AMIDST THE GLOOMY PANDEMIC SITUATION, THIS BOOK INSPIRES HOPE

Author Interview: Mustafa Mun

Dr. Mustafa Mun is a clinical psychologist from Mumbai, India, and he is passionate about writing and understanding human behaviour. He pursues writing as a hobby along with managing his family business of manufacturing perfumes and cosmetics, and he is also a clinical researcher. His passion for writing developed at a young age and since then he has always resorted to express his emotions, feelings and thoughts through the medium of writing blogs and books. His book “The Optimist” discusses how the human race perceives the whole Covid-19 pandemic situation. In a candid chat with Chirdeep Malhotra, he talks about his book, his writing journey, his favourite books and authors, and much more. Read on!



Please tell us more about Mustafa Mun as a person.

I am a clinical psychologist from Mumbai, India. I have a passion to understand human behaviour. I have a natural talent with words and have developed writing as a hobby, along with managing my family business of manufacturing perfumes and cosmetics.



Has writing always been a part of your life? Or did you chance upon it later on and then instantly fell in love with it?

I always loved writing letters and sending them physically to people via post, rather than through e-mail. It gave me a sense of belonging. I soon realised that I can write poetry and people in my circle started appreciating it. I then started writing blog posts and eventually self published my first book.



Please tell us more about your book “The Optimist”.

“The Optimist” focuses primarily on how the human race perceives the whole Covid-19 pandemic situation. Although the whole situation looks grim and bleak, this book offers hope with a detailed analysis.



What inspired you to write this book? When did you start writing this book and how long did it take you to finish it?

I was inspired to write this book looking at the grim situation of hopelessness that people were facing in the first lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. With this book, I wanted to instil hope in the lives of people. The book was written during the first phase of the pandemic. I took around four months to write it properly.



Can you tell us more about your writing process for this book?

It may seem simple, but in reality it is extremely challenging to always keep a positive frame of mind while compiling and writing this kind of a book.



Did you face any challenges while writing this book? If so, how did you overcome them?

Honestly, it was tough to stay focused, with your child always around trying to play with you, right when that correct thought comes in. Hence, most of my writing was after midnight once everyone was asleep.



Please tell us about the core message of this book.

The core message of this book is to ‘Be Positive’.



Can you recommend five books from any genre, for our readers to add to their reading lists, that you particularly cherish?

These are “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, “You Can Win” by Shiv Khera, “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne, and “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.



What are your other interests apart from writing?

I like listening to Instrumental Music.



There are many new writers and poets who are aspiring to get their work published. What would you say to them?

There are very low barriers for entry into publishing today, and many self publishing options are available, so don’t let your dreams die. Publish your first book and trust me, there is no greater feeling than holding that book with your name on it. The feeling is priceless.



What are you working on next? Any new literary projects that our readers should look out for?

I am working on children’s fiction books, and my daughter has inspired me to write them.



Can you share with our readers a motivational quote that keeps you going?

Dream such a dream that engulfs you, and you cannot see anything apart from it. Eventually that dream will become your reality.