps have been built over 3-5 years. A well-researched project has a better chance of connecting with the audience.
10. What are your favourite literary journals? Share some of your favourite books with our readers.
A. I read a lot & from anywhere. Well, here is a list of my favourite authors -Chetan Bhagat, Amish Tripathi, Ruskin Bond, Gaur Gopal Das. I’m inspired most by the Vedas, Swami Vivekananda’s teaching, and many more.
11. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
A. Yes, all of them! No work can be perfect & there is always so much to learn & improve. Any feedback in any form is a blessing from our lovely readers!
12. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. Being original & delivering what the reader wants can go hand-in-hand. It's important to understand what your audience wants & then deliver ‘originally’ in that direction.
13. What might your next book be about? Please provide information about the books you have published as well.
A. Shots and chirps are out. Book preview is available on www.atmoz.in/shots & www.atmoz.in/chirps Upcoming Projects:
1. Pegs: Each of these 8 Shots will come out as full-length novels (Peg). There is a prequel & sequel to every character. Pegs will take you deeper into the world of each woman's character portrayed in this book Shots. So if Shots gave you a “High”, Pegs will leave you ‘Sloshed”. Get ready!
2. Vedas Simplified: The project is untitled & in Research mode. We are making an attempt to dive deep into our rich history & come out with facts & theories for you to read & enjoy.
3. Educational Series for Kids: The project is untitled & in Research mode. I very strongly feel that what kids are taught in school is not good enough. Imagine my daughter is learning the same thing I learned when I was her age! Something is wrong with this. We are making an attempt to provide a solution here.
14. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your book, "Shots! Small Tales, Big Fun." It's a captivating collection of short stories centred around women, and I'm curious about what inspired you to choose this particular theme for your book.
A. Thank you Samayara! Glad you liked it. As I mentioned earlier it's important to understand your audience & then create something that they have not come across. Something that just stays with them like a ‘good feeling’. So, Shots was written to ‘entertain’. If you look at the book it’s like 8 different stories packed in about 115 pages only. The language is simple, the narration is engaging & plot builds up. Shots was written for the 1st time reader, for the voracious reader & for anyone else who is looking at 3-4 hours of solid entertainment & engagement. Sit with a tub full of popcorn & I bet you will not be able to put the book down once you’ve started to read! Plus, we’ve also put in a small contest for all our readers to participate & win exciting gifts. I can say it was a full ‘paise vasool’ kit. Now you must pick up Chirps & share your feedback pls.
15. Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?
A. With a lot of humility, all I can say is that I continue to be an aspiring author myself. It is that urge to engage the audience that keeps any Author alive. Enjoy what you write & don’t worry about the results. The process is more important, the results will align over a period of time.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your time. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this remarkable conversation with you, and I look forward to reading your book "Chirps." I wish you the best of luck with your upcoming books. Wishing you the utmost success with your forthcoming literary endeavours. Your unique perspective and storytelling prowess are sure to continue leaving a significant impact on readers like me. Once again, thank you for your invaluable insights and for graciously taking the time to engage in this conversation.
Connect With Author Nand K Agarwal:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nand.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
E-mail: shots@atmoz.in or support@atmoz.in
Website:
Chirps: www.atmoz.in/chirps
Shots: www.atmoz.in/shots
Click here for the review of "Shots: Small Tales, Big Fun"
