About Author: Jasmeet is a prolific writer and a voracious reader. She has authored seven books with her latest release Gul e Maryam penned with a versatile actor, Parag Tyagi.
Jasmeet has also started her digital venture Editor Manor on Instagram to help aspiring writers in their literary journey. Currently, she is also studying about the Mughal history as her next project is to curate a historical fiction on this dynasty.
Ravi: What’s your favorite novel?
Jasmeet: Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh
Ravi: The Best piece of writing advice?
Jasmeet: Read books across various genres and put emphasis on your vocabulary to make your book an intriguing read.
Ravi: Where do you write?
Jasmeet: I generally prepare a draft in my diary and then type the story on laptop. At times when a plot brims my thoughts, I quickly pen them down in my diary so that I do not forget them while typing. This mostly happens at night.
Ravi: Where do you get your ideas?
Jasmeet: I am blessed with a powerful imaginative brain. I do a brainstorming on which theme am I in a mood to write. Once I am prepared with the genre and rough story idea, then nothing can stop me from knitting a book.
Ravi: Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Jasmeet: Writing is a meditation for me. I get immerse in my journey of words and that’s the only secret behind my enthusiasm.
Ravi: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Jasmeet: There is no specific tenure for completing a book. It all depends upon the time it takes me to polish my manuscript into perfection. Love Has No Time Frame took me only a week while Gul e Maryam, three months. Strings of Solitude took me five drafts to make it a best read.
Ravi: If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
Jasmeet: I wished I could have met an eminent writer, Khushwant Singh, and enrolled myself under him to learn the art of writing. Had he been my mentor, I could have written innumerable books.
Ravi: What is your favorite childhood book?
Jasmeet: I used to read Tinkle comics when I was in primary school. It was only during higher secondary I became a book addict and read all the books by Sidney Sheldon.
Ravi: What are your favorite literary journals?
Jasmeet: Any piece written by Rabindranath Tagore.
Ravi: What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?
Jasmeet: There is no hindrance in my writing endeavours except my indolence during the winter season.
Ravi: What was your hardest scene to write?
Jasmeet: Strings of Solitude was a challenging book for me. It is based on a relationship between a lawyer and a prostitute who were officially married. I leave it upon the readers to read the book and explore the answer themselves.
Ravi: Do you Google yourself?
Jasmeet: Yes, I do and I wish people acknowledge me as an eminent writer.
Ravi: Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Jasmeet: I hold no mystical secrets which could be sealed within the pages. My stories are out of sheer imagination and ideas.
Ravi: Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Jasmeet: I check reviews daily. So far, I haven’t come across any bad reviews except that sometimes the readers have to read the sentences twice. I have taken a lesson from it and I make sure to improvise them in my upcoming books.
Ravi: Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
Jasmeet: Any work written by Khushwant Singh gives me a syringe of wider perspective to write beyond the threshold without any inhibitions.
Ravi: What did you edit out of this book?
Jasmeet: All my books are solely edited by me.
Ravi: How many hours a day do you write?
Jasmeet: I do not write for hours at a stretch. However, I have a record of writing five thousand words in a day.
Ravi: How long were you a part-time writer before you became a full-time one?
Jasmeet: In 2015 I inaugurated my writing journey and in 2017 I gave my heart and soul into full-time writing.
Ravi: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
Jasmeet: My research is based on the profession of my characters. For instance, I read many historical books to understand the lifestyle of kings in the fifteenth century for my book Gul e Maryam. I am also on a constant search for a better vocabulary as I cannot memorize Oxford dictionary.
Ravi: What’s the best way to market your books?
Jasmeet: I have few readers in my contact list who loves reading my books. They are the first buyers and honest reviewers. Once I have enough reviews, I market through posters and videos across social media handles. It is a slow process for beginners. But once people recognize your work, it becomes easy to gain new readers. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool. If readers recommend books through their social media handles, it has a huge impact in a positive way.
Ravi: How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Jasmeet: Five.
Ravi: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Jasmeet: It has helped me nourish my writing style and also given me an encouragement to pursue this passion until my last breath.
Ravi: What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
Jasmeet: To be honest, I do not have any such author-friend. This is a stingy world, and everyone is on a verge of eliminating each other in this competitive market.
Ravi: Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
Jasmeet: I make sure that my stories are not mundane and neither a quick read. Readers should love it and recommend to their friends as well.
Ravi: What advice do you have for writers?
Jasmeet: There is no trend in writing. It is your story that sells so work on your writing eloquently. Do your research well before sending your manuscript to a publisher.
Ravi: What are the most important magazines for writers to subscribe to?
Jasmeet: I am not into reading magazines. Reading blogs on writing and interviews by bestsellers are the key to hone writing skills.
Ravi: Tell me about your recent book to our Ravi Reads Blog Readers?
Jasmeet: I have released a historical romance fiction Gul e Maryam on the eve of New Year. It is a story of an emperor who is in search of his wife he was betrothed to at a young age and an anonymous poet who sends him love letters.
To Know more about Jasmeet's Gul e Maryam check out this link.
Thanks to Jasmeet for agreeing to this interview! If you know of an author who’d like to be featured in an interview (or you are an author who would like to be featured), feel free to email me at the address on my contact page.
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