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1.What motivates you to write?
Dhyan: God has blessed me with a life where I have been able to travel the world and live among different kinds of people and have gained a lot of life experiences both good and bad. I wish to enlighten people of a better way based on my life's insight and experiences into our heritage and the state we are in today.
2. How did you feel after publishing your books?
Dhyan: I feel good after publishing my book. It has come out well. It is a lengthy book, but each chapter is a story by itself and so it can be read in bits. There is a lot I have left out that can be found in my Medium page (https://medium.com/@dhyan.ba) and also in my blog at https://aryadharma.world/articles. I feel good when I get feedback from readers as can be seen at https://aryadharma.world/index/feedback-from-readers/ . My aim is to reach as many people as I can. Money is not the main motivation, reaching people with a better way is my main motivation and there is a free ebook that can be downloaded from my website for those who cannot afford my book.
3. What are some of your favourite novels and authors?
Dhyan: Growing up as a teen I used to like Hardy boys, Amar Chitra Katha, Arthur Conan Doyle and Stephen King. But my Dad also had a good library of Swami Vivekananda's works and as I grew up I liked to read the works of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Jiddu Krishnamurti,Adi Shankaracharya,Alan W. Watts and Roald Dahl. I also like to read economists like Hernando De Soto, Hayek, JC Kumarappa, Nicolas Taleb and others.
4. Is there a specific reason for naming your novel?
Dhyan: Arya means noble in Sanskrit. Dharma is a way of virtuous living. My book is about a way of noble and virtuous living hence the name Arya Dharma
5. Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beachside or the hills?
Dhyan: I write from my home office in Bangalore which is owned by my father to whom I am especially grateful for letting me use it. I also like to write in our family farm in Kodagu.
6. What inspired you to write the books(in general)? Any tales to tell…
Dhyan: My book only has about 70% of my work. My blog was my main inspiration to enlighten people that there is a better way.
7. What was your biggest learning experience throughout the writing process?
Dhyan: Writing on a blog has no limits you can go on forever. However writing in a book has size limitations and even though I tried to condense my work, it still came a bit lengthy.
8. Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?
Dhyan: I always had a gift for writing. What I did write was develop interest in a wide selection of authors who I have mentioned, that form the basis for my work.
9. Any best piece of writing advice that you would like to share with new or struggling writers?
Dhyan: Dont hesitate to put your words to paper or in these times in a blog. You never know how your words may change and influence others.
10. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?
Dhyan: Though I am usually very calm, sometimes I have a short temper. I am not a serious person at all even though my book is so serious.
11. Any future books that you would like to discuss now?
Dhyan: Based entirely on my life's experience and insight from experts I am following, I am working on a book on how to manage money wisely and also a book on natural farming which is the only sustainable method of farming.
12.What other profession excites you the most?
Dhyan: Natural farming and investing also interests me. You can never get excited and impulsive in these sectors, you have to approach it in a devoted, patient and disciplined manner and manage risk wisely.
13.Any special mention about your reader (be it with reviews/feedback or anything else)
Dhyan: Most of the good feedback I have received is at https://aryadharma.world/index/feedback-from-readers/
14.Do you write the story at a stretch or you take your time to complete it? If you take a longer time, wouldn’t you be forgetting the story? How do you tackle it?
Dhyan: I write the main underlying essence first without editing. This hardly takes me about 2-3 hours. Then I flesh it out and edit it. I dont write at a stretch, I write in blocks and always email or make notes about my work on my mobile. This way I remember the trail of thought.
15.Traditional or Self-Publishing? Why?
Dhyan: I chose self-publishing because I wanted editorial control. Also it is an easier route to get your book out than having to approach multiple publishers for interest to publish.
16.How is the response so far for the book?
Dhyan: Most people who read the book and know me, cannot believe I wrote it because it is so enlightening, insightful and serious and personally I am a clown always making fun of things and not taking things seriously. Even strangers have appreciated my book. Due to the Covid sales of the book is slow since online sales are available only for the ebook version. I hope with more active promotion and lifting of the covid lockdown, response to my book should improve.
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