A TRIBUTE TO THIRTEEN YEARS OF MY OVERREACTIONS

Till date I chose to maintain it as my best kept secret. I had discussed this idea with a select few and was waiting for the right time to finally begin. I resorted to soft skills of doing some PR activity for the same. I also spent a good amount of personal indulgence in creating the prelude. I continued procrastinating. I still console myself and might continue to do so in the forthcoming days talking to myself, “Maybe the moment has not arrived.”

But the moment has arrived to help me evolve. I am still not in a position to put a date or time to it; I am but excited to begin with it. The long cherished dream needs to come true. Thirteen years of my colorful experiences need to find a voice. I therefore have decided to finally put all my research together and start writing my first ever book. The title is very much in my mind. It is as selfish as me. It is as self-centered as my thoughts are. It is as arrogant as my appearance. It is as rude as my regular routines.

I don’t deem it an impulsive declaration. Neither do I want to big promises. But millions of reasons have compelled me to pay heed to the unattended diaries, which have been accumulating dust over the years. In these diaries are archived some of my bitter, better and brilliant PROFESSIONAL experiences. They have stood a witness to my professional journey, which I commenced on a rainy day in June 1998. The journey continues. Over the years, I have been both a mute and active participant in the eventualities of my professional life. On September 6, 2011 I still feel like a fresher and a learner who is out on the field with dreams in his eyes to make it big. I have no regrets on my wrong decisions and failed endeavors. I have also realized one vital truth about being a professional - NO MATTER HOW BIG YOUR EXPERIENCE IS, YOU WILL HAVE TO BRAVELY FIELD QUESTIONS THAT ARE HURLED FROM ALL THE INEXPERIENCED QUARTERS.

I am fine with it. But over the years, I have been seeing a major increase in this sector of absolute inexperience. Sometimes helplessly and most of the times deliberately, I have allowed myself to remain victimized by innocent but equally stupid observations of the inexperienced. Therefore I wish to make this new beginning.

I don’t intend to hurt sentiments. Neither am I going to reveal any deep secrets from the darkest chambers of my heart and mind. But what I intend to write in the form of my first ever book is a roller coaster ride. Every single day has been special in these last thirteen years. Be it the shortening of my seven lettered name to a four lettered nickname. Be it my first experience with office politics. Or be it the fiasco I got others involved into while mismanaging a celebrity event.

I am not an author by any chance. But I am definitely a creative writer or to be more precise – A Copywriter. Through this book of mine that I intend to write, I want to bring out the finest nuances of what it takes to survive in a competitive world. Over the years, I have seen the world change and also witnessed the paradigm changes the advertising industry has gone through. From reconstructing days of being on payroll to have continued as a consultant and from having freelanced to being a free bird, I wish to make this book a reading delight for my select audience that I might end up drawing.

Being my own book, I haven’t set a deadline for myself to begin writing it or finishing it. But I will see to it that I won’t waste much time in starting to bring this imagination of an idea to life. Though biographical, I have made a decision to present a fictional account of actual events, places, incidents and individuals. The characters are real. The mood of the book is going to be a mix of all – dark, humorous, shocking and sometimes a test of patience. Do I intend to make it a best seller? I am clueless. But I definitely want to get the book published and get some people to read it. I have a promotional plan in place to do so. Do I have the funds, if at all I need to publish it on my own? I believe in my conviction and wish to work hard to make this very dear dream of mine come alive.

This book, I wish to write is born out of a purpose.

This book, I wish to publish is born out of my inner angst.

This book, I wish to make the world read is born out of countless experiences.

My immense desire is to get two very special people to write the foreword to it, who initially were my clients and then became good friends. They have still not cut their links with me. I shall dedicate the book to my mother who is my inspiration, to my childhood friend & his wife and also to my other most vital core of courage.

I don’t want to give up, which might be an insult to the promises I have made.

I don’t want to disown or discontinue, which might be a betrayal to the faith of the dearest ones who have continuously coaxed me to just not imagine, talk or fantasize but write and fight for my own creative right.

I wish to sign off at this point and not wanting to talk too much about my own book. Otherwise the world or even my closest friends would think – The Self Boasting Idiot is at his usual best again. If I am an idiot, I am proud to be an idiot. But don’t we say, “Being an idiot is in vogue and the intelligent goes grazing on hay?”

-vociferous