1.7: Avni Doshi - What It Takes To Create A Literary Bestseller

 7 years. 8 drafts. Find out why she rewrote her award-winning manuscript again and again.Tara and Michelle chat with Avni Doshi,  author of the award-winning Girl in White Cotton. It's about a twisted-mother daughter relationship, and the famous Osho ashram even has a role to play!Avni talks to us about new methods of writing, including a concept called sense writing. We discuss unconscious writing, and how one can access their creative side through a meditative relaxed state.We talk about authenticity and inspiration – and the confrontations she faced when basing her characters on real-life incidents and what she thinks such issues mean to writers.From writing detoxes to editing, Avni provides a ton of practical takeaways for aspiring writers on this episode. She tells us more about her writing process – how her first novel took 7 years and 8 drafts to complete and everything she’s learned since then. We talk about perspective, voice and bias – issues which are extremely pertinent in the media age – and how she reflected them in her novel.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Born in New Jersey, Avni Doshi completed her BA in Art History from Barnard College in New York and an MA in History of Art at University College London. While working as an art writer and curator in India, Avni began writing fiction in her spare time. She has been awarded the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize and a Charles Pick Fellowship. Her current focus is fiction and experimental art writing. She is also making art out of the remnants of old manuscripts. Burnt Sugar / Girl in White Cotton is her first novel. Avni lives in Dubai with her family.You can get your copy of her book here: https://www.amazon.in/Girl-White-Cotton-Avni-Doshi/dp/9353571383Tune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/Applications for The Bound Publishing Course 2026 are now open.The Bound Publishing Course is a 3-month intensive course on book, magazine, and digital publishing. Through live sessions, workshops, and industry-facing projects, participants gain practical publishing skills and exposure to careers across the industry.Cohort size: 50 seatsFirst round of acceptances: 15th June 2026Applications are reviewed on a rolling bas‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.