1. What inspired you to write your first book?
I have been writing from the time I was in high school 37 years ago when I was editor of the school newspaper and the annual yearbook. Again, in university in the USA, I was the news editor of the weekly newspaper. After getting into my own business, for about 17 years, I wrote articles or columns for several national newspapers and magazines. I began writing books in 2017 after my family and a publisher encouraged me to do so.
2. What is the first book that made you emotionally satisfied?
“72@72 – 72 Unfinished Things India@72 Needs to Do”. As a die-hard patriot, I’ve always wanted India to be great again, as we were several hundreds of years ago. In this book, released just before post-British India turned 72 in August 2019, I detailed 72 reforms that the government/s needs to carry out to make India great again. Writing this book gave me a lot of satisfaction.
3. What is your typical writing day look like?
It’s usually night and not daytime when I write. I start post-dinner, at around 10:00 am and write till 3:00 or 4:00 am, sometimes even longer. I’ve gone up to 20 hours nonstop. Writing also involves a lot of research – it’s 65-70% research and only 35-40% actually writing.
4. What is your current read and how do you feel about it?
I’m currently reading “No Man’s Land” by David Baldacci. It’s my 31st Baldacci novel so that answers how I must be feeling about it. I love this author. He’s one of my three all-time favorites.
5. Since your books are thrillers and nonfiction, how do you research your books?
The fiction thriller only required research about people, organizations, and places. Nonfiction books require a lot of research, depending on the topic. This research usually involves looking for the right material and then reading it thoroughly, and double-checking facts as far as possible. Sometimes, it also involves speaking to people, some of whom wish to remain anonymous.
6. Among all of your written books which is your favorite?
My new book, which is yet to come out, with the title “MODI 2.0” and subtitle “Is it THE END of the 135-year-old Congress party”. I am sure this gives you an idea of what this book is all about.
7. Would you like to share any incidents that you have come across while writing this book?
Originally planned as a 60,000-75,000-word book, it finally turned out at almost 1,26,000 words (my lengthiest). I had wanted to complete it by Sep-Oct 2019, but Modi started his second innings with 4s and 6s as if he was chasing a big T20 score... strengthening our anti-terror laws to abolishing Articles 370 & 35A to finally bring some order to J&K; to sweeping Education, Agriculture & Labour Reforms; he is just not stopping. But I had to stop somewhere… it’s taken me almost 15 months to complete the book.
8. Apart from reading and writing, what else spark joys within you?
Watching web series, meeting friends, and going out to eat (obviously not during Covid).
9. What advice would you like to give a budding writer?
DO NOT COPY. Most new Indian authors end up copying famous/successful authors. Though I don’t read romance novels, I have flipped through some and have also read many reviews. The stories by new/budding authors are mostly a rejig of a famous Chetan Bhagat or Durjoy Datta or Ravinder Singh or Preeti Shenoy or Sudeep Nagarkar novel. You need to be original as copies can never be as good as the originals. Besides, there are so many other genres to write on other than romance or self-help, where there are very few Indian books available. Why don’t Indian authors pick subjects as I have covered in “SPIES, LIES & RED TAPE”? Movies/web series with similar plots do well – I don’t see why books shouldn’t. Even children’s fiction is an unexplored genre in India.
10. Share something your readers wouldn't know about you?
I was kidnapped once…
Buy and know more about Amit Bagaria books here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
His parents thought he was studying business administration in the USA. He was actually studying journalism. His parents thought he was doing case studies on IBM and Pepsi. He was actually interviewing the Governor of Ohio or a convicted murderer in jail. When he was a consultant for the Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital in Pune, he told Rajshree Birla and Kumar Mangalam Birla their offices would be in the Basement of the Hospital. As an entrepreneur, Amit has been India’s No.1 Healthcare Consultant, India’s No.1 Retail Consultant , and India’s No.1 Residential Real Estate Consultant, apart from excelling in several other sectors. As a Retail Consultant, he wrote prolifically for various retail publications. For one article, he interviewed several industry leaders, including Kishore Biyani, considered the father of modern retail in India. Little did poor Mr. Biyani know that Amit would lambast him in the article. The next time they ran into each other, Mr. Biyani told Amit that - being a fellow Marwari - he should have been less critical of him. It was the same article that led a leading publisher approach Amit to write a book - back in 2010, but that part of Amit’s life only began 7 years later. When he did begin, he did not stop or even pause. He has completed ten (YES, TEN) books in 17 months and is now working on his 11th._ Goodreads