Ask the Author: Sundari Venkatraman
Answered Questions (19)
Sundari Venkatraman
Hi,
First of all, congratulations on publishing 10 books. Kindle Unlimited is the best way to make your books popular on Amazon. I can't give you a timeline for it though. Put your books out there and they will be made available to readers who have a Kindle unlimited account. If they like one book of yours, they will definitely get back for more. Ultimately, it's up to the readers. All the best!
First of all, congratulations on publishing 10 books. Kindle Unlimited is the best way to make your books popular on Amazon. I can't give you a timeline for it though. Put your books out there and they will be made available to readers who have a Kindle unlimited account. If they like one book of yours, they will definitely get back for more. Ultimately, it's up to the readers. All the best!
Sundari Venkatraman
Thank you Jayshree Shah for showing interest. As of now, there's no hard copy of my Dashavatar series. They are available only as eBooks. Hopefully, by next year.
Sundari Venkatraman
Hi Sweta, nice to connect with you here on Goodreads. I am so happy to know that you like my books and they have made you a fan of the romance genre :D
Sundari Venkatraman
Hi Priyanka,
Thank you! I am truly honoured :D
I am not a trained writer. I have always loved reading and began to write out of the blue one day, just trying out different methods for each book. I didn't think too much, just put into words the scenes that came to mind. I wrote 3 novels this way (in the span of six months), the stories that were pushing from within me to find form. These are THE MALHOTRA BRIDE, MEGHNA & THE MADRAS AFFAIR.
Later, after staying away from them for a few weeks, and also getting a feedback from someone I know, I re-read the stories and reworked on them. I did have to do it a few times until they got to the stage of being published. There is no right or wrong way to do this. It takes time and patience and a lot of reworking.
Re-read a few books that you truly enjoyed. And maybe you can write your story in that style. You can begin the story with a dialogue or a sudden incident that makes the reader sit up and take notice; anything that would grab the reader's attention instantaneously. That's what works best for me. By working on your story, you will soon know what works for you, since each writer is unique.
I wish you the very best.
PS: If you keep thinking, procrastinating, the story will keep getting postponed. I know a number people who have been thinking of becoming a writer since years and years. Just take the pen and start right NOW. Or use the keyboard if that works well for you.
Thank you! I am truly honoured :D
I am not a trained writer. I have always loved reading and began to write out of the blue one day, just trying out different methods for each book. I didn't think too much, just put into words the scenes that came to mind. I wrote 3 novels this way (in the span of six months), the stories that were pushing from within me to find form. These are THE MALHOTRA BRIDE, MEGHNA & THE MADRAS AFFAIR.
Later, after staying away from them for a few weeks, and also getting a feedback from someone I know, I re-read the stories and reworked on them. I did have to do it a few times until they got to the stage of being published. There is no right or wrong way to do this. It takes time and patience and a lot of reworking.
Re-read a few books that you truly enjoyed. And maybe you can write your story in that style. You can begin the story with a dialogue or a sudden incident that makes the reader sit up and take notice; anything that would grab the reader's attention instantaneously. That's what works best for me. By working on your story, you will soon know what works for you, since each writer is unique.
I wish you the very best.
PS: If you keep thinking, procrastinating, the story will keep getting postponed. I know a number people who have been thinking of becoming a writer since years and years. Just take the pen and start right NOW. Or use the keyboard if that works well for you.
Sundari Venkatraman
Hi Preethi Bhat
Thank you so much for your question. Yes, all my books have happy endings. I don't like sad ending stories either. I believe a lot in positive thinking and visualisation. There's enough sadness and pain in the world. Why carry it into that space where we want to forget our reality and just be joyous for a few hours? I mean books, of course.
So, I hope to never write a sad ending story, ever.
As for other genres, I have recently published a story from Indian Mythology, the first of my Dashavatar series, called MATSYA: THE FIRST AVATAR.
I have been doing a lot of research in the paranormal (happy ones) and historical genres. Though these will also be woven into romances.
Thank you so much for your question. Yes, all my books have happy endings. I don't like sad ending stories either. I believe a lot in positive thinking and visualisation. There's enough sadness and pain in the world. Why carry it into that space where we want to forget our reality and just be joyous for a few hours? I mean books, of course.
So, I hope to never write a sad ending story, ever.
As for other genres, I have recently published a story from Indian Mythology, the first of my Dashavatar series, called MATSYA: THE FIRST AVATAR.
I have been doing a lot of research in the paranormal (happy ones) and historical genres. Though these will also be woven into romances.
Sundari Venkatraman
Thank you for the question Rubina.
I draw the characteristics from real life and also from the many books that I read. It's not that you will find any one real person who is the same as one of my characters, since I draw from the behaviours and nuances of different people and then create my own.
