Wiz@Words: ‘People relating to my articles & poems is the biggest gift I have got as a writer’

Passionate about writing and storytelling,  being well-versed and curious about different topics – these are just a few ways among many to describe Khushi Sharma. For this first year student, who is pursuing her graduation education at Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA), “life itself is an inspiration for me.”

The avid reader and writer has been writing since she was sixteen years old and it was one of the best decisions of her life. In addition to writing, Khushi loves reading and working out. In this interview, we learn more about her writing journey and what kind of topics inspire her writing spirit. Read edited excerpts: 

Why did you decide to write on this topic: Why are children smarter than us? How did you conceptualise and work on this topic?

I firmly believe that children have something magical in them that we adults can just feel, but unfortunately, can’t understand anymore. I myself wonder how even in the darkest of times, a child is able to see the world in a different and a positive way. That’s why I wrote this article about children and how they’re smarter than us.

The other day, I was reading the book How to get Ideas by Jack Foster, which laid importance on how we should think like children to get more and better ideas. I also did some research about it and got to know what famous scientists and visionaries had to say about children and about them being smarter than us. That’s how I went on to write this article.

What inspires you to write? What kind of topics interest you?

Life itself is an inspiration for me. Whenever I think of something or a story that needs to be told, I write about it. People relating to my articles and poems is the biggest gift and the compliment that I receive as a writer. The appreciation and the satisfaction I get for it is my inspiration to write more and more.

As a reader, I have loved books which convey some kind of grief and this is also reflected in my writing. Grief and human emotions are something which I naturally connect to. Maybe that’s why the topics which interest me are the ones which affect us all mentally and emotionally in some way, like the article I wrote about childhood and how our innocence and creativity is killed once we grow up.

How important do you think research is when you have to write on a specific topic?

Being well-versed with whatever you’re writing about is very essential for effective and convincing writing. A writer should always deeply know what he or she is writing about as only then the true meaning and essence of the topic can be conveyed. Writing on a specific topic requires even more precision as the more the writer knows about it, the better he or she can write while properly conveying the meaning.

Are you a reader and writer? Who is your favourite author and what is your favourite book?

I am an avid reader and a passionate writer. My favourite author is Khaled Hosseini, who is an Afghan American novelist and my favourite book is A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is also written by him. He has a unique way of expressing the emotions that one feels during tough times. His writing style never fails to amaze me.  

What topic are you planning to write on next?

I plan to write about how in today’s world, we are unable to live our life to the fullest. How we are rarely ever in the present moment and how we are living a life trapped inside the four walls of past, future, phone screens and excess dopamine.

Your learnings from your writing journey

All this time that I’ve been writing, I realised how creative expression can change the world. When people relate to my poems and stories, I realise how even in a small way, I become the source of a positive change in somebody’s life. That’s exactly what I aim to achieve through my writing. Words have the power to reach one’s mind, heart and soul, and I’m glad that I have the privilege to share my words with the world.