I initially started writing my first book back in the eighth grade, but after getting a ‘writer’s block’ by the third chapter, I scrapped it. When my father wrote his first book in Hindi (which I translated to English under the name “Adventures in Seventh Heaven”), it inspired me to get back to writing. I do have experience in writing articles and short stories, but a novella was a first. The lockdown gave me the time I needed, but the process was still far from being smooth. I had experienced ‘writer’s block’ countless number of times, but with “Accidental” I was determined to finish what I had started. Word of advice: relying on motivation to get things done seldom works, and expecting perfection or complete satisfaction with your work just unnecessarily lengthens the process. I made it a point to just write anything to continue the story in case I got stuck anywhere. If I thought of something better later, I’d replace that scene, else it stayed there whether I liked it or not; at least the story was progressing.
Even though I was determined to finish this book, it actually getting published feels surreal. I had never really expected to publish anything outside the school magazine. So, dear reader, if you’ve always dreamt about achieving something but you feel, that’s impossible for a person like me, just remember that life is full of surprises. You won’t ever know till you try.