This week, we are bringing you an interesting conversation with author Diya Vyas. Diya is a writer, an aspiring filmmaker, and a sportsperson who has played badminton at the national level. She recently came up with her debut novel- What I Lived For.
Read on as author Diya Vyas talks about her book, life as a writer, passions and inspirations, writing tips, love, dreams, and much more.
1. Let’s begin with a brief introduction of yours and an overview of your debut book- What I Lived For?
Hi, I am Diya Vyas and Kota is my home. Having played badminton at national level thrice, I always thought if I could be a world class player and a world class writer at the same time. I loved both and for I loved them equally, destiny loved surprises.
So here I am, not with a racket but a pen in my hand and the experiences of a player. Happy combo? Ask me, it’s wild as a boar and it’s fantastic.
What I lived For
‘What I Lived For’ is a book about childhood, love, and aspirations. Neil, a young dreamy boy brought up in the rural side of UP is talented but unaware. Moving to a big city like Lucknow, his parents have monetary expectations out of him, he dreams of winning the world one day through his racket. But sports don’t fetch money.
Ahilya, on the other hand, is practical and knows that sustenance in the field is next to impossible. How do they fall in love, how far will they go? Is she the only one?
Dhaani, 14 years younger to Neil…how will she change Neil’s life?
2. From where did you get the idea behind the story of What I Lived For? Do the characters come from real-life incidents or from your own imaginations?
Not all events can be fictional and not all events can be true.
The idea existed since the beginning of me playing badminton.
Some characters are partly real and partly a figment of imagination. I have had friends and acquaintances, very closely I have seen their failures and success. The book might be an exaggerated version of their journey, but the journey isn’t false. So the inspiration comes from there.
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3. How much time did you take to finish the book? Did you follow any writing routine?
Here comes the question! I have always pondered over the undisciplined timeline of my writing. It took me 2-3 years to complete the book, for I have never followed a writing ritual to begin with.
I feel that a person is heavily limited in writing when you limit him with time. So, my ritual can be described as ‘Going with the flow’ or being fluid to create to the best of ability.
4. Have you always wanted to be a writer or was there a particular moment you thought, ‘I want to do this!’?
8th. 8th standard and I knew that I wanted to be a writer. Praised for writing an answer to a question by my English teacher, I thought, writing a few more pages would be easy.
I think my brush with writing stemmed from a simple experience. I thank my teacher till date.
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5. You also aspire to be a filmmaker. Would you like to share a bit about this aspiration of yours?
I stumbled upon film-making by chance. It was never in the plan, before I actually got admitted in Xaviers, Mumbai.
Film-making is a large spectrum and writing is a part of it. When I say I aspire to become a film-maker, I mean I want to write/direct amazing stories and tell the world. Who knows one day I might direct ‘What I lived for.’
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6. The story of your book revolves around teenage love and dreams. How according to you the meaning of love and dreams change when one grows up to be a young person?
Teenage love is something everyone resonates with, it’s innocent. You start dreaming about a life that is full of riches, ambitions, your desired partner and a bed full of roses. However, when one grows up, reality is bitter.
A person can fall in love many times over, change their line of profession and deal with success/failure in equal restraints.
So, love and dreams are ever-evolving whatever be the age. The books tell you so.
7. What do you do to improve your writing and become a better writer?
To write:
- is to listen.
- is to observe and feel.
- is to also see.
- is to also speak.
- is to laugh and drink a glass of wine.
I do all of the above on different days.
8. You also share your feelings and emotions in the form of short write-ups on Instagram. Would you like to share three of your favourite write-ups with our readers?
When my eyes steer into yours,
Your brazenly fuse into mine.
What follows is your doom or mine, I don’t know.
Falling in love with life, it’s harmony and trials, a little more every day. Step by step.
To whisk you away in my sleepy eyes, I dreamily close you in the juncture of time. Let’s whisper you and me, then sing a lullaby, off we sleep.
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9. A quick-fire round (answer in up to 50 words):
Where is your favourite place to write?
My bed, alongside a big window. Staring at the garden, and writing. (You know this isn’t true.)
Best bit of writing advice you’ve ever heard?
To feel genuinely and write. To put a piece of heart in whatever you write.
Books that have influenced your life?
Notes to Myself – Hugh Prather
What are your other passions in life?
Playing badminton. Singing and Baking!
10. What’s next in the roadmap for author Diya Vyas?
The next thing would definitely be to write or direct a film. I would also like ‘What I lived For’ to be a webfilm.
If time and mood permits, I would also have my second novel in hand.
From where can you buy the book?
It’s available on Amazon.
Follow Author Diya Vyas on Instagram: @diyaaa_vyas
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