Harish Rijhwani is a name synonymous with versatility. A healthcare IT professional, professor, writer, author, and consultant, he has carved a niche for himself in various fields.
With three non-fiction books published, Harish has recently launched his fourth book titled ‘9 to 5 Cubicle Tales’. This book revolves around the uncertainties and struggles of the corporate world.
In a candid interview with us, Harish Rijhwani talks about his latest book, the objective behind writing it, the inspiration behind the story, and his insights into the corporate world.
With his wealth of experience and diverse expertise, Harish’s views on the corporate world are bound to strike a chord with our readers. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this fascinating conversation with author Harish Rijhwani.
Author Harish Rijhwani Interview
1. Let’s begin with a brief introduction of yours and an overview of your latest book: “9 to 5 Cubicle Tales”.
The book is the journey of a common corporate professional, Hridaan Rajdev, who wants to achieve a personal goal. The Novel showcases various challenges one faces, from finding a Job, to day to day delivery challenges.
Fifty percent of the book is based in India while the other half details Hridaan’s journey to the US.
2. From where did you get the idea behind the story of 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales? Do the characters come from real-life incidents or from your own imagination?
The inspiration comes from the experience of having worked in the industry for twenty years. When I was learning creative writing, one of the aspects I understood was how to build a character sketch.
That is when I realized that every day, we meet so many different characters (don’t take the word in the literal sense), and that is what brings the corporate world to life. So, that’s where I got the inspiration to write a story about a typical corporate employee.
3. How does this book address the challenges one faces in the corporate world? How to overcome obstacles while remarking yourself as an important resource to the company?
The book teaches one to stay calm in any situation (especially adversity), not to give up when facing a challenge, and find innovative ways to solve problems.
4. Please tell us about your previous books. How many books have you written to date?
I have self-published four books, each with its own area of focus.
i) Healthcare Decoded
The first book I wrote was based on my experience and strength around Healthcare IT since I have worked in healthcare since the beginning of my career.
ii) Technology to Business – The Invisible Gap
My second book was focused on explaining Marketing in layman’s terms.
iii) Master the Mystic Arts – Begin your Data Science Journey
In my third book, I thought of deciphering Data Science using common and known elements/characters from Harry Potter to Cooking Food.
iv) 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales
Finally, after much thought and additional learning, I wrote my first Novel in 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales.
5. What was your larger key objective of writing a fiction book like ‘9 to 5 Cubicle Tales’ after writing three non-fictional books?
My first three books are educational, catering to a niche market, and I tried to share the information via short stories.
After that, however, I wanted to cater to a larger audience, which pushed me to write a fictional series.
6. What sort of reviews are you getting from the readers?
Until now, I have received positive reviews. However, one of the best reviews I got was from an unexpected person who read my book in the ICU.
In his words, the book is an easy read, with short and simple dialogues. You can read the full story at this link if you wish to know how this enthusiastic fan called me to speak with me at eleven in the night.
7. Would you like to share the journey of your writing this book and crafting a piece of corporate life in 51 chapters?
To be fair, this is just the first part of a four to five-part series. I want to write about many other things like fear of losing your job, managing demanding clients, and whatnot.
Writing this book was not easy because when I started, it still read like non-fiction.
I then enrolled in two courses on creative writing from British Council Library.
After this, I understood how to detail characters, use dialogues, and write fiction. Then, using my newfound knowledge, I created a plan to write five hundred words daily starting March/April 2022. By mid-July, I had completed my Novel’s first draft, which consisted of a hundred thousand words.
8. Please share your insights on the changing corporate landscape over the last two decades.
An essential aspect for employees (especially juniors) is knowing how they can contribute towards the company’s goal/big picture. The other point that has changed is gauging new joiners on practical experience rather than theoretical knowledge.
Organizations have started to focus on this by leveraging hackathons and other means to hire employees. In addition, many organizations are working in a Hybrid model, which provides employees flexibility, and that’s the need of the hour.
Due to this, the style of grooming juniors has changed. Overall we need a strong focus in this area because these juniors are the future leaders in any organization.
9. If you had to share 3 brutally honest truths about corporate life, what would these be?
- The goal of any company is to make money.
- An organization cannot be your family; it ultimately depends on how well you contribute towards the company goal.
- It’s all about perception.
10. A Quick-Fire Round (Please answer within 100 words):
a) Whom do you consider your icons when it comes to writing? Any favorite authors?
- J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter is my favorite)
- Roald dahl
- Ruskin Bond
b) Books that have influenced your life?
- Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
- Tough Times Never Last but Tough people do.
c) What are your other passions in life?
- Teaching, I have been teaching for 10+ years now.
- Walking long distance
- Solving Rubicks cubes, I have 20+ different varieties of cubes not limited to 2x2x2 to 9x9x9.
d) One habit that you think makes you more productive?
- Execute the plan I make.
e) Out of all the books you have written, which one is the closest to your heart? And why?
- My debut novel: 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales, is the closest to my heart.
- In my first three books, I used many images to explain concepts, but in 9 to 5, there’s only one image: the book cover. Above all, I never expected myself to write a hundred thousand words.
f) If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
- In all fairness, I haven’t given it much thought, but the area I would write about would be something around my childhood, school and college life.
11. What’s next in your roadmap?
Focus my energy on creating one or two Udemy courses, then write the next part of my novel.
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