In Conversation with Author Manali Desai

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SS: Himanshu Goel, a poet, an insta-celebrity, an Author, tell us the story behind where all this began? Could you also share your first poem with our readers?

The first poems were written during my high school English classes when our teacher gave us assignments to write poetry. I naturally inclined towards the medium and wrote a few poems on my classmates.

SS: Reaching 60k followers in Insta is no easy task, tell us about a bit about this journey and any interesting stories from your Instagram family members.

I am glad to have this reach for my poetry on Instagram. I never imagined so many people would read and enjoy them! It’s still a surprise when I see people reposting my poems.

It has been a long journey of around 4 years and it has helped me evolve my writing and poetry. Instagram is a heavily visual medium and I have adapted my poetry to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, that’s one advice I would give to anyone working on a poetry page on Instagram.

They are plenty of interesting DMs and comments that I get. A lot of them are requests to write on a particular topic or about their lives, I always find them the most interesting to read through.

SS: What does Poetry mean to Himanshu Goel? What change can Poetry reading / writing bring on to one’s self?

Poetry like any other art form is a way of expression for me. I believe poetry is one of the most elegant and powerful forms of art that exists. A good poetry can stay with you for years and change the way you think or feel.

SS: “Sometimes, we do not get a chance to thank each one who has helped us in our Journey.”  Let the readers get a chance to know about all the important people who have played a part in this fabulous Journey of Yours.

I have been lucky enough to have the support of my family throughout my journey. I was doing my engineering and MBA while still writing fiction or poetry but I never felt the pressure to choose one for the other.

The illustrator for the poems also has played a big part in the popularity of these poems. Arushi Gupta, she is a Chandigarh based illustrator who has provided the artworks for my poetry collections. I often work with a lot of illustrators for my Instagram page as well that add so much more value to my poems.

Most importantly the readers who take their time to read my work and even share them with others, it wouldn’t have been possible without them.

SS: Can you share a few lines from your latest book, ’52 laws of love’ and maybe give a bit of background?

It is said that the language of the universe is mathematics, that by one equation or law, Newton defined how the entire universe operates. If we can define the laws of nature in mathematics, why can’t we define poetry in poetry. It is on this central idea 52 laws of love is based on.

SS: According to you which are the 5 books everyone should read and also Who are your top 3 Authors?

I wouldn’t recommend 5 books for everyone as different books suit different kinds of people. For my favourite authors, I love reading Charles Bukowski in poetry, Andrej Sapowski (The Witcher) in fiction and Hitchens in non-fiction.

SS: Could you share few lifestyle changes for Young people of your generation?

I think by far the most intrusive part of our lives in recent years has been the smartphone. We can’t live one hour without the device or clicking on the Whatsapp or Instagram icon.

I would suggest to make a conscious decision to limit the use of social media to a maximum of 1 or 2 hours in day and try to spend more time focusing on other things. In the long run, you’ll realise how much time you have saved by not wasting it on these apps.

SS: Reading helps people to learn from others experience, while writing helps in self-realization, our limitations, aspirations and strengths can be weighed against what I perceive to what I am as an individual. Shouldn’t writing be given equal importance to reading? What do you think about sharing stories initiative of, “World Harmony Through Writing”?

Writing, whether it is poetry, fiction, journal or any form is an act of self-discovery. In the recent years, thanks to easier access to tools, we have seen new writers and authors come up in thousands and I am proud to be one among them.

Sharing Stories is a great platform and I love the sound of World Harmony Through Writing.

Sharing stories vision towards world harmony through writing.