INTERVIEW WITH AUTHORS

Rashmi Bansal: writing for aspiring entrepreneurs

The new but influential name in the Indian non-fiction category is Rashmi Bansal. Her first book ‘Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish’ created uproar and the rest, as they say, is history. Here’s more on this inspiring writer for aspiring entrepreneurs. 

A writer, entrepreneur and youth expert – Rashmi Bansal is the author of two bestselling books on entrepreneurship - Stay Hungry Stay Foolish and Connect the Dots, and the third one I Have a Dream is already creating ripples. While Stay Hungry Stay Foolish features the stories of 25 MBAs who left lucrative jobs to follow the rough road of entrepreneurship, Connect the Dots focuses on non-MBA entrepreneurs and I Have a Dream focuses on social entrepreneurs. Rashmi is also the co-founder and editor of JAM (Just Another Magazine). Besides, she is a guest lecturer at various business schools. Here’s a quick round of questions for Rashmi.

AABP: How would you describe your three books?

Rashmi: My three books are inspirational stories of real life people, with learnings and motivation to ‘do something’ in life. They are specifically targeted at youth and aspiring entrepreneurs.

AABP: After the success of your first two books, what has been the response to the third book so far?

Rashmi: Response to I Have a Dream has been phenomenal. From the week of release (June 8, 2011), it has been the number one selling non-fiction title in India as per AC Nielsen retail Bookscan and continues to be so till date.

AABP: When did you “know” you wanted to write professionally?

Rashmi: When I was 17 years old, in 2nd yr of BA, I started freelancing for various newspapers. By the time I graduated I had over 100 published articles to my credit. That’s the time I knew and I wanted to be a writer.

AABP: In your opinion, what is the hardest part of writing a book? Why?

Rashmi: The hardest part about writing is the commitment to self imposed deadlines and quota of writing every day and every week. It is easy to get distracted!

AABP: What writing/publishing advice do you give to aspiring writers of any age?

Rashmi: Write from the heart. Don’t write for an audience, do it for yourself. Last but not the least, keep it simple, clear and crisp.

AABP: What are you reading right now? Are there any authors (living or dead) that you would name as influences?

Rashmi: My favourite authors include Malcolm Gladwell, Po Bronson, Elizabeth Gilbert for non-fiction books and Alexander McCall Smith, RK Narayan, Judy Blume and Agatha Christie for fiction books.

AABP: Which was the book that most influenced your life – and why?

Rashmi: For me, it is You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays. Everything you need to know about how to ‘get it right’ is in there and you can read it a hundred times and still discover something new about yourself.

AABP: We live in a time when young people have numerous choices for entertainment. What would you like to say to people who may be hesitant about reading a book for fun?

Rashmi: Readers rule the world. If you want to crack the CAT exam, the reading habit will help you sail through. If you want to learn and grow throughout your life, reading, reading and reading is the only way!

AABP: What’s Rashmi in real life?

Rashmi: I practice Isha Yoga and follow the lectures and writings of numerous spiritual gurus. I have taken a few baby steps into a journey within myself and advise everyone to start that process. It is the most exciting journey one will ever undertake!