Just like how the parents of Shaurya, the character in Savi Sharma’s novel This Is Not Your Story, are terrified by his decision to give up a CA course to become a filmmaker, the author’s parents too reacted similarly when she left her CA course midway to pursue her writing dreams.
Savi whose first book Everyone Has a Story was a bestseller, is now happy to see her parents accept her writing career sans any misgivings. Her free-flowing writing style with its subtle ability to convey a message in a fictional format, has increased her reader-base significantly. Her stories stem from personal experiences and the people she meets on a daily basis. “I don’t want my stories to be mere romances. My words should inspire people,” she says.
Savi spent nearly a year to pen This Is Not Your Story that hit bookstores on Valentine’s Day.
While her first book was a simple story about two people realising they were soul mates, the latest one deals with the stories of four people Miraiya, Kasturi, Anubhav and Shaurya, who are at a cross roads in life, professionally or personally. “As a reader, even though I enjoy fiction and non-fiction equally, I prefer fiction as a writer.”
The Surat-based writer has explored Pune, Bengaluru and Jaipur in her novels. The last happens to be her favourite; with its enriching history, she calls it a city ‘full of stories’.
Her first book was hailed as a self-publishing success, with social media helping her to connect with her readers. That was before it was picked by Westland.
“What a big publishing house does is to help your book get to the tier-2 and tier-3 city readers.” As she preps for an extensive promotional tour over the next two months, she says it’s challenging to travel so much.
“I love talking to the youth though. Whenever someone reads a story, they would want an outlet to share their thoughts later. My travelling and social media interactions revolve around them,” she mentions.
It might seem surprising that Savi actually began reading novels only during her 12 grade, though she was writing even before she was 10 years old. She used writing primarily to understand herself and later realised the difference it can make to people.
“Only when I know myself well, can I pen stories about others,” she states. What inspired her the most was Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist . She is also an avid film enthusiast and hopes for a day when her story is adapted into a film.
“Besides reading, I watch a lot of critically acclaimed and award-winning films, because they too are stories ultimately and can inspire you.”
She is scheduled to visit Hyderabad on March 19, she reveals. “I haven’t been to the city. But I look forward to visiting my cousin who stays here this time around.
One of my most favourite readers who has told that my words have changed his world, too hails from this city. I am excited for the trip,” she signs off.
