8.15 Shikhar Goyal: On Writing Love, Obsession, and the Road to Publication

When carefully laid plans go up in smoke, is it fate playing its hand, or the works of a silent puppet master pulling the strings?In this episode, engage in a candid conversation with Shikhar Goyal, an iron-and-steel entrepreneur with a creative streak that led him to write his debut novel Delhi Disco, a romantic thriller that crackles with chemistry and unease inside Delhi’s newest club, Kapital.He opens up about the grind, the tactics that kept him motivated, the early rejections he faced, and how a pragmatic approach to pitching finally took the manuscript to publication.The conversation moves across the plot twists and suspense along with exploring the love story, the tongue-in-cheek humor, and his process of creating characters he knows so well, even slipping in inside jokes just for kicks.Books and Movies mentioned in the episode:Thursday Murder Club Series by Richard OsmanEveryone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin StevensonIf Tomorrow Comes by Sidney SheldonBloodline by Sidney SheldonClub You To Death by Anuja ChauhanForgotten (2017)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.