I also maintain an excel sheet for each book with the book title, the main characters, side characters, the flow of the story, research links and such like.
Here, against the name of each character, I fill in their characteristics. It's not that I keep running through all the info before I pen each book. What I realise is that when I put something on paper or excel sheet in this case, it remains in my mind. It helps a lot in making sure that the characters don't sound the same.
I hope this answers your question :)
I draw the characteristics from real life and also from the many books that I read. It's not that you will find any one real person who is the same as one of my characters, since I draw from the behaviours and nuances of different people and then create my own.
I also maintain an excel sheet for each book with the book title, the main characters, side characters, the flow of the story, research links and such like.
Here, against the name of each character, I fill in their characteristics. It's not that I keep running through all the info before I pen each book. What I realise is that when I put something on paper or excel sheet in this case, it remains in my mind. It helps a lot in making sure that the characters don't sound the same.
I hope this answers your question :)
Sundari Venkatraman
Thank you for your question Ms. Sinjita Gupta. I haven't exactly turned from romance to mythology, since I will continue to write romances.
When I think back, it was probably our Indian mythology that brought forth an interest in romance for me. You know, the themes of good triumphing over the evil, Gods of valour, help for the downtrodden, happily ever after and the like. So, I think the two genres are kind of interconnected, at least for me. I have always loved mythology and have been toying with the idea of telling mytho tales since long. It's only recently I have become clear in my mind that I want to "retell" mythology rather than make "fiction" out of it. And here I am. :D
When I think back, it was probably our Indian mythology that brought forth an interest in romance for me. You know, the themes of good triumphing over the evil, Gods of valour, help for the downtrodden, happily ever after and the like. So, I think the two genres are kind of interconnected, at least for me. I have always loved mythology and have been toying with the idea of telling mytho tales since long. It's only recently I have become clear in my mind that I want to "retell" mythology rather than make "fiction" out of it. And here I am. :D
Sundari Venkatraman
Thank you Mr. Ravi Bedi. You are right about all my books being dear to me. If you ask me about my favourite, I might give you a different answer next month, and maybe yet another the next year. But as on today, my latest book, THE MARRIAGE PREDICAMENT, is what I would recommend.
Sundari Venkatraman
I would go to Hogwarts, hopefully by Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 3/4. And study magic there, what else! :D
Sundari Venkatraman
These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer
The Stars that shine Down by Sidney Sheldon
Life After Death by Deepak Chopra
A Tangled Legacy by Jazz Singh
Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon
The Stars that shine Down by Sidney Sheldon
Life After Death by Deepak Chopra
A Tangled Legacy by Jazz Singh
Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon
Sundari Venkatraman
Rose Garden International, Book #2 in The Bansal Legacy series
Sundari Venkatraman
Well, my life is an open book, no mysteries there and hence there would be no plot :)
Sundari Venkatraman
Hi Devika Fernando,
Let me begin with the last. Romantic Suspense is something I tried my hand at. A very good attempt, I'd say. But not really my forte, if you understand what I mean.
I love contemporary romance novels - creating the stories around my characters. It's so much fun.
Hot Romance novellas I am trying for the first time and I realise I simply love writing them. (psst... especially when I see my sales graph soar. I think people love reading those too)
Let me begin with the last. Romantic Suspense is something I tried my hand at. A very good attempt, I'd say. But not really my forte, if you understand what I mean.
I love contemporary romance novels - creating the stories around my characters. It's so much fun.
Hot Romance novellas I am trying for the first time and I realise I simply love writing them. (psst... especially when I see my sales graph soar. I think people love reading those too)
Sundari Venkatraman
Switch off writing completely for a few days, pushing away my guilt. That's when I go on a reading and film watching spree keeping away from my computer completely.
Sundari Venkatraman
The freedom to play God to my characters. I just love that :)
Sundari Venkatraman
Read a lot and keep writing. Blogs are a great way to express your creativity.
Sundari Venkatraman
An anthology of romantic short stories. I am planning to compile 13 of them as I find that a very lucky number for me. These mainly revolve around how couples get to meet and maybe fall in love in a country like India where arranged marriages are quite the norm. 10 stories are ready while 3 are planned. I will be publishing "Cupid Strikes" in December 2014.
Sundari Venkatraman
Inspiration strikes while reading - being it fiction or newspaper; watching TV - I am a random TV watcher, usually when I have my lunch alone. Anything can trigger off my imagination - a series or a song-dance sequence or even a travel show; watching films - this one is the best. Even boring films make me creative as I wonder of the different methods in which I can improve on the story.
Sundari Venkatraman
An article I read on child marriages still being prevalent in India is what set me off writing a novel around it. That's how The Runaway Bridegroom was born.
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