Minimum Effort, Maximum Output, the debut memoir by Bhavini Kalaria

Bhavini Kalaria published her debut memoir, Minimum Effort, Maximum Output, earlier this year. A contemplation on grief and loss, the book tells the story of the year after her husband died, and how she survived. We were privileged to find out more about her remarkable journey.


1. Can you tell readers a bit about yourself and what you do for a living?

I am a solicitor, specialising in resolving disputes. My professional life revolves around helping clients navigate the legal system and it’s often demanding processes. It often requires both analytical thinking and empathy.

2. How did you come to write this book?

After my husband passed away in 2022, I found that the process of writing helped me immensely in processing my grief and making sense of what had happened. I wanted to find a way to record his memory and give voice to my own experience. The book started organically and evolved, sometimes with and sometimes outside of my own grief. It became a channel through which I could both feel and examine my emotions and keep his memory alive.

3. What was the process of writing the book like?

The process was cathartic and sometimes demanding. It required me to take a step back from it, especially when it became a piece of work designed to allow others to consider their own grief and loss. Writing served as both a healing tool and a way of learning to carry my grief.

4. What were the challenges you faced in writing the book?

The biggest challenge I faced was how to order the book so that it had a coherent flow. Structuring the narrative in a way that made sense to readers while still honouring my personal journey through grief was a delicate balance to achieve. It was a pleasure working with The Book Edit team to structure the book, and to ensure that there was still a creative and narrative arc to the story telling. I found their help and advice invaluable.

5. How has the process of getting the book published been for you?

I have loved the process of publishing—figuring out how the book will look and how to make it beautiful and accessible. It was important to me that the book was something my husband would have appreciated. The entire experience of bringing the book to life was fulfilling and exciting.

6. What advice would you give to others who are looking to self-publish their work?

I found a very helpful website, Publish Yourself, which guided me through the essentials of self-publishing. Before starting, I had no idea about the need to register the book, send it to the British Library, or how to market it. My book is a limited run, and I chose to share it in intimate settings with people and communities for whom the subject of loss and grief is relevant. My advice to others is to thoroughly research the self-publishing process and understand the various steps involved to avoid being overwhelmed.

7. How does it feel to know you have completed this project and you have a book to show for it?

It feels amazing. There is something truly exciting about holding a finished book in your hands, knowing it encapsulates a part of your journey and can potentially touch others who read it.

8. What are you working on now?

I am currently working on a thriller, which is very different from my previous book. It’s a fictional piece, much longer, with a complicated plot. This new project comes with its own set of challenges, particularly regarding structure, which has always been a tough part for me.

9. Anything else you'd like us to know about your writing process and future ambitions?

I feel like I am just beginning to understand my process and learning what works for me. I often take long breaks and come back to my writing with renewed energy, leading to intense periods of activity. Looking ahead, I hope to continue exploring different genres and refining my craft, always aiming to create works that resonate deeply with readers.

Author. Bhavini Kalaria

Thank you, Bhavini. For more about Bhavini and her work, visit her website here. And to buy a copy of her beautiful book, visit here.

Author Spotlight: Rebecca Ley

With just over a week left until The Book Edit Writers’ Prize deadline, we wanted to share the profiles of some of the brilliant authors The Book Edit has supported in the past to inspire submissions to the competition. Last time we looked at the phenomenal Hannah Begbie, prize-winning novelist of Mother (2018) and Blurred Lines (2020) both published by Harper Collins. Today we’re looking at the work of Rebecca Ley, whose debut novel, For When I’m Gone, came out with Orion in September 2020.

Rebecca Ley is a journalist and author who worked with The Book Edit on a full developmental edit of her debut, For When I’m Gone (Orion, 2020). With the feedback she received, Rebecca was able to redraft the book, secure an agent and within a few months she had sold the book to Orion. She says of the experience: ‘I found using The Book Edit brilliant. It was invaluable to have an experienced editor look at my work before trying to find an agent. The suggestions she made were extremely perceptive and useful in the redrafting process.’ 

For When I’m Gone is narrated by a young mother, Sylvia, dying of breast cancer. The novel is a guidebook, written to her husband, about their family life with a secret at its heart. Though the subject matter is dark, the novel is uplifting and masterful in its exploration of the minutiae of daily parenting. It’s a novel that stays with you long after reading. 

 

Rebecca is currently working on her second novel for Orion, due out next year. She also ghost-wrote a memoir, Hope Not Fear, for the inspirational Hassan Akkad, a Syrian refugee and Bafta-winning filmmaker who volunteered to work as a hospital cleaner when the pandemic hit and then persuaded Boris Johnson to extend the bereavement scheme to cleaners, porters and healthcare assistants. 

You can read more about Rebecca Ley and her writing process in the interview she did for The Book Edit where she gives advice to new writers and talks further about her process and the themes of her work. Click here for that interview in which she also explores ghosting as a metaphor for motherhood and being absent from the self.

Or take a leaf out of Rebecca Ley’s book and send your work to The Book Edit by submitting to The Book Edit Writers’ Prize. Aimed at supporting talented writers who might not otherwise have access to the industry, the prize is open to unpublished novelists from communities and backgrounds currently underrepresented in British publishing. You can see the full competition rules and details here. We can’t wait to see who will be next to join our list of writers whose work we have supported and continue to champion. The deadline for submissions is 22nd October 2021.

 
 
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Author Spotlight: Hannah Begbie

One of the joys of editing is working with talented writers and watching them flourish. The Book Edit is extremely proud to have worked with some fabulous authors and to have played a part in their journeys. As The Book Edit Writers’ Prize gets underway, we want to draw attention to some of the writers we have worked with as inspiration for those eager to follow in their footsteps and Hannah Begbie is the first of our award-winning novelists to take the spotlight.

Portrait of author Hannah Begbie

Author of Mother, 2018, winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award, and Blurred Lines, 2020, both Harper Collins, Hannah Begbie’s work is sharp, compelling and relevant. A writer who is definitely one-to-watch, The Book Edit was delighted to work with Hannah as her writing journey first took flight.

As Hannah puts it, ‘In those uncertain months before securing an agent and then publisher, Emily’s work as editor on my manuscript was crucial. Her notes were always perceptive and challenging but framed with real encouragement and support. I was lucky to have someone so talented helping me take my story forward: Emily deserves real credit for the fact that it’s being published.’    

Currently writing her third novel, Hannah’s first two have been met with huge critical acclaim. Mother examines the complexities of motherhood with the additional difficulty of having a child with cystic fibrosis and Blurred Lines tackles the film industry’s darker truths, fast becoming a classic of the #metoo era (Read our review of Blurred Lines here). Exacting and fearless, Hannah’s work is both searing and filled with human warmth. If you haven’t read her yet, you are in for a treat. The Book Edit couldn’t be more proud to have supported Hannah at the early stages of her career.

For a chance to share your work with the industry and follow in Hannah Begbie’s footsteps, enter The Book Edit Writers Prize. Aimed at supporting talented writers who might not otherwise have access to the industry, the prize is open to unpublished novelists from communities and backgrounds currently underrepresented in British publishing. Enter before midnight on 22 October 2021. And don’t forget to look out for our next author spotlight.

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