This Author has Cracked the Bestseller Code The competition is not just with celebrated authors, as authors are vying for a share of audiences' wallet

By Vanita D'souza

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

http://www.sanghi.in/media.html

Often when crime-thriller author Ashwin Sanghi discusses his work with his editor, he generally has one question to ask — "Did you turn the page, or the page itself turned?" The question speaks of a constant dilemma of an author's fevered mind — will his story sell?

According to Sanghi, often good writings fail to hold a reader's attention, and again books written in plain language sometimes become a hit.

Writers also face the problem of getting overshadowed after their works get published as the market is crowded with too many authors urging "read me'.

More importantly, the competition is not just with authors like Amish Tripathi, Ravi Subramanium or Chetan Bhagat. "My problem is the next movie of Salman Khan. It is also the cup of coffee at Barista or Café Coffee Day and it is the outing which will cost a taxi fare as even authors are vying for a share of audiences' wallet," he pointed out.

In a candid conversation with Entrepreneur India, acclaimed author Sanghi shared three important tips to decode the secret of, "how do you become a bestseller?"

#The First Paragraph

Sanghi, an entrepreneur-turned-author, said the first cardinal rule is that the introductory paragraph should be like a Mumbai pothole. Confused? He explained his logic, "If you fall into a pothole, you can't get up easily. That's how your first paragraph should be."

If you fail here, there is hardly any chance the reader will continue with the book, even if it has the best of meat inside it, he added.

#End Of A Chapter

His next tip is related to his discussion with his editor – did the page turn itself?

Every last paragraph of a chapter is like a fishing hook, said the author. "The last paragraph hooks the person and propels him to the next chapter," added Sanghi, who is often called the Dan Brown of India for his bestselling books "The Rozabal Line', "Chanakya's Chant' and "The Krishna Key'.

# The Satisfaction

Sanghi, who has also co-authored "Private India' and "Private Delhi' with James Patterson for the latter "Private' series, advised while completing the last chapter of the book leave your reader content. "This will, more importantly, make the reader wait for your next book," he added.

Vanita D'souza

Former Senior Correspondent, Entrepreneur India

I am a Mumbai-based journalist and have worked with media companies like The Dollar Business Magazine, Business Standard, etc.While on the other side, I am an avid reader who is a travel freak and has accepted foodism as my religion.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Branding

Creating a Brand: How To Build a Brand From Scratch

Every business needs good branding to succeed. Discover the basics and key tips to building a successful brand in this detailed guide.

Innovation

It's Time to Rethink Research and Development. Here's What Must Change.

R&D can't live in a lab anymore. Today's leaders fuse science, strategy, sustainability and people to turn discovery into real-world value.

Marketing

How to Better Manage Your Sales Process

Get your priorities in order, and watch sales roll in.

Business News

AI Agents Can Help Businesses Be '10 Times More Productive,' According to a Nvidia VP. Here's What They Are and How Much They Cost.

In a new interview with Entrepreneur, Nvidia's Vice President of AI Software, Kari Briski, explains how AI agents will "transform" the way we work — and sooner than you think.

Starting a Business

Passion-Driven vs. Purpose-Driven Businesses — What's the Difference, and Why Does It Matter?

Passion and purpose are both powerful forces in entrepreneurship, but they are not the same.