This first-time author rightly mentions how life is an expedition 

For the budding writer Sabia Amar, reading gave her a sense of composure. “I remember when I was in school, no matter which class I was in, I always had an interest in attending English class. In fact, being a shy kid, I hardly stood up to give an answer, but in English I never held back in speaking during the writing activities which were organised in class. Whether they were plays or essays, I was always fond of exploring this area,” expresses Sabia. Basically a commerce student, she always had a keen interest in learning more about English as a subject and aspired to broaden her horizon. “I wanted some guidance, I wanted to explore the world of literature, about classical literature, Greek mythology, Irish and Indian tales. I wanted to read them but with deep insights,” the 27-year-old added. Thus, Sabia decided to pursue a Master’s.programme in English from her alma mater Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA) in Jalandhar. In an interview, the first-time author shares about her newly published book – ‘Life – An expedition to yourself’ on Amazon and more. Edited excerpts: 

Your inspiration behind publishing this book ‘Life – An expedition to yourself’ 

As any reader would love to see a book written by him/her, I dreamed of it too. I started writing a poem and my pen never stopped. It would be unfair to say that I write something big! I am like every human being, but the only difference is I give shape to my thoughts. And I have always viewed the journey of a human being as a journey not towards any other place, but to his/her own. You can take several expeditions, but it is not worth it if you don’t know who you are. It is the most difficult journey, knowing who you really are and how valuable you are to society. I have always seen life’s journey similar to the journey of a river. She is born in the mountains and completes her life when she meets the sea with patience, endurance and perseverance. So in this book, I have compiled poems with similar components that are needed to lead the life. 

Please tell us about your book – why is it special? 

‘Life : An Expedition to Yourself’ is a poetry book that consists of 21 poems on various aspects of life. It’s about closely observing what you are and what is happening in the room you are sitting in, or in the city you are residing in. From knowing yourself to doubting, you will be able to read and relate to the words that are mentioned in this book. From being motivated to giving empathy that is needed in today’s time, it is carved in this book in the face of poems. Everyone must be inspired to do something, it doesn’t matter whether it is ordinary or special. Well I will happily say that mine is very ordinary, and that ‘ordinaryness’ can say that even simple things can shine too. You are a being in this cosmos and that is what makes you special – being you, that is what I am today. 

How did this journey begin and since when did you start writing poems for the book? What was your writing process?

It all started with my secret Instagram page ‘Reader for life Sabyya’ that was dedicated to books. I was a bookstagrammer and used to write a few lines, shared my thoughts on that page. Hence,  with this baby step my exploration towards writing started. I realised that along with reading books, I could write something too. I also gave my poems for a few anthologies and that gave me the push that I can write. And that those could be compiled in a book too. There are many phases in your life when you want to vocalise your thoughts instead of piling them in your brain. In my opinion, every overthinker should channelise his/her thoughts in writing. So I started writing first for myself, and gradually took up this journey of writing where people can read what I have written. 

Who is your writing inspiration and what does writing mean to you?

My inspiration has always been my mother who consistently supported me even in the times when I doubted myself. I could not have done without her guidance and her perception towards life. Her faith has always pushed me in a forward direction. For me writing is life, even if you write a quote during happy or sad times, you are writing about life. Every thought on a paper is the evidence that writing has always been there in human civilisation. Writing helps you more during the times when no one is around you. I suggest you experience that whenever you feel overwhelmed, you write what you feel, and in the next moment, you feel so different. Even if it was something minor, you feel light when you vent out through writing. 

What kind of novels you like to read. Who is your favourite author/poet and why? 

I am a fan of classics. I try to read them as much as I can. And when I read them I realise that the feelings and thoughts that were experienced by a person a hundred years ago are still relevant today. After studying literature, I grew more global and regional, isn’t that ironic! My course provided me with an opportunity to read and study a bunch of assorted picks. I love books by Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë in classics and I am currently reading the In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust and loving it a lot. Also in fiction, I love books by Mitch Album and Khaled Hosseini. Poetry was introduced to me in the last 3 years and I like Kamala Das, John Donne and T.S. Eliot.