Self-help and management books don’t make for the easiest of starts for a debut writer. Especially when there’s a danger lurking around simplifying and generalising a book like ‘Declaring Breakdown’, meant to cater to an individual and organisation. When a relationship nearly broke apart, it was his move to take charge of his future that propelled Sameer Dua to write the book. Things weren’t difficult to begin with, given his teaching stint in the past.
The book attempts to present a reality check of sorts to a reader who is sometimes blinded by monotony, to foresee what he terms as ‘default future’. ‘Breakdown’ is another term that he coins, a phase that has Sameer pushing the reader to be a go-getter. Was it a challenge to liven up the writing in this genre? “From the many experiences I’ve had in my coaching stint and meeting people for work and beyond, I have quoted several examples to make the narrative lively.”
An avid reader of non-fiction for two decades, Sameer keeps digging into his vast collection several hours every day. That precisely the reason he didn’t choose a fictional exterior to convey his message.
However Sameer, who’s even been a speaker at a TedX conference, says that there have been many situations where literature has completely changed the way he’s looked at the world. The learning laid a significant foundation to his first book.
So, didn’t he ever feel fiction would ensure him better readership?
“Writing has itself been a revelation as an observer of the world, liberating me and keeping me grounded in terms of what I want. It’s a personal experience I cherish and wouldn’t want to associate readership with that. I always wanted to contribute my germ of knowledge to the world and see one book under my name at an Oxford bookstore. Fiction could’ve been an interesting choice, but I am not aware enough about the genre.” He dismisses any chances of penning fiction in future too; he maintains leadership-writing is his primary forte.
Like many other writers, he is sometimes perturbed of thoughts like ‘what if this could have been better’. “The book took two years to be written. I am presuming every writer goes through this phase where he isn’t totally content, like how the language could’ve been crisp or simpler. I was satisfied yes, enough, for it to be published.”
As he winds up the conversation, he informs that he’s done writing his second book too.
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