Sailee Tiwari is an author and a travel enthusiast. With the camera in one hand a pen in the other, she continues creating beautiful memories and pens them into mesmerizing words. Writing is like an escape for her to an unknown yet extravagant world. Sailee Tiwari is the winner of Sahityakosh Samman Award and her work has been published in an anthology as well.
Have a look at this insightful interview with Storiyaan, where Sailee Tiwari gives some useful advice on how to deal with writer’s block, shares some of her travel experiences and much more.
Interview
Questions and answers
As an author, have you ever felt the pangs of writer’s block and how did you overcome it?
The ocean symbolizes a plethora of feelings that are at peace altogether even in chaos. When I spend time near the ocean, I feel my anxiety and worries gliding away with the waves and I feel encased with love, hope, inspiration, and bliss. When you gain that kind of tranquillity and hope, you are inspired to keep chasing your goals and dreams. And it also accords a noticeably big lesson of life – “In this big world, everything else that bothers you is insignificant. Life is precious and worthy.”
Can you tell us a bit about the greatest highlights of your Kerala trip?
It is said that Kerala is God’s own country and that is absolutely how I felt when I visited the beautiful nature, the greenery, and the sprightliness. I was amazed by the lighthouse at the Kovalam beach and the serenity there. When I reached the Varkala cliff, the astounding panoramic views from a bird’s eye view of the entire beach were something I had not seen before. I have beautiful captures in my camera, and I keep revisiting them now and again.
Could you tell us a bit about how big a role does travel play in your life and what impact does it have on your creative genius?
Traveling for me is like meditation. It soothes my mind, rejuvenates my soul, and helps me see life from various viewpoints. Travelling enhances your spiritual being. As a human, we lose connection with reality and the essence of nature if we are too much indulged in the materialistic world. It is imperative to sometimes reconnect with your existence and rekindle your creativity.
Can you tell us about your experience of becoming a part of the anthology ‘Soul Candy’
Soul Candy is an anthology book published by the Writer’s Pocket team with more than 500 poems written by so many poets. I had never worked in collaboration with so many other poets before, so this felt amazing. My poem ‘The Onset of Love’ describes two people gently falling in love.
What was the inspirational source of Ambivalent Desires and how was it received by your readers?
Ambivalent Desire is a poem featured in the Eve Poetry Magazine. It poses rhetorical questions about life and there is a special mention of roses and dew drops. I was very happy when I got an email that my poem was selected for a website feature. When I checked their page, I saw a beautiful illustration of a black and white flower with my poem, bio, and photographs. I was appreciated by the readers and followers who like poetry, and it was also featured on the page of the Eve poetry community who has more than 29000 readers.
As a lover of the ocean, how big inspiration is nature when it comes to your writings?
The ocean symbolizes a plethora of feelings that are at peace altogether even in chaos. When I spend time near the ocean, I feel my anxiety and worries gliding away with the waves and I feel encased with love, hope, inspiration, and bliss. When you gain that kind of tranquillity and hope, you are inspired to keep chasing your goals and dreams. And it also accords a noticeably big lesson of life – “In this big world, everything else that bothers you is insignificant. Life is precious and worthy.”
What would be your message to the upcoming writers who could make a mark through their penmanship?
Writing is a journey – of self-exploration and connecting with the world with your specialty. Consistency is important. Sometimes, we feel like giving up due to a lack of motivation but there should be a determination to keep going on, nevertheless. I believe a good reader can be a great writer. Another important thing is believing in yourself. There will be times when you question your purpose but with utmost clarity, persistence, and belief, you can easily break the existing shackles.
As Sahityakosh Samman Awardee, what was the most memorable incident from that experience?
When my debut novel ‘Extra Ordinary’ got released, I got a nomination from the Ne8x Official team. After sending out certain details about the book, I was soon selected as an awardee in Sahityakosh Samman 2021. It took me by surprise as it was such a unique award, and it boosted my confidence to do better. When I received their feature and the certificates, I felt like I was on cloud nine.