Student Achiever: ‘Writing is an art of putting a whirlpool of emotions into words’

She draws herself parallel with the famous song lyrics – And words are all I have to take your heart away. Meet Ridhima Khurana, at present, studying in class XI at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park. In a candid interview, she ascribes her teachers as a powerful tool who made her manifestations come true.

Read edited excerpts here.

Tell us about your recent achievement in creative writing.

My recent achievement in the field of creative writing has been the first position in zonal English Essay writing in the senior category.

How did you prepare for it?

I specifically didn’t prepare much. I just went through some of the major current topics making their headlines and read some essays as well.

How did Apeejay support you in honing your skills?

Well, it’s been a long journey, over the years with the support and guidance of my teachers I have been able to sharpen the skill of putting my thoughts into words.

Who is your favourite author and why?

I specifically do not have one favourite author. I believe in picking out certain qualities that I like in an author. For example, for one author I may like the language that he/she has used and for the other maybe I’ll like the crisp way the author has presented his opinions/thoughts.

What’s the best part about English writing?

The best part about English writing or any writing for that matter is that you can convey your thoughts in whichever way you like. Maybe with the usage of very few words intriguing the reader or with the help of long essays. Writing is a vast phenomenon.

What’s the most challenging part?

May be selecting the right type of words and language because I feel those are the most important factors that make your work worth reading.

Would you like to pursue writing professionally in future?

Right now writing is just a hobby for me. I am not sure if I’d like to pursue it professionally in the future but who knows what may change.

How has writing helped you personally in life?

Writing has been my saviour, particularly at times when I had no one to share my thoughts with. I guess paper and pen did prove to be my best friend.