Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews Abhijith Ravinutala

Success Story Interview - Abhijith Ravinutala

An Interview with Abhijith Ravinutala (abhirav92 on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Susan Velazquez Colmant of JABberwocky Literary Agency.

11/10/2026

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
WHY DIE? (~66,000 words) reimagines The Great Gatsby in 2025 in Austin, amid the rise of Trump’s second term and the AI goldrush sweeping the nation. Having seen the rise of racism against Indian-Americans and the outsize influence of the tech industry on our current sociopolitical climate, I wanted to write a novel about the mirage of the American Dream, and the fate of immigrants who’ve clung to it for generations. I wanted to write a novel that tied this mirage to the increasing inequality and iniquity wrought by the tech industry that Indian-Americans helped build. And I wanted to write a novel about how some problems seem to keep reincarnating themselves.
QT: How long have you been writing?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
I've been taking the craft of fiction seriously since 2018, but have enjoyed writing for much longer!
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
I quit my job in July of 2025 to pursue full-time fiction writing for a while. I've been planning for and writing this book since then.
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
There were so many times! As I mention below, this is not my first book and I've been through so many rejections on previous queries. Staying on course was a mixture of stubborn belief on my part, and unwavering support on the part of my friends and family, especially my wife. There's no way I could've kept going if they hadn't believed in me and encouraged me to keep going.
QT: Is this your first book?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
This is the first one that got an agent but the third book I've completed! It's been a long and tough journey to get here.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
I've been in rigorous fiction workshops, years apart, with the writers Laura van den Berg and Kirk Walsh, but I've never had a formal degree in writing.
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
Before quitting my job, it was whenever and wherever I could write! These days, it's a standard schedule of spending time at the writing desk between lunch and dinner. When drafting, I generally don't go for longer than 4 hours. When editing, I can sometimes spend 10-12 hours a day.
QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
1 hand-written draft, and about 3 typed drafts before querying.
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
Yes! I had a mix of fellow writers and friends who like to read, so I could gather different types of feedback. I sent out the book in late June and asked them to provide feedback by end of August. In the end, I had about 15 people respond with feedback.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
I did make a chapter outline that followed the general structure of the original The Great Gatsby, and then I took some time away from research and planning. Once I sat down to draft, I didn't necessarily keep the outline close by or try to fit certain plans. Given what I've heard from other writers who are dedicated planners or pantsers, I'm definitely somewhere in the middle!
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
This was unusual! I was referred to an agent through one of my writing friends/ mentors, who I met through the Writer's League of Texas. The same week I queried that agent, I sent about 20 queries as a first round attempt. The agent I was referred to ended up requesting the full and then made an offer just one week later! At that point I followed up with the other agents and provided a 2-week deadline, and ended up with 2 more offers. One other agent said she'd get back to me in days and ghosted me. The entire querying process was less than a month.
On the other hand, I spent about 18 months trying to query my previous novel, with ~10 requests and ~150 rejections, and over a year trying to query a previous short story collection with ~40 rejections. So I got to this after plenty and plenty of failures, and I was frankly shocked when I got the first offer on this book WHY DIE? It took a while to truly believe it.
QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
For the first round of queries, I wanted to approach agents at big agencies who expressed interest in retellings and had sold major projects along those lines. I also added a handful of agents who I'd been in touch with through conferences or previous queries. For instance, the agent I ended up signing with is one who read a sample of my previous book. She liked my writing, but wasn't sure how to position that earlier book in the market. I really appreciated her communication style and kindness and reached back out once this new book was ready, and it worked out!
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
I usually added a bit of personalization to each letter, referencing some of their previous deals, or their MSWL.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: Abhijith Ravinutala:
It's ridiculously hard. You're not alone. The best thing you can do is forge writing community and better understand what the publishing industry is looking for/ what conversations are current. I do not believe in writing to the market just for the sake of writing to the market---you should only write what you truly care about. But I think all of us writers have some ideas that are more commercial and some that may have a smaller audience. It's hard to accept, especially if you're idealistic like me, but the more commercial idea you have may be the one that's best-suited for you to query/ debut. Start there!
To be frank, concept is king in the publishing industry, and writing comes second. I wish that weren't the case, but it's the reality we have. If you want to gauge which of your ideas is the winning concept, just talk to people about your writing. The idea that makes them light up is the one that might just work---because there's a perfect mix of premise and your ability to communicate it.

Success Story Interview - Abhijith Ravinutala

Query Letter: