Poetry is an art that only a few can master. Writers and poets see the limit beyond the limitless and have attained an acute sense of all the mechanisms in writing poetry.
Every poem a poet reads transport them to a place that only they can understand. Often it is so damn difficult to explain what it is that strikes them as beautiful. Yakshi Yash, an emerging face in the literary fraternity has mastered this art already at the tender age of 19. Talking about her journey to publish her first-ever book- ‘Aarzoo Teri Hai’, Yakshi Yash shares the secrets of staying motivated.
When did you decide that writing is what you wanted to do further in life?
Writing came to me as my safe place to express my feelings and emotions. I was eleven when I started to experiment with words. Soon it caught everyone’s attention at my school. Being appreciated by all of them, it gave me confidence to write for my school magazines or go for complete poems or shayaris.
A few years later, I heard about cuckoo FM radio and started a channel for my own poetries. It gained a huge hype and ensured that I have got this. That is when I finally decided to take a leap and work on publishing my first book- ‘Aarzoo Teri Hai’, a collection of ‘Nazms’.
‘A book on Nazms’, what was the inspiration behind this beautiful idea?
Following the footprints of Dr. Rahat Qureshi, popularly known as Rahat Indori, I too found my calling in the Urdu verses. He is a famous Urdu poet and lyricist. Being a versatile poet, he is capable of writing on any topic, ranging from a comic genre to socio-political issue. His ability to express his thoughts in both traditional and innovative ways was phenomenal. That’s what motivated me. To attain what the most impeccable writers do.
How do you inculcate self-love in your day-to-day life?
‘Self-Love’ for me means keeping myself and my well-being a priority. Being mindful of the little things happening around me or diverging my actions on the basis of what I need in my life rather than focusing on my wants is what brought a huge difference in my way of living. Self-care is another important aspect one needs to practice. It gives an inherent joy to the soul. Inculcating healthy habits and making them a regular practice makes living worth it.
Was it difficult to manage studies and write a whole book simultaneously?
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." We've heard this so many times. 'Play' here not only means playing games, but it also means taking enough breaks from studying and doing things that you find relaxing, and for me, it is writing. Yes, initially, it wasn't easy in terms of time management. But, soon I realized that I cannot do one and ignore others entirely. So, gradually I started working according to a plan and actually stuck to it. That was the key to success.
What all roadblocks did you face in exploring a genre that is not well-accepted by the masses?
I think having an idea to write a book on is really easy. Starting a book is easy as well. But writing the end which summarizes and shows exactly what you want it to is difficult. There is usually some moment of inspiration or impetus that makes an author want to write. Remembering why you started the journey is the only thing that could make you conclude it beautifully. And, that is exactly what I did. One needs to understand the beauty of writing. Whoever reads it, it will always remain a core of the writer’s heart. Hence, they should never doubt themselves.
How do your parents feel about you establishing yourself as an author at such a tender age?
I'm at a loss of words when it comes to my family. They have consistently been a mainstay of solidarity in my life. My mother roused and energized me in every choice that I made. At whatever point I wavered, my father was consistently there to control me. In each significant choice that I made in life, my family was always there to back me up. Some say that there is a light on the other side of the tunnel- For me, my parents are the most brilliant light who have always been there to assist me with rejuvenating my dreams.
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