In conversation with Author Nishtha Shrivastava: Miss India Shining star 2020, Miss India Vivacious 2020, Amazon's bestselling Author, "Rakshabandhan- The fading bonds of faith".
She is a young, dynamic 25 years old girl who walks independently in every phase of life. Nishtha works in a well known IT company in India and is a literature lover by heart. She hails from the city of lakes, Bhopal, and has travelled the nation since the past few years. Nishtha loves unusual things that not everyone does and also dares to surf every not-so-easy challenges of life. She owns her web: http://peopleimet.in/ (By the people, for the people, of the people) where she shares her writings quite often. “Rakshabandhan” is her debut novel and her first milestone towards a big dream.
1. What does writing mean to you? Why do you write?
Feelings that are unsung, stories that are felt but never shared encourage me to take the charge. I feel that we all live a life of ignorance and often bypass things that should really be taken care of. Writing gives me that tremendous energy to come out of my comfy zones and talk about off beat topics, roar about pains and shout the hidden storms and it keeps me moving.
I write to please my heart and ensure that I keep nothing with me hidden that was supposed to be shared. I write to justify humanity; I write to speak for people and I write to be their voice.
2. When did you start writing? Do you remember the first thing you wrote?
I started writing pretty early when I didn’t even know the power of words. I was little when I wanted to convey my feelings to my mother and I found the best way to write them on a piece of paper and it was then when I realized that my expression was far better in writing. That was the first time I wrote a lengthy letter of emotions and soon after that my writing space became my favourite place to express myself.
3. What was the source of your inspiration earlier? Did it change with the time?
Since ever, till today and forever my mother has been the biggest source of inspiration for everything I do. I come from a middle-class family where collective decisions are taken for everybody at home. My passion for Music, Dance, Writing and public speaking was all built by my mother but to stage them was not an easy journey.
We had struggles and clashes but my mother kept her decision firm and she was ready to take the charge. Even today when big opportunities knock, I look at her and ask her if I can walk and she pats my back to take off. She is just the wonder women of my life.
4. Would you like to share few of your favourite lines from your book?
“Though time flies over us, but it leaves its shadow behind of all its events.”
I truly love this line from my book Rakshabandhan, and I believe that this plays a vital role in all our lives. I believe that there is a loop between the past, present and future and it all comes together.
5. What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
I get deep into the stories and weave them in detail and when I have to cut them short I really feel that difficulty to express my ocean of feelings in just few words.
6. What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
I always keep the plot first for myself. I belief that the characters get their place justified only once the plot is clear enough and portrayed well.
7. What’s your favorite and least favorite part of publishing?
The favorite part of publishing is to pick the right cover as the traditional saying still works and the cover plays a vital role.
Whereas the least part is to pen down the acknowledgement as I really feel that 2 pages to thank my near and dear ones are pretty less.
8. How did you come up with the title for your book?
While writing this book the only bond that made my heart bleed everyday was the bond of siblings narrated in the story. I will not say that this is truly the work of fiction but the story is inspired by true incidents and so the only relevant title was “Rakshabandhan” and the subtitle speaks more for it.
9. What inspired the idea for your book?
Taboo topics are always what hit my mind aloud. I had heard of this storm in my life once and was way too difficult for me to accept this but when I actually understood the pain, I decided to write it down and share it with people.
My idea is not to generate any negative feeling among the readers but to tell the molesters that we feel, we realize and at once we will even fight.
10. What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
When little Nisha was bleeding with pain and her grief was just with her body, I literally wept to write this out. My hands were shivering and my soul was shattered and I really was with her all throughout the chapter.
11. What kind of writing space do you need to help you stay focused?
I always need a lamp at my writing space as the focused light of the lamp on my writing pad enlightens me to keep my heart confined. Being a writer by heart I get a lot of energy from the focused lamp.
12. If your book was made into a movie, which actors would play your characters?
I would really talk of Nisha as she is the protagonist and with no doubts I would love if Alia Bhatt would play the role as she fits the best to the innocent soul Nisha.
13. Are you planning a sequel to the book?
I would say, now I am asked about this quite often. Rakshabandhan is meant to have a sequel but that has to be Longley awaited. I have decided this waiting lobby as I want to see the build ups of the world even closer before I write the sequel and probably then I would come up with the heavy storm again.
14. What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I like speaking and recording my art of storytelling. I am a singer too which provokes me to weave feelings in music and I make the most of it.
15. Which author (s) have inspired you?
Ruskin bond is one name which needs no further justification to inspire me. He inspires me every time I pick my pen to write. The lucid way of expression he holds touches me deeply.
16. How often do you write?
I would say I write every day, yes, every single day. I think that for writers every day is a new story and we cannot keep them mum, they roar aloud. Off course writing needs time but it needs consistency too. I find best words when I have thoughts flooding as they heal me and writing gives best of the expression.
With a fulltime job its quite tough to write on a regular pace but it always keeps moving in bits and pieces and I never leave that and I keep striving.
17. What are your future projects?
One of my anthologies, “Silence” is getting published on 26th Jan 2021 and my next novel will be up somewhere by March- April. It is again on a Taboo topic and I would suggest readers to stay tuned to know what’s popping next.
I usually don’t repeat content as every time I write the next thing, I get more ideas to lay so I usually avoid repetition. I aim at writing many such unsung stories of women, society and humanity.
18. What is your message to the young & aspiring authors?
I would suggest them to create their own style of writing, work on their expertise, write what their heart feels and not what the market demands. As what you nail will automatically become the demand so work hard and you will win for sure.
Rakshabandhan - The fading bonds of faith, is now available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Rakshabandhan-Nishtha-Shrivastava/dp/9390192293/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rakshabandhan%2C+nishtha&qid=1609704882&sr=8-1
Jasveer is an Author, Behavioral trainer, award -winning Health and Safety professional & Founder of The Cog Publication LLP. He is currently based in Canada.
Amazon Author Central - https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07M6KS48Q
Disclaimer - All views & facts mentioned above are the sole responsibility of the respective author being interviewed. The Author, Nishtha Shrisvastava, is solely responsible and liable for the information including but not limited to the views, representations, descriptions, statements, information, opinions and references.