WriterStory Interviews of Writers
Savita Nair completed Post graduate degree in Mass Communications from University of Pune. She is currently working as a Creative Director at Triton Communications, Mumbai, an advertising agency located in Prabhadevi. She published her first book 45 ml in 2012, featured in Bloomberg’s The Assignment. She also won a couple of advertising awards in Direct Marketing Communications. She also runs Face2Face – a offline social networking platform in Mumbai that allows all kinds of people to meet new faces outside their profession.
What inspired you to start writing?
The need to express my innermost thoughts without any boundaries or judgments or limits. Poetry seemed to understand me, like I understood it. And from there, the love affair with poetry never ended.
What did you like to read when you were a girl?
Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie, Victoria Holt, PG Wodehouse – everything that a good convent-educated girl should be reading:) But I chanced upon poetry by Ogden Nash and was captivated
What is the greatest challenge in writing a book?
In actually getting down to writing it – with discipline. We all have thoughts and lines and words but actually sitting down and putting a discipline to it is tiresome and unnerving.
How much research do you do before writing the book?
None really. All my research is observation. And observing people and reflecting on their insecurities, fears, joys, love stories, angst, anger, jealousy – all of it comes naturally to me. Maybe because I’m a woman, and I love observing people:)
What motivated you to write the book “Tell Me Your Real Story”?
I often go to parties or friends’ houses where the conversation seldom moves beyond ‘How are you? How’s work? How’s the guy scene? How’s this and that” and I come back wondering if I’ve even scratched the surface of the person. We all hide our real self beneath a veneer of joviality, charm, manners and joie de vivre. What are we hiding? What is our real story? What are we when we go back home and strip ourselves of makeup and ego and charm and politeness? That led me to write ‘Tell Me Your Real Story‘.
Can you tell us more about your latest book “Tell Me Your Real Story”?
Tell Me Your Real Story is a collection of simple, heartfelt poems on loving, living and losing. They’re easy to understand and relate with – especially for the urban guy and girl who go through so many mixed feelings during the course of a day. The stories are really simple – sometimes about a common cold or a cup of tea or the perfect day. Nothing in the book needs heavy-duty explaining or a thesaurus. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy a set of simply put poems.
How did you come up with the idea of writing poetry anthology genre book?
Poetry is my most preferred medium of penning my thoughts. I often think in poetry, even when I am at a meeting and doodling. So it came naturally to me.
Who are your favourite authors?
Dorothy Parker is my absolute favourite. She’s a woman who I admire greatly for her simple, sharp insights and writing style. She was razor-sharp and unapologetic in her attitude and yet wistful and lonely as a person. This beautiful contradiction in her personality is so evident in her writing and for me, she’s one of the greatest poets ever.
How much time do you dedicate to writing on a daily basis?
Since I am a copywriter by profession, I write quite a bit at work. But writing poetry doesn’t happen all the time. Maybe once a week or fortnight when I chance upon some interesting facet or insight in myself or others.
What words of wisdom would you like to give to aspiring writers?
Writing is only one part of the journey. If you want to publish, you must know how to market your work well. Take the help of friends who have done it before. They will guide you. Also google the top 20 publishing houses in India and write to them, without losing your patience or faith. Sooner or later, someone will respond. And even if they don’t, self publish…you’ll feel a sense of achievement.
You can buy her book:
