The opening of this blog introduces it as my passion project, and it’s evident that it’s not
the only one. My passion for literature and the beauty of the written word drove me to
pen and publish my own book, yet there’s more to it. I didn’t always have this interest; it really came to me when I was ten years old, immersed in Robert Frost's "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" during class. That poem left an immortal mark on me, remaining my favorite to this day. Although I had always been an avid reader, that poem inspired me to explore the fascinating world of literature more. However, the thought of
writing something of my own didn’t cross my mind until five years ago. Back then, I used to have these ideas like, “What if I wrote a book someday?” “What if I published my debut work on my 18th birthday?” “What if I actually became an author?” These “What ifs” and fanciful thoughts seemed absurd and far from reality back then. Little did I know that those once far fetched dreams would become my present reality.
I started this blog a year after I first started writing, mostly as a way to express myself during the lockdown period. This was the time when my interest in the craft really took off, to the extent that I found myself genuinely engrossed in Shakespeare, which I once found to be extremely boring. I began to enjoy the process of writing, relishing the feeling and taking pride in all that I wrote. While I wrote and posted blogs often, they
weren't my sole artistic pursuits at the time. I wrote my first poem when I first started writing, and ever since, I’ve maintained a little secret stash of poems I wrote. I wasn’t convinced they were good, so I was hesitant to share them. Blogs were like essays, a form I was familiar with, but poetry was uncharted territory for me. Despite having a
blog, my confidence in my writing wasn’t concrete. Then came a turning point in my journey.
I participated in a competition (all thanks to my ever-supportive teachers), compelling
me to step beyond my comfort zone and attempt a form of writing I had always dreaded: storytelling. It was a huge task for me, to the point where, upon returning from the competition, I surrendered myself to thinking, "Well, at least I tried." After weeks of waiting for the competition results, I had given up hope of winning. To my surprise, my
submission had catapulted me into the ranks of the top ten authors in the country, competing at the national level and representing two states — all because of a piece I had written that I thought was hopeless.
This incident showed me how I undermined my work while also increasing my confidence in my writing. It was then that I realized that the dreams that I once dismissed as fanciful, weren’t just a blur anymore, they were, in fact, tangible and shrugging them off would be a stupid mistake. And thus, 'The Untitled' was born. My debut book, the result of three years of hard work, comprises 18 poems — a collection I chose to unveil on my 18th birthday, symbolizing a compilation of my thoughts until I embarked on the new chapter of "adulting" in my life. Ever since I gained interest in
poetry, I never understood titles, to me it felt like they were restraining the reader from exploring the deeper meanings and the mysteries within. And so, all of the poems in this collection are untitled, inviting readers to interpret them to their own understanding, allowing their imagination to soar in new directions with each revisit.
My beta readers, my cheerleaders - my ever supportive friends and family - became the
test subjects for this experiment and the results were far beyond my expectations. A different perspective from every reader only affirmed that my concept of the “play of perspectives” was successful. Now, when I read the book a year later, it gives me new ideas, even though I wrote it.
‘The Untitled’ is more than just my first book, it's a piece of my heart, a milestone in my life, it's the start of my journey as an author, and all that led to it is an irreplaceable journey with a beautiful destination that fills me with pride, joy and contentment - a journey I would go on again and again.
Beautiful journey!!
Oh yeah this was definitely emotional and a freaking MILESTONEEE!!!!