I thought Johnny Gone Down would change the world. I’d written it in a dark phase of my life when I was single, broke, and almost unemployed at age 30, a far cry from what I thought my life would be with my stable Indian middle-class upbringing and top B-School degree. Johnny helped me understand my seemingly self-destructive choices. I thought it would give the world hope, help millions see the light in their darkness.
It didn’t.
Johnny came, did pretty well for a while, then dwindled as books usually do.
I wasn’t discouraged. I pored through the abundant media reviews, some enthusiastic, some not, and understood the book’s limitations. With renewed energy, I set out to write the perfect novel. I taught myself writing all over again, attending creative writing classes in NYC after work and reading every writing book I could lay my hands on. This next book, I thought, would awaken the world.
It didn’t.
The Seeker came, did pretty well for a while, then dwindled as books usually do.
The Yoga of Max’s Discontent, the US/international version of The Seeker, launched six weeks ago and is off to a solid start. I don’t know how it will do. It likely won’t change the world. Most novels don’t. Yet you should keep writing (or making music or painting pictures or whatever act of creation you’re doing).
Because it changes you.
The ROI on writing is terrible. For hours, months, and years, you’ll pour your soul into something only to sell a few thousand copies, at best, or face rejection after rejection, at worst. You’ll speak in empty bookstores while literary critics celebrate the next big novel about rich kids feeling empty in New York City.
Or the ROI is magnificent, bordering on the infinite, because with each book your world becomes deeper, more three-dimensional, more full of possibility than it ever was before.
Before Johnny, I regretted how my restlessness kept me moving from one country to another, forming no meaningful attachments anywhere. Johnny helped me embrace it. I backpacked more, drifted longer, and abandoned all notion of convention completely.
The Yoga of Max’s Discontent tore my life apart and made me realize how shallow my constant experience-seeking life was. I shunned the empty busyness I’d filled my life with—dinners, theater, superficial conversations—and became more and more comfortable alone.
With each book, you fall deeper and deeper into the abyss, coming closer and closer to the source. That’s why you should create. You may not change the world but you’ll change yourself. Your book won’t light up the path for millions but it’ll open windows to new worlds for you. And that’s enough.
So start creating today.
All you need to begin is an answer to these two questions:
- Meaning: What is a deep, personal question you’re wrestling with and haven’t articulated an answer to yourself yet? Example: in The Yoga of Max’s Discontent, I was trying to understand what the cause and resolution of human suffering was, probably triggered by my mother’s young, untimely death from cancer.
- Entertainment: What will make your work interesting for someone to read/watch/ feel? In Johnny Gone Down, for instance, it was the character’s unpredictable inter-continental journey from Cambodia to Brazil to US to India.
The former will deepen your life, the latter will force you to live a big, interesting life. And that’s everything you need to begin creating today and change your life.

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34 Responses to “The only reason to write a book–or create anything”
Great post, and so true when it comes to the real reason to keep creating – whatever art form it may be!
Thanks Anne. So good to see you here–and talk soon!
Your post have always moved me and motivated me to choose the only form of art that occupies a greater space in my heart, writing. It’s your blog’s that have made me change my mind and finally settled me to go for something creative, after a years struggle. And you be my true inspiration.
Looking forward to get some guidance from you by your course.
Shivangi, you’ll do very well! Have you gone through the whole course yet?
I haven’t registered yet. But I do know the course material. I really want you to be my guru. I never actually had an opportunity to take someone as my guru but you have some magical powers and your words be the magical wand. All your blog’s and your books have given me strength.
Thank you for sharing some of your path toward wisdom. When I was younger I too thought I would change the world. It’s a good aspiration. As you say it’s when we tune in to our humble expression of life that we truly create something worth sharing. You’ve already impacted many lives. Please keep discovering & sharing!
Thanks Judy! I’ve reached the same conclusion. Dissolving all authorship has more impact than thinking of impact while writing.
Very well said. A good inspiration for writing that comes from heart.
Hey Karan!
Your books didn’t change the world?!? I do not agree with you. Sorry for my poor etiquette but sometimes you have to tell the truth even when you aren’t under oath.
I am part of this world and Johnny Changed my life. Oh I didn’t become a monk and sell my Ferrari, read Mazda 3, with safety pack but Johnny changed my focus to less materialistic things, intangible experiences which can’t be purchased. The character of Johnny took such deep roots in my spirit, it actually made me a better friend. It taught me the meaning of giving even when giving was uncomfortable.
Let’s come to The Seeker. Is there any other book like that? I do not know for sure! Every time I read that book I went ten feet under the water. I mean I didn’t see any sharks or the submarines, but I felt immense calm, acceptance and joy, plainly by reading seeker. I was secretly wishing the book should never end. It was like I was meditating. I could not read more than 30 pages of book at any given time as the writing was so deep for me. I remember reading sentences and paragraphs and just kept dwelling upon their meaning for extended periods of time. I read the Seeker like a hungry kid back from school eats Maggi noodles (masala flavor), Slowly, strand by strand, sucking each one of them. I marveled at all the people who read Seeker in one, two, or three sittings.
