About Sagar Gupta
Sagar Gupta, a hardcore Mumbaikar is a seasoned Sales & Marketing professional in the Technology space and has worked across global MNCs and large Indian Conglomerates with over a decade of corporate experience. Sagar is a foodie and not only does he keep exploring delicacies wherever he goes, but he also loves to cook and try new recipes. He loves traveling & exploring new places as well. Sagar has a Bachelor’s in Information Technology from Shah & Anchor Kutchhi Engineering College and a Management degree from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. Sagar has a keen sense of observation and an innate ability to connect different subjects to spin an interesting idea, a story.
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content.
Sagar: ‘4034V – A New Beginning’ is a work product of over 2 years. I leveraged my interest in mythology, rich cultural heritage of India and murder thrillers to give a shape to this plot. I was fortunate to get valuable inputs from friends and family members from time to time which helped me fine-tune the story as it progressed. As there are elements of Sci-fi, there was a lot of research at play. But, this was a very enriching journey. I got to learn so many new things in this process.
LiFT: Why you chose this title?
Sagar: 4034V is the name of an asteroid which is the central and common element throughout the story. Once the asteroid collides with the earth, it ushers in a new era, a new beginning, a start of a new age. Hence the name ‘4034V – A New Beginning’.
LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a writer and what’s your inspiration behind it?
Sagar: I used to write essays, articles, blogs since childhood. Clearly, writing was something I enjoyed and found a lot of solace with pen. Some of my friends who published their books actually inspired me to start working on my first book and I started scribbling some plots, connecting them to some known places of significance and with some solid research, it took the shape of a book.
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Sagar: My only dream is to write good concepts, stories and with it, spread knowledge about relatively unknown but interesting notions. I am also an avid traveler and I intend to pen down my experiences for people to visualize. Lastly, there are very simple yet very effective & powerful tools by which mankind can attain happiness & peace of mind. I wish to enlighten the world about simple applications of these tools.
LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?
Sagar: When someone reads a book, the quality of the book determines whether the reader even finishes the book. If the content of the book is high quality, the reader would definitely refer to someone and with word of mouth, the information will percolate like wildfire. Therefore, quality is definitely very important. But, with myriad number of good books around, it becomes quintessential to market the book to the right audience & right demographics. A solid marketing strategy would definitely help to increase a wide audience and boost the reader base. Both aspects are vital to the success of the book.
LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?
Sagar: A new, fresh perspective in life. I strongly believe that human creativity has no bounds and we can paint many interesting portraits on the canvas of life.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Sagar: I am a Technology Consulting & Sales professional working in Mumbai. I am also a Charcoal Sketch artist and during free times, I love to cook as well.
LiFT: What are the activities you resort to when you face a writer’s block?
Sagar: In these situations, I go for a run or work out which helps me clear my mind. I sometimes start writing something completely different. Other times, I go for a long drive.
LiFT: What if your story will be adopted as a movie? Whom would you want to work as a director or actors in it?
Sagar: I would be happy to be an audience of the movie/web series adaptations. If given a chance, I would like to assist the director.
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.
Sagar: I have zeroed in a few potential subjects for my next book. But, I have not finalized any particular one. I would do some more research before finalizing the genre, plot and storyline before setting out.
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?
Sagar: My only suggestion to the budding writers would be to believe in whatever you write. Only when a writer truly believes in the subject and has a complete 360 degree view of the topic, it can spark the interest of readers. Don’t follow what other famous, successful writers, but focus on what genre, subject area interests you and then writing will be super fun.
Click here to order Sagar Gupta’s Book – 4034V – A New Beginning
