In the tricky lanes of love
Mona
It Started with a Friend Request, You’re The Password to My Life, You Are Trending in My Dreams, She Swiped Right into My Heart and Sorry You’re Not My Type– the titles of the books are a dead giveaway that Sudeep Nagarkar is a writer of today...
Seven years, 10 books, this engineer and MBA tasted success with his debut novel, Few Things Left Unsaid. When his second, That’s the Way We Met, got success too, he chose full-time writing over a career in the IT industry. He was 24 then, and convinced his parents if he couldn’t make it through writing, he would go back to the corporate world. But there was no need for him to do that. At Landmark, Elante, to meet his Chandigarh fans with just released She Friend-Zoned My Love, bestselling author Sudeep, in a freewheeling chat, shared the joys of writing.
Respect is the key
Is there a way not to get friend-zoned? “No”, he is quick to answer. In all his books, he has shown 10 different ways of proposing but She Friend-Zoned My Love doesn’t show a way to escape from being a ‘friend-zoned’ victim. “See, you can woo, try to impress, but if the other person is not into it, there is no way one can change it.” His advice, “Respect your friend’s decision and don’t let any bickering sully the purity of friendship.”
With a message
While one would tend to believe that his books are pure romances, he insists that he doesn’t write a story unless he has a message for the youth. Body shaming is what creeps in She Friend-Zoned My Love. Knowing pretty well that his target audience is 15-30, considering these are the people going to witness real world challenges, Sudeep’s idea is to inject some wisdom, some practicality through his works.
Pure passion
When this Mumbai-based writer gave up his career, obviously he wasn’t earning from the books but then money was never on his agenda. “Any writer writes to be read, appreciated and acknowledged. When with my first two novels I got recognition, I was enthused.” Money was another concern and this electronics engineer admits that his MBA helped him reach out to the readers. “I believe in working hard. With my books I reached out roadside hawkers so that I could penetrate the market. That helped.” Moving on to marketing for his sixth, he unveiled the cover on whatsapp to a select 1,000 readers. “There is tough competition. You got to be different to sell your work. But the book should be worth it.”
Up, close and personal
Technology killing love?
Yes. Though social media has connected us virtually to everyone around the world, we are the loneliest generation. So self-centred with selfies, we are too selfish to love in the true sense of the word.
Biographical angle...
Yes, the first two. They are the stories of a student forced into engineering and they do take from my life largely.
Romancing wife in a book?
Yes, I was in a long-distance relationship with Jasmine Sethi, who is now my wife.
mona@tribunemail.com
