In the early 1970’s, I had never dreamed that my Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering would lead me to a successful career in Hospital Management. It seemed like the least likely place to use my engineering knowledge and skills. Besides, I knew absolutely nothing about hospitals, how they functioned, and how all the different departments operated in relation to each other. This was found nowhere in my training and books or in my class notes. However, what I had learned was the power of observation, how to ask questions, and to use my analytical mind to find the most efficient, productive solution. I took these skills into the hospital setting where I learned the ins and outs of each department assigned to me. Whatever problem they gave me, I developed a plan and a solution.

Just as a career in Hospital Management was an unexpected yet pleasant twist in my life story, writing a memoir had never occurred to me until approximately eight years ago when friends and family planted the seed in my mind. And just as I had never expected to use engineering in a hospital setting, I discovered that there were similarities in how I brought my engineering background to memoir writing as well. After all, writing a memoir, putting my life down on paper, was intimidating. Where to start?

One of my first assignments as a management engineer was to find a solution for the hospital laundry department’s inability to keep up with the soiled laundry. They needed a fresh pair of eyes to come in and tell them what they could do better. When I decided to write a memoir, I realized I would need an outsider’s help as well. I could tell my stories all day long, but how could I make them come alive on the page? Writing was a different process compared to telling my stories out loud, where tone, inflection, facial expressions can add and create humor, drama, emotion… Writing uses different techniques to create such effects. I decided to hire a ghostwriter.

I thrive on telling my stories out loud to an audience. In this way, relaying these stories to Emily Winne, my ghostwriter, I relived my life as a young boy growing up in India to a young man traveling out of his country for the first time to that of a man with a successful career and family. For me, the mistakes I made, or the moments of life that did not go as I had hoped or planned, were not moments for me to look back on with regret, but an opportunity to tell a good story. This is where I came from, and look where I am now. As long as I could take even the difficult moments and create meaning from them, nothing happened in vain.

There were times where I questioned myself. Should I keep going? Should I continue with this crazy venture? The feedback from Emily encouraged me to go on. My family cheered me on with positive thoughts. There was a small seed inside of me that had grown roots and was becoming something more. I wanted to see what the seed would become. If nothing else, I had set out to succeed in every area of my life. Publishing a book should be no different. The engineer in me formulated a plan. I never lost sight of the big picture, and worked tirelessly toward the end.

Several years ago, I attended a writing conference for memoirists. With me, I carried a printed copy of my manuscript, tucked safe in a satchel slung over my shoulder. Four years of work, decades of memories compiled and edited in rich detail. After one of the seminars, I approached an agent who was there, giving aspiring writers advice. I presented to him the thick volume of my treasured stories, and explained to him my “pitch,” the central theme of the memoir that brought all the stories together.

“This is great,” he said. “However, it is too long. Most manuscripts we accept are half this length. You would need to shorten it quite a bit.”

I returned home, disheartened and not sure what to do. I decided to submit my memoir to other agents to see if I had any chance. Some responded similarly: it was too long or it wasn’t what they were looking for. Some didn’t respond at all. I took the first agent’s advice and began whittling away at my book, shortening stories if possible, or in many cases, not including them at all. It was a difficult thing to do, but I knew I must if I wanted to achieve my end goal of publication.

I wouldn’t have been half as successful in my career if I hadn’t been good at creating connections. Management engineers were new in the hospital environment, and most people looked at me with suspicion. I was the guy trying to save the hospital money, and how else would I do this but by eliminating their positions? I knew this is what people were thinking, and I knew just as well that I didn’t want to affect the employees in that way if not necessary. To create feelings of comradery and trust, I first got to know the managers of the departments that I was sent to improve. By showing them that I truly cared about them and wanted to hear about their lives and their families, I was able to establish beneficial relationships that helped me make progress in streamlining different functions of the hospital to work more efficiently.

Similarly, I never would have had such a great experience with publishing my book if I hadn’t formed a connection with the publishers and editors at SparkPress. I truly am thankful for the feedback of Brook Warner and the others who encouraged me in the editing process and shared with me their invaluable marketing tools. Publication is not something you can do on your own, sending your work out into the world and hoping it will be snatched up on some whim. In most cases, publishing requires relentless effort, networking, and forming lasting connections as you show people the importance and value of what you have to offer.