The Write Stuff

Senior authors from the Silver Talkies Club share their experience of writing a book. 

What is it that a book can make you feel? A sense of achievement, elation and pride, the satisfaction of readership. We speak to three senior authors from the Silver Talkies Club who share the ideas, processes and thoughts behind their labour of love.

Col Arun Malhotra

Author, Divinity at Play (Sri Sathya Sai Baba)

The Process: I self-published my book. I drafted the book, got the draft printed by a printer and edited by a fellow Silver Talkies Club member. It was reformatted by a publication distributor and marketed by a distributor, Amazon and myself. Now, but for three copies with the distributor, test all Sold. It took me one year to write and publish. The book was released in November 2021.

The Idea: Intrinsic motivation to write about my experiences in a specific field.

Favourite feedback: Reviews were received from notable people like Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Justice Saldhana, wife of the CJI, among others.

Justice Saldhana wrote a full-page feedback. I got a call from actor Aishwarya Rai, who said it was fascinating reading. She had passed it on to other family members.

That First Book Feeling: I had a sense of self-satisfaction and achievement.

Is your book connected to your previous career, professional life or a life experience you had?

It's based on my life experiences. 

Are you writing another book currently? I am now in the process of writing another book, this time on leadership and management.

As a senior author, did you bring insight into the book that you may not have been able to bring in your younger years? 

Yes. The book's genesis was the need to develop implicit faith in one's Divine to accomplish or resolve one's problems.

Many people feel they should explore writing a book. What would your advice be? Does everyone have it in them to become an author?

One needs skill, fluency of written expression, dedication to the task, considerable patience and an art of sequencing.

Revathy Bhasker                                             

Author, Baker's Dozen

I'm the author of one book and several anthologies. StoryMirror Infotech published my first book. I had participated in a few writing contests conducted by StoryMirror, a web platform. When they offered me to write a book, I took it. Earlier, they had selected my poems for their anthologies.

The Process: This book, launched in June 2023, is a collection of thirteen short stories written over a year. My stories and poems have been published in other anthologies by StoryMirror, HydRAW and Inkfeathers.

My Favourite Reviews: Col Achal Sridharan gave me 5.0 out of 5 stars on Amazon. His review said: Excellent storytelling by Revathi Bhasker—an excellent collection of stories. Revathi Basker writes lucidly, and the narration is simply superb. It is worth reading and keeping a copy in your library. I wish for many more books from her  

While reviews on Amazon are generally quite flattering, outside reviews are also soul-satisfying. I liked the part when someone said each story has an underlying optimism and positivity.

That Ffirst Book Feeling: I felt quite cool as my granddaughter released it when it was launched in Mumbai in June 2023.

Awards: This book, as such, has not won any awards, but I was awarded the second runner-up trophy for the author of the Year 2023 (Editors' Choice) by StoryMirror. I was among the frequent winners in their First-ever Inter-active Novel Contest.

The Idea: The stories in this book portray various emotions and capture different moods of the characters and their reactions to the situations they face. The characters are drawn both from imagination, experience and daily life.

Are you writing more? Yes. I am committed to launching another book. It is likely to be both prose and poetry. As it is still being conceptualised, it is quite early to share details.

As a senior author, did you bring insight into the book that you may not have been able to bring in your younger years?

Life is a good teacher - it tests and teaches. Writing a book in one's silver years has an advantage over writing when young, as our vast experience and maturity can influence our writing skills.

Many people feel they should explore writing a book. What would your advice be? Does everyone have it in them to be an author?

Everyone has a story to tell. It just depends on whether it is their passion or not. There is always no harm in penning one's thoughts. Over time, one can hone the fluency, continuity and skill to write a book.

V Desikan

Author, Brindavan Express: A Train of Thought

I self-published my book through Bookventure in Chennai. It's a collection of 75 blogs and articles, including some published in the Deccan Herald, with a readership of over 4.5 lakhs. TS Sudhir, a well-known journalist, encouraged me to write and even featured some of my work on his South Reports blog. My blogs are also available on WordPress and Blogger, so my book only required a little editing. It took me a while to come up with the title. My son suggested "Brindaavan Express" as a pun on the words "train of thought" to represent the two cities I write about, Chennai and Bangalore. For new authors, I suggest going through many reviews to check for grammar, spelling, and other errors. Get your work reviewed, acknowledge and thank people who helped you, and dedicate the book to someone you love. It's best to price your book low and publicise it through social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. I chose not to promote my book, but I wish you the best of luck if you decide to do so. 

The compilation is over eight years. The book was published in 2017. 

Favourite Feedback: Here's one: Brindaavan Express is a collection of narratives from a simpler time. Based largely in South India in the seventies and eighties, the book chronicles the life of the author across forty years, from his earliest days as a schoolboy in Madras to his thoughts as a grandfather reflecting on modern society. Written in simple prose, in a style reminiscent of R.K.Narayan or P.G.Wodehouse, Brindaavan Express is the kind of book you will find yourself reaching for when you're packing your backpack for an overnight journey or when you are curling up for a lazy afternoon on the couch. Here's another feedback from writer friend Mr Nagarajan, who has authored over 100 books and is writing daily. It was very encouraging:

 https://tamilandvedas.com/2016/12/25/book-review-brindavan-express-by-mr-v-desikan-post-no-3481/

 That First Book Feel: Although I used to read books, I never thought I could be a writer. So, during the book release, I felt very happy.

The Idea: The book is based on life experience mostly - technology, food, music, novels, humour, crystal gazing

Writing more: I have written some middles in Deccan Herald. I need to write some more before compilation.

As a senior author, did you bring insight into the book that you may not have been able to bring in your younger years?

I published technical articles in foreign journals and symposium papers in my younger years. So, I never thought of writing books. I once wrote a story for a Tamil magazine in 1980 and got Rs 25! If I get inspiration, I can write an article in one day, which happens once every six months.

Should senior citizens write if they are keen? A definite yes! Everyone can write. First, experiment with writing blogs on sites like WordPress, and then try writing stories or your life experiences. It is better to avoid criticism of people or systems. Try to be humourous without offending sentiments.

Self-Publishing Platforms in India

Notion Press:

Founded in 2012, Notion Press is a leading self-publishing platform in India. It offers various services, including editing, cover design, and marketing assistance, making it a one-stop solution for aspiring authors.

Amazon's Kindle Publishing:

Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform has revolutionised self-publishing for Indian authors. With KDP, authors can publish their e-books and reach a global audience on Kindle devices and apps. They retain control over pricing and distribution and can promote their books through Amazon's ecosystem, including Kindle Unlimited.

There are a few others that may work for you:

Pothi

A platform that allows writers to publish and sell books and e-books without waiting for manuscript approval 

Partridge publication

An imprint of Author Solutions LLC that publishes print-on-demand books and e-books. 

Goya Publishing

Goya Publishing is a self-publishing platform for first-time authors. It helps authors prepare their manuscripts for publication.

Author photographs: Silver Talkies

Cover Image: Pixabay

Are you a budding author? Share your publishing experience with us below.