This panel during the #WomenWritersFest Ahmedabad was everything an aspiring writer would wish for. We had Author Savi Sharma in a conversation with Kiran Manral about her books, her writing process and, most importantly, how she became a bestselling author over a short span of time.
What made her write a book?
Sharma, who was a Chartered Accountant student, realised soon enough where her passion lay. When asked about what made her write the book, she said it was for the sole purpose of inspiring others. "I knew I wanted to do something in the field of writing. I was searching for a story. My purpose has always been to inspire people. That is how I started writing about a common girl and narrated her story."
Marketing a self-published book to become a bestseller
Sharma's book Everyone Has A Story became the talk of the country with its selling numbers elevating it to another level. The most interesting factor, in the entire process here, is that the author also marketed her self-published book.
"I didn't want to wait for the publisher to accept or reject my story"
On the idea of self-publishing, Sharma recalled how she wanted to just get her story out there. "What made me self-publish it was that I knew I would have to wait for publishers to first read it and then decide whether it was to be told or not. I didn’t want to wait for the publisher to accept or reject my story."
"Learnt marketing techniques from a friend"
Sharma is also self-taught when it comes to marketing techniques. "I learnt everything I could about marketing and promotions, checked time and again, and then opened an account on Amazon. That's how it all began," she shared.
"Word of mouth was what worked for me immensely"
Sharma, who has penned down three bestselling books till date, knew that social media would help her elevate the numbers and the reach. "I knew one thing that people would be interested in the story if they related to it in some manner. Word of mouth helped me immensely." Sharma believes it's important to write a story for oneself, but it should hold some meaning for the readers, too.
"It's extremely important to read extensively"
Sharma (25) made her dream of writing come true through sheer conviction and self-belief, and that's what, she added, holds a lot of significance while narrating a story. "Believe in yourself and believe in your story. Write for the love of writing and remember you're telling a story because you want to," she said.
"If you've written something today, read it after a few days and if you still feel connected to it go ahead."
The audience was quite intrigued by Sharma's process of writing and publishing. When asked about how a person can judge one's work and improve upon it, Sharma said that "it's all about the test of time." Sharma explained how it's crucial to analyse one's work time and again. "If you've written something today, read it after a few days and if you still feel connected go ahead."
Sharma believes that inspiration is something that only spreads positively and that's what counts at the end of the day. "I knew if my story has inspired me, there's a chance it’ll inspire many others as well," she concluded.
Also Read: #WomenWritersFest: What Does It Take To Be A Leader?
More stories by Bhawana
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