Subhechcha Ganguly 
Hemalatha Chivukula is a creative writer. She lives in a castle of words and from there she crafts poetry and weaves stories. She has written the book “Poetic Chords.” She is also a spoken English Tutor.
This is what she has to say about herself.
I am similes and alliterations,
I am metaphors and antithesis,
I am Poetry as I live and breathe!
Q1) Since when did you start having an interest in writing? Tell us something about your writing journey.
Ans: I have had a flair for writing since a very young age. In school, when it was time to write essays for homework, I would be thrilled. But, once I got into college and started thinking about what career I wanted to pursue, it never occurred to me that I can pursue writing. I explored many areas. When I was doing my B. ED degree, I used to write poems at the back of my notebooks, very deep musings flowing from my heart. Even then, I did not consciously realize that I could be a writer. A year later, I started working as a content writer with a digital agency. I was exposed to digital platforms and at the time I used to write a poem a day, without fail. Suddenly, my colleagues nudged me to share my poems online and I created a page called ‘Writingsforever’. Ever since that time, I’ve been writing regularly and chasing my dream to be a well-known author and poet.
Q2) How did the idea of “Poetic Chords” come to your mind? Tell us more about the plot of the book. Also, share the link to the book.
Ans: It was June 2017. I had quit my job as a copywriter. I had not told my family anything about quitting the job. I had this urge to do something, to create something of my own, to put my name on the map of this world. At the time, I was greatly influenced by Rupi Kaur and Lang Leav. I used to read their poetry collections. I immediately knew I wanted to create a poetry collection, too! I decided to write a total of 50 poems and I created 5 different themes for it. Each theme would have 10 poems, I thought. I listed down things I love, and feel strongly about and included them. My poems in the book are in different forms, like an artist experimenting with her art. I would go to cafes and write amidst Mumbai’s monsoon. I named it Poetic Chords because the poems are chords from my heart and I hoped they would strike a chord with my readers.
Here is the link: https://www.amazon.in/Poetic-Chords-Hemalatha-Chivukula/dp/9386653192
Q3) Tell us something about your hobbies. Have you mastered the art of managing your hobbies and your passion by now or you are still finding ways to do it?
Ans: My hobbies are reading, watching teen dramas, traveling, singing, and talking. I am a major conversationalist, always on the lookout for deep, meaningful conversations. I truly believe every human being is a library of stories.
For me, Writing is a passion. It is soulful for me; words flow directly from my heart. I am happiest when I am creating art in the form of poems and stories. I don’t know if I have mastered the art of managing my passion, but I do know I want to write more and have the magic of my words reach and impact the world positively.
Q4) From preparing the draft of the book to selecting the cover page to publishing it , it is a process that requires total scrutiny and involvement. Tell us about your experience and were there any hardships that you faced in the process.
Ans: Oh, it was a very exciting process and one that made me quite anxious. I spent a large amount of my time researching how I wanted to publish it and with whom. I had my draft of 50 poems ready. I asked my best friend to proofread it; he was the only person I showed it to. Then I emailed it to publication houses and got a positive response from a publishing house in Allahabad. I liked them. They were small, sincere, and had experience publishing poetry collections. I went with them. From choosing the font, aligning the poems, and designing the cover page, they were with me throughout. I had friends who were creative designers, so I asked them if they’d design it. But eventually, I decided to keep it simple and go with the publisher’s designer. It was quite a lot of back and forth. I had my own ideas and they had theirs. Ultimately, it came together! Drops of rain, the title, my name against the backdrop of Mumbai’s skyline, it all made sense! I was very nervous about the whole thing and I was worried if I can trust these publishers till the very launch of my book. But it all went very smoothly and I had a private launch of my book, on the terrace of my home!
Q5) There is a large section of the youth who thinks of writing their solo book but lack the courage to do so. What is your advice to them ?
Ans: Take that leap of faith! Don’t question that feeling too much. The urge to put your creation out there, dive into it. No matter what the result, do it for yourself. Everyone starts somewhere.
By chance, even if the book does not do well at that moment, it is out there in the world. Slowly, it’ll get picked up and get acclaim. Be patient and let that happen. But, do it. Do it for yourself and not for anyone else! 🙂