They say a real villain is one whom people are scared of just by looking at him on screen. I believe that in writing. A good writer is one who can make you soak in the aura of the protagonist. You have done that impeccably in Seeker.I am writing my book for sometime and I know the limitation of imagination. No one could write a book like seek on imagination and research alone. You impressed me not only as a reader, but a writer as well – amateur at that though. I learnt so much about meditation and the craft of writing as well.
ORDER ORDER
Verdict: Indeed these books have changed the world but the degree or magnitude of change is not known.
Thanks for the amazing work brother. Please keep writing, your writing is making a difference.
Sheel man, you’re my favorite reader! These words truly mean a lot. Can I offer to be the first reader of your book? I’d be honored. So glad you’re writing it. As I told you long ago, you’ll do very, very well with writing.
Thanks brother!
Honoured and so happy to be your favorite reader!!
Absolutely, will send the book to you, your two cents would be worth a fortune for me.
Will send you the review of seeker, detailed one, if you like. Let me know…
Cheers
Sheel
I am already following your advice and have begun my writing following exactly what you have told in the bestseller course. Also trying to put a routine to it . There are times when i get stuck and need your assistance. Is there any way to reach out to you over mails. I have silly questions like should i review what i have written so far cutting out the useless details or there are days i feel totally zoned out just not being able to write anything. At that point i feel i need to speak to someone . I wrote a mail as well to you but didn’t get a reply .
I have this dream that when my book is published i shall travel all the way to NYC and hand over the copy to you
Bhavna, can’t wait to get the copy! It’ll be a very treasured gift. Yes, email is a little tricky but kindly send it again. Will do my best.
Karan,
Great post. I totally agree. Keep it up
Thanks and good to see you here Tom!
Well said Karan. With ROI we always expect to get something from outside or materialistic returns and never consider what we are receiving /becoming inside. So if one creates just for material gains then ROI will most likely to be terrible but again intangible/inside gains also need time to come and it takes a while to realize what really matters. In this materialistic world where everything is measured with power, post and money it’s a real challenge to create to grow inside but once it’s achieved then no ROI in this world can compare to this ROI.
Excellent point, Gaurav. Indeed, immeasurably high ROI as you said.
I have completed a 60000 – words manuscript entitled ” Fidelity or
Infidelity ”
This is romance novel. I want to publish but I have no idea can you help for publishing
Thanks
Suboor khan
Just read the other posts on this site, Suboor, you’ll find everything you need here.
Though I have been a regular reader of your blogs, I happened to read your much acclaimed book, ‘THE SEEKER’ only this week and I am amazed and happy that I read it. No. Happy is not the word, as your write in the last chapter, it is something more than that or something different. Everyone is the seeker and finally everyone has to seek his path through his own Yog- some hung that unites him with the universe and still keeps him detached. The concept is too hard for me to understand it yet as I am still a seeker, seeking my path, but you have done a great job by letting the characters reveal their own narrative. Kudos to you! Thanks for giving me 7 hours(time I tool to read!) of eternal bliss..
Ah man, such kind words. Few have understood The Seeker so well and it means a lot to hear from those who have.
Karan, your blog is really uplifting especially to see the authentic part of an author/creator! These days the usual 9-5 day job is not fulfilling any more. So creating something meaningful is the only way to search for fulfillment. Thanks for yet another refereshing blog on creativity! Divya
Thanks a ton for this article. Gave me hope to keep writing! The odds of getting published are truly slim but if I know my words are worth reading, I’m sure they’ll get published someday
happy birthday sir..
Wow, wonderful.. Life isn’t just finding your question and its answer but also living life just as is to see what magnificent amazing beautiful creation it is ..! ☺️ Nice post Mr. Karan
Thanks Sindhu.
Oh! Those dreams of ours. But how important the message about probing ever deeper into the story. Learning all the while to become a better writer. Thanks for sharing so much with us Karan.
Exactly Beryl, more than anything, it’s a deeply personal journey.
WHey Karan , I am a fan of your writing. In fact I liked ‘Johny Gone Down’ more than than your other wonderful creation. I still remember how I enjoyed and then influenced my wife to read. Keep creating Karan you’re a great talent.
Hi Karan,
Your ideas are truly powerful. The best thing I like about the way you write is that there is no humbug. You write straight from the heart. Matter of fact. I look forward to read your books. Learning a lot from the way you take care of your writing career. Keep writing. Keep inspiring.
Appreciate it kirtida, truly.
Hello Karan, I really appreciate your advice. I was wondering if the Idea stated in this article is applicable to constructing fantasy?
Thanks for your time.
Indeed, it does!
Hi!
I have been reading your blogs for quite some time now. The fact that you share real data, makes these blogs very informative and useful. Thank you for sharing