AUTHOR’S BIO :
Swati Bansode is a software engineer residing in Mumbai. She worked in an IT firm for two years but left her corporate job to follow her passion for writing and travelling. She also writes poetry inspired from her personal experiences and she sometimes even gets on a stage to talk her heart out.
1. Who and what inspired you to write?
I mostly get inspired by my personal experiences and the need to share my thoughts with the world. I started writing poems in my 3rd year of engineering, and after two years I started writing YSM. This book was also inspired by my real-life experiences and feelings I went through once I got out of college and stepped into the real world. The plot used is fictional but whatever the protagonist, Tara, is going through I’ve been through the same emotions, but I just let her narrate it. I feel one’s personal experiences can be their biggest inspiration too! It’s now almost impossible for me to not pen down my thoughts and feelings!
2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?
The biggest challenge I faced while writing this book was to keep editing it until I felt it was ready. Revising the same story over and over again was extremely difficult but also necessary. I wanted to make the narration of this book simple and engaging.
When it comes to publishing my book, the only challenge was navigating this whole process as I was a first-time author. I was from an IT background. I had no clue how the publishing industry works. But in the end, I learned I only needed to be patient with this process and take one step at a time. Everything did fall into place eventually.
3. How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS?
While I was pitching my book to publishers (and getting rejected lol), I tried searching for other ways to publish a book. I came across the ‘literary agent’ term on Google and found The Book Bakers in one of my searches. I immediately pitched my book to the team, and the rest is history.
4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them?
The Book Bakers have helped me at literally every step from the day I got associated with them until today, even after getting published. From editing the manuscript, pitching my book to publishers to even creating content for marketing the book, they’ve covered every step. YSM may have not been traditionally published if it wasn’t for Mr. Suhail Mathur and TBB who believed in this book and represented it. Every step went smoothly and working with Mr. Suhail was a pleasure! His guidance is truly appreciable. I’d only like to say that TBB are the best out there and your book baby is in the safe hands!
5. How supportive is your publisher of your work?
I am extremely impressed with the support I’ve received from Locksley Hall Publishing. The biggest surprise for me was that they did not change or made me change anything about my manuscript. I’ve written YSM in an unconventional style and have used bold and straight forward language used by millennials. This only tells that my publishers are completely supportive of their authors and the story they want to share using their own unfiltered d voice. I wasn’t expecting a traditional publisher to be this open-minded but Locksley Hall Publishing is truly unbeatable!
6. How do you see literary success for yourself?
I’ll be successful if I manage to change someone’s life through my writings. I have always focussed on writing relatable content that touches people’s heart and that helps them. I am proud to say that YSM is one such book that is going to relate to thousands of young girls who have big dreams and only need a little push to follow them unapologetically.
I’d like to share a quote by one of my idols, Lena Dunham, that is also my literary goal:
‘I want to write. I wanna write stories that make people feel less alone than I did. I wanna make people laugh about the things in life that are painful.’
This is literary success for me.
7. When can we expect your next book?
Probably by next year! My second book is a collection of contemporary poetry that I’ve written over a span of 5 years. It covers all the phases, emotions and lessons I’ve learned while growing up. The first draft is ready. So stay tuned!
8. How has your experience been working with Locksley Hall Publishing?
It's been an absolute pleasure working with Locksley Hall Publishing. The team is extremely professional and prompt in their communication. Being a first-time author, I was quite nervous about every step but the team ensured everything went smoothly. They even allowed last-minute changes to be made in the manuscript. This helped me to put out the best version of my book possible. I am so glad to have worked with Locksley Hall for my first book which is extremely close to my heart.
9. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?
The only tip I’d like to give is to stay true to your writing voice and your feelings. Your writing has to come from your heart because only then you will really enjoy the process. It isn’t easy to connect with yourself at such a deep level. It’s a long, arduous process but also extremely rewarding! So just be patient, let your words flow and write whatever you feel like writing!
BOOK NAME : YOURS SINCERELY, MISFIT
PUBLISHER : LOCKSLEY HALL PUBLISHING
BOOK SYNOPSIS/BLURB :
We all feel lost at some point in life. For Tara, it happens right after she steps into the real world.
She is only 21, hates her job, hates adulting even more and is struggling to figure out what to do with her life. Along the way she makes a lot of mistakes unapologetically and is frantically looking for answers to some bizarre questions.
Will my dreams ever come true? I just want to be happy, am I asking for too much? Can I slow down my life a bit, please? Or did I already miss that one shot to my dream life while I was busy sleeping?!
Tara is going through this little adventure along with Aditi, her first-ever room-mate and Kshitij, a guy next door who is quite keen on helping her out. Together they try to find answers to all her questions over countless cups of chai. But will Tara be able to find what she’s really meant to do and stop feeling like a misfit in her own life?
ORDER THE COPY FROM : https://www.amazon.in/dp/8194660149?ref=myi_title_dp
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