Mainak Dhar is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and has spent more than two decades in the corporate sector. After fifteen years abroad, he moved back to India in 2014 as the Managing Director & CEO of the India operations of a leading multinational firm. A self-described cubicle dweller by day and writer by night, Mainak is also the author of over a dozen books, some of which have been bestsellers in India and abroad including the bestselling Alice in Deadland series and 03:02. His books have been translated into Turkish, Vietnamese, Japanese, French, German and Portuguese, reaching millions of readers worldwide.
Q1. What do you think makes a good story?
There’s no one formula, since every story has its own way of resonating with readers and every reader is different. However, for a thriller like Sniper’s Eye, some broad principles probably come into play. First, hook or intrigue the reader early and want them to join the writer in the journey, a protagonist the reader will want to cheer for and care about, since in a thriller you’ll likely put the protagonist through a lot of danger! Also, it always helps to have an antagonist who is not uni-dimensional. A great villain is sometimes what helps brings out the best in the hero!
Q2. It is often said that in order to write something, you must believe in what you are writing. Do you agree with that?
I totally agree with that. I believe a writer shouldn’t jump onto bandwagons of what ‘will sell’. What will ultimately make the journey fulfilling is when a writer finds themes he or she is passionate about and bring that individuality and originality to their work.
Q3. What is the secret to becoming a bestselling author?
I still haven’t found it, and anyone who claims there is one simple secret to becoming a successful author is lying or has never written a book. Like all things in life, being good at writing requires a little bit of aptitude, a bit of inspiration, a lot of practice, and a ton of perseverance. Most of all, you have to love doing it- and be ready to commit yourself with the passion needed to bring a book to life and then take it to readers. Finally, you need to have the humility to keep learning, and never let success get to your head. When you think of it, it’s not that different from being successful in a sport or a corporate career.
MAINAK DHAR