Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a freelance writer and blogger based in Mumbai, India.
I have self-published two books so far.
The first one, published in July last year, was a PC Hardware guide titled “3 Steps to Building the Ultimate PC Gaming Setup” and I wrote it based on my own experience of creating a gaming setup for myself.
I also recently published a second one, titled “Plus Habits: 25 Proven Daily Habits to Boost your Productivity, Energy, and Happiness”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is, “Plus Habits: 25 Proven Daily Habits to Boost your Productivity, Energy, and Happiness” and was published just a few weeks ago.
It’s a collection of 25 powerful habits that will help you get better results in all parts of your life. It’s based on my own experiences of improving my life by developing better habits.
My main motivation to write it came from meeting people who showed a lot of potential but always failed in developing better habits. Most of the time, the primary reason for their failure was having unrealistic expectations. So, I wanted to write a book that motivated them to start small with their habits instead. Not just say, “Start small.” Instead, give them examples and action points that they can put into effect immediately.
Based on comments from early readers, I think I’ve succeeded with my original goal. Now, I’m planning on marketing it far and wide, and can’t wait to get it into the hands of many more readers who might benefit from it!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think this is unusual, but I tend to be more creative when I’m writing in a notebook rather than on a computer or any kind of digital device.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
-Carol Dweck, with Mindset
-Dale Carnegie, with How to Win Friends and Influence People
-Stephen King, with On Writing
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on promoting Plus Habits and present it to readers who might benefit from it. To reach that goal, I’m working on developing a Plus Habits blog, and also creating self-improvement content to post on my Instagram page (@devkam321).
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, sites like Awesome Gang and Discount Book Man have been amazing. I’m very grateful for the platform these sites provide for new authors like me. It’s a great opportunity to create an audience and get recognized.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t take a proper writing course when you’re just starting out. Sometimes it can be useful, but most likely you’ll just be overwhelmed with useless information and different kinds of rules.
Instead, start out with a project that you’re passionate about. Could be anything from a short story or a full-length novel. In the process of writing it, editing it, and publishing it, you will learn 100X more than any writing course can ever teach you.
Yes, it will be tough. But, you’ll actually learn some useful and relevant stuff.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
From Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield, “The difference between an amateur and a professional is in their habits. An amateur has amateur habits. A professional has professional habits. We can never free ourselves from habits. The human being is a creature of habit. But we can replace bad habits with good ones. We can trade in the habits of the amateur and the addict for the practice of the professional and the committed artist or entrepreneur.”
What are you reading now?
The Mouse Charmers by Anuradha Goyal. It’s an entrepreneurship book that has many case studies on successful India-based Internet startups. Very inspiring stuff.
What’s next for you as a writer?
It’s kind of a stretch, but I want to publish a full-length novel someday. Currently, I’m busy with Plus Habits. But, a few months down the line I definitely want to expand my skillset and write a great story as well.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
-Maximum City by Suketu Mehta
-Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger
-Everyday Greatness by Stephen Covey
Author Websites and Profiles
Devansh Kamdar Website
Devansh Kamdar Amazon Profile
Devansh Kamdar’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile