Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author with fifty-plus books to her credit, which have sold more than 2.5 lakh copies around the world. Her books consistently feature in the Top 100 Bestseller Lists on Amazon in both Romance and Asian Drama categories. Her latest romance novels have all been on the #1 Bestseller slot in Amazon India for over a month.
As a child, Sundari loved to read books with ‘lived happily ever after’ endings. They were all about good triumphing over evil. As a teenager, her favourite books were romance novels from Mills & Boon. She was fascinated by them, so much so that she began to visualise the stories set in India.
Sundari was almost forty when she began her writing journey, completing the first draft of her first novel in thirty-five days. She has not looked back since.
What made you quit your regular job/life and become a fulltime writer?
I didn’t exactly quit my job to become a fulltime writer. I began writing when I was 39, when I had just quit one job. With three novels written and publishing not appearing to be within reach after applying to a number of companies around the world for a few years, I went back to work. Self-publishing on the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing platform happened when I was 53. At that time, I wasn’t working anywhere. Nor did I have a plan to take up a job. So, I can say it happened organically, my becoming a fulltime writer.
How did you feel when your first book was published? Was the first book itself a bestseller? How was the reaction of readers to your first book?
I felt extremely thrilled to see my first book published. It’s called THE MALHOTRA BRIDE. It was a longstanding dream (14 years and buckets of tears) come true. I will not say it was an overnight bestseller as I wasn’t really known those days. But yes, it became a bestseller within a few months and till date, it’s the most read books in my whole collection. Readers loved/love it. A number of young women came back to me saying that it was really close to their own life experiences. That was the best compliment to me. And of course, the book has its share of negative reviews. I have no complaints. People are entitled to their opinions.
What inspired you to write romance novels? I mean the driving force behind it.
I believe happiness is a choice and I have always chosen it. It doesn’t mean I don’t ever feel sad. I feel all emotions intensely and after everything, choose happiness as a way of life. And that’s where romance comes in. I always liked reading stories that leave a smile on the reader’s face at the end of it. Stories of triumph, stories of joy, stories of couples finding their ‘happily ever after’. I used to binge on fairy tales, Phantom and Mandrake comics. Later, in teenage, it was Mills & Boon romances. It wasn’t as if I didn’t read other genres, but these were my favourites. So, you can say that they inspired me to write romance novels.
Everyone has a different kind of perception. How would you react to the negative comments? Do they bother you?
I absolutely agree with that statement. Otherwise, we will be clones instead of human beings. I used to feel terribly hurt in the beginning, even angry, with negative comments. Later, I grew a thick skin for one thing. For another, I realised that you cannot please everybody. If there are half a dozen positive reviews against one negative review, it’s a good deal, I think.
Novel writing needs patience. How long does it take you to write a book?
Patience is necessary. More than that, it’s passion that is required. If you are passionate about what you are doing, your work becomes one of joy, with no strain at all. I take anything between 14-45 days to complete a book, depending on the length. Including the planning, research and writing. There are times when I feel lazy and keep postponing. Those times, it takes longer. But otherwise, this is the time span for penning one novel.
What was the most surprising thing that you learned in creating books?
The most surprising thing I learned, which still continues to amaze me, is that the more I write, the better the new ideas flow. The better my language improves. The more I want to tell stories. Generally, people work towards their retirement as they grow older. My life has proven to be diametrically opposite. I seem to want to work more and more as I grow older. I hope and pray that I never lose this enthusiasm until the day I breathe my last.
Till now how many books have you written and which is your favourite?
I have written 53 books till now. My Book #54 will probably be released by the time this interview is published. My favourite is my latest: Book #53. It’s a historical romance called THE REBEL PRINCESS.
How is your experience with publishers? Is it easy to find a publisher for a new writer?
My experience with publishers has been great, good, bad and ugly. I can write a whole book on the same. What we need to understand is that at the end of the day, while we take the names of the companies, it is run by human beings, who behave/ react in different ways at different points in time. It is next to impossible for a new writer to find a publisher, unless they have the right contacts. I am yet to discover what those ‘right contacts’ are, though. That is why a platform like Amazon KDP is a boon to writers.
What does your family think about your writing?
Those in my family who read my books, love them. And not just because they are related to me. They will be the first ones to criticise if the stories were not good enough. Everyone, including my sisters, my husband, my children, my nieces and my nephews, are thrilled for me. My grandparents and my parents, who are no more, were truly proud of my writing skills. Alas, they are no more there to see my success in person. Though I am sure they are up there among the stars, showering me with their blessings.
What are the suggestions you would like to give for young writers?
Read as much as you can, in the genre you want to write. Hone your language skills, in whichever language you want to write. Write every day as if there is not tomorrow. Never postpone writing your book to a future date. As they say, ‘there is no tomorrow’.
What is your next project based on?
I will be turning 60 this September. So, the plan is to write and publish 60 novels by the end of 2021. This is an idea planted in my head by my daughter. I am going along with it as it is a challenge to myself and there is no need to compete with someone else. I am working towards this end and have even created a hashtag: #60at60. That’s why some of the books I am writing will be novellas this year. I also know that many readers prefer quick reads, which also encourages an author to pen stories that aren’t too long. The book I am working on is a romance novella called RYAN FINDS A BRIDE. The protagonists are characters I have introduced in two other novels of mine. I am planning to publish this one in the first week of May.
Interviewed By Priyanka A.